To ideally be balanced, we need to be both grounded to the Earth and connected to the Heavens.

If we neglect the latter, our spiritual growth is obviously impeded. But if we’re too focused on spiritual ascension, then we run the risk of not being grounded enough in this physical plane. We need Mother Earth to nourish our physical bodies just as we need a strong spiritual connection to feed our souls.

In this article, I’m going to share an easy, effective energy meditation for channeling both Earth Ki (or energy) and Heaven Ki through your body to help achieve balance and centering.

Energetic Imbalance

On their spiritual journeys, some people make the mistake of focusing too much on the development of upper chakras such as the crown and third-eye (spiritual and intuitive centers, respectively), while neglecting the balancing of their lower chakras that relate to their sexuality (sacrum) and grounding in physical existence (root).

They can carry an excess of energy up around their heads and have less Ki down through their torsos and legs (a top-heavy imbalance, given that the body’s center of gravity (or hara) is located by the sacrum just below the naval).

You can try to meditate yourself out of your body, but ultimately you’re going to get where you spiritually want to go faster if you focus on all seven of your major chakras – and develop the major energy channel running through the body that connects us to the Heavens as well as the Earth. All of the chakras point into this channel, which runs from the root chakra up to the crown.

The meditation I’m going to share with you strengthens this channel in a way that is very energizing and balancing. This exercise involves visualization of Earth Ki as well as Heaven Ki (again “ki” means energy). But it doesn’t matter how well you visualize for this meditation to be effective. The intention is what matters most.

Easy Meditation for Anyone

You also don’t have to know how to perform Reiki to use this energizing meditation technique, though experience with that Japanese healing art could make the experience feel more powerful.

But I’ve had hypnosis clients (with no prior experience with energy work) immediately feel the beneficial effects as I taught them this exercise as a replacement activity for their previous smoke breaks or simply to feel more centered and less anxious. Surprised looking, they’ve said things like, “Wow! That feels great.” We are all entitled and able to tap into these energy sources.

I use this meditation exercise all the time and find it highly effective, whether it do it for two minutes or 10 or 20. Here are the steps:

• Either sit comfortably or stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Become aware of your crown and root chakras. The crown is funnel shaped and violet colored, pointing straight up to the sky, while the root is red colored and points down to the Earth (see diagram above).
• Now take a deep breath all the way in to your lower lung area. As as you do, envision a beam of nurturing red Earth energy rising up from the molten core of the Earth and into your root chakra (at the tailbone, between the genitals and anus). Then send that red light all the way up the channel in the center of your body and out through your crown chakra into the Cosmos.
• Then as you slowly exhale, envision a beam of white light descending from the Heavens, entering your crown chakra. Send that white light all the way down your central channel, exiting your root chakra and going down into the Earth.
• The next time you inhale, again see the red light arising from the Earth up through your central channel and out through the top of your head. And when you exhale, again see the white light beaming down into your crown and all along your central channel down into the Earth.

• Repeat this upward trajectory of red light and downward stream of white light through your central channel with every breath you take. Again, it doesn’t matter how well you visualize (the intention is enough).
• The white light encompasses all the colors of the rainbow spectrum. But after running the white and red light for awhile, you can switch things up by running whatever colors you feel drawn to use. For example, you could draw green light up from the Earth, then run down sky-blue light down from above. Be creative. If you’re a strong visualizer, you could envision a rainbow beam.
• Remember to take very slow DEEP breaths. Imagine the oxygen you inhale going down all the way down to your hara (just below your naval). Again this is your body’s center of gravity, according to many martial arts, and energizing it gives you a firm foundation for life.
• When you’re ready to come to a stopping point with the meditation, envision green tree roots running down your legs and deep into the Earth.
• Give thanks to your Higher Power (or the Universe) for blessing us with Mother Earth. And thank Her as well for serving as our wondrous home in this physical plane.

Growing Benefit

The more you do this exercise, the more you’ll really feel the energy. The channel will grow stronger and clearer as a result. Over time, you might yourself growing more intuitive and spiritual connected while becoming more comfortable and centered in your body.

Running energy through this channel will stimulate, energize, and clear all of your major chakras which point into it (including the heart chakra, the bridge between our physical and spiritual worlds). In traditional Japanese Reiki, it’s said that the Earth Ki and Heaven Ki stimulate the Heart Ki (enhancing our love and emotional well-being).

The visualization and deep breathing involved in this exercise help keep your conscious mind occupied so that it’s easier to quiet your mind and reap the full benefits of meditation (reducing stress and enhancing your sense of oneness with the Universe). But if thoughts pop into your mind, that’s okay. Just bring your attention back to your breathing and visualization.

Regular Use

I employ this exercise all the time, sometimes even when sitting in a waiting room or standing in line at the grocery store. Once you get used to it, this exercise really can be that easy to use. I can do it with my eyes open, but being in a quiet, meditative state is best.

Of course, this technique doesn’t replace self Reiki treatment for me. Once you become attuned to the extremely high vibration of Reiki energy in a class, it becomes almost effortless to channel it out through your hands to wherever you place them on your body (a chakra or any other area). Reiki doesn’t require visualization.

But this “Grounding to Earth/Connecting to Cosmos” meditation is a wonderful complement to Reiki, and I now teach it in my introductory Reiki class (Levels I & II).

I’m happy to share this exercise with you here, and I hope that it helps bring greater balance into your daily life. This exercise can be helpful if you’re feeling stressed, out of sorts, or drained by others.

Performing this exercise out in nature can be especially peaceful and grounding. But you can draw Earth energy up to the 22nd floor of an office building if you need to. When it comes to energy, the power of our intention truly is amazing.

Other Energy Techniques

There are all kinds of energy-related meditations for you to try, but I particularly like this one because it’s so easy and empowering. You also might want to explore some guided Chakra meditations available on audio recordings (such as this one by Bodo Baginski, Merlin’s Magic and Shalila Sharamon).

And I strongly encourage you to read about my recommended techniques for protecting your energy.

If you’ve taken the Usui Reiki Master class (following the curriculum of the International Center for Reiki Training), then remember to use the Reiki Moving Meditation. That’s one of my favorites for drawing in universal life-force energy and grounding.

If you know Reiki, regularly give energy work to all of your chakras well as your hips, knees and feet. Many people do not have sufficient energy flow down through their legs. Reiki can help ground you.

Copyright, 2013, Wellspring Reiki & Hypnotherapy