For anyone engaging with internal practices, recognizing when you’re feeling ungrounded and taking steps to address it is critical for overall well-being. Consistent long meditation sits, retreats, psychedelics, forceful breathwork, or intentionally moving energy through the body with practices like Qigong can all lead to feelings of being ungrounded when they’re not done properly. It can be something that unfolds gradually over months as incorrect or forceful techniques build these patterns into your body and mind.
It’s not always obvious when this is happening. In some cases you may be completely caught up in the feelings and lose your reference point for what a stable, grounded mind feels like. It takes time and experience to build that picture for yourself, and it’s only once you have it that you can start to recognize when things are moving in the wrong direction.
The sense of being ungrounded exists on a spectrum and can include many different sensations or experiences: a scattered mind, feeling spaced out, dissociation, anxiety, or derealization, among others. If these kinds of feelings are coming up for you, it’s best to step away from whatever internal practice you’re engaging in and focus on your physical body until things settle.
These practices can produce wild and profound effects at times, which can feel like progress and make you want to push harder. In reality, you may just be going off the rails and need to take a step back. Some of the most effective ways to ground yourself are going for a run or walk, spending time in nature, lifting weights, focusing on good sleep and nutrition, and spending time with friends and family. If you do feel the need to continue with internal work, focus on things like loving kindness meditation, body scanning, or practices that encourage letting go and relaxing the mind and body.
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