According to Gen Z slang, to “touch grass” is to come back down to reality. It can refer to someone spending too much time in the virtual, online world and not enough time in the physical, natural world. The need to “touch grass” can reflect a disconnect with what is grounded and concrete. Someone needs to “touch grass” when they are lost in hyperbole, hypothetical, or imaginary places. It is both a figurative and literal encouragement or request. “Touching grass” refers to grounding or the actual act of putting one’s skin in contact with grass, often in the form of taking off one’s shoes and putting one’s bare feet onto a grassy ground. The idea is that connecting with nature provides an anchoring dynamic for our minds, bodies, and souls that the online world simply cannot provide.
This practice is also referred to as “earthing,” because it is the practice of making direct contact with the Earth’s surface. There is a belief that this practice reconnects the body’s electrical charge to the planet’s. Advocates suggest it may help reduce stress, improve sleep, and support overall wellness. Research is still in very preliminary stages.
Does it really work? Is there really a connection between the physical ground and our bodies and souls? Is there a connection within creation between humans and the natural world?
In the interest of experimentation, I went outside to try it. I’m not one to normally be barefoot outside. I had spent many hours on my computer working on various projects, and I wasn’t looking forward to being barefoot outdoors. It was cold, damp, and overcast after a couple of days of rain, which also means the ground was cold and wet. But what the heck, I decided to go for it. I left my warm office with my space heater, took off my shoes and socks, and went outside to “earth.”
I walked from the cement path outside my doorway onto the very wet lawn. It was cold, but not too cold. It was wet, but not too soggy. And then I realized how much my mind had moved away from all the projects and to-do lists it had been focusing on, and instead, was noticing the feeling of wet grass under my feet. The nerve endings on my feet drew my attention to all the blades of grass under my soles. Most days, I don’t feel wet grass under my feet because I wear shoes. But now, my senses had become stimulated by a new feeling. I couldn’t resist the urge to take a deep breath and exhale. I didn’t have a smartphone or anything in my hands. There was nothing in front of my face except the outdoors.
It really did take my mind off work and brought me into being present in that moment. I remember receiving some coaching a while back on how to help a young person having a panic attack. The advice given to me was to have that young person hold ice cubes in their hands and then describe how the ice cube feels. This practice was supposed to move the mind into concrete reality rather than let it continue swirling in the hypotheticals of anxiety. Recalling that advice helped me to reflect on why standing barefoot in the wet grass had such an impact on calming my brain. The physical senses drew my brain toward the present reality.
I decided to walk across my lawn and check the mailbox. With each step, I actually felt refreshed. It was like a different department of my brain came online. It was relaxing and calming my mind and body. I decided to walk on my lawn back to the front door, rather than walk up my cement driveway. I became more comfortable with earthing with every step. I kind of preferred to stay outside, take some deep breaths, and notice the world around me: the wind, the sounds of nature, the joggers trotting by, and even the sounds of cars driving by. I was in a moment, looking up, rather than looking down at my phone or laptop.
This was an unofficial experiment, and I am no scientist, but I can see how people would be drawn to “earth,” “ground,” or “touch grass.” There is a connection with nature that is different from touching objects in my house. Maybe it is because nature is alive and out of our control. Maybe it reminds us that we are connected to others and the world around us, rather than isolated. Maybe it just realigns our posture as we stand upright and walk instead of sitting hunched over a desk.
I can see how "earthing" can help with feelings of exhaustion and overwhelm. I’m not sure it has to do with connecting with the electrical charge of the planet. That is beyond my understanding or field of study. However, it seems to me that “earthing” is inviting us into a moment of silence, reflection, and stillness, all of which are spiritual disciplines that feed our minds, bodies, and souls. It pulls our mind away from one thing and places it somewhere else. It moves our minds from the “already” and the “not yet,” and into the “now.” We cannot rush away in a car, but tenderly walk on the ground, watching for rocks or bugs. I appreciated the absolute feeling of being present in a moment as I stood barefoot in my front yard. It is a pause.
God uses pauses. At least, in my life, God often speaks to me in the pause. More than that, God usually offers a space for renewal and restoration in the pause. If that means taking a moment to walk barefoot in the dirt and grass outside, maybe it is worth it.
When I am feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, I may try this as a practice in the future. I usually can afford a moment or even sixty seconds to go outside and “touch grass.” In reality, even if I can’t afford the time, I probably should do it anyway, just to catch my breath and step away from chaos into stillness. Appreciating a moment touching creation in the presence of the Creator can lead to lots of tiny moments of renewal. Over time, these renewing moments collect and stack up, and suddenly, we have found ourselves renewed in an unexpected way.
So go out and “touch grass.” Take off your shoes and “earth.” See if your experience has something in common with the mind. And enjoy the pause with our Creator.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images/Tonktiti
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