Summer Favorites Throwback: Grounding, Podcast 1

This July, each Crone is choosing her favorite episode—and Betty’s pick is the one that started it all: Grounding.

Why? Because when the world goes full rackarakaroo, grounding is the first best thing you can do for yourself.

In this episode, we share simple tools to calm your body, clear your mind, and connect to the earth—whether you're in a forest or on the subway.

If the podcast has grounded you, we’d love your support.
Sign up at just $3/month and you’ll get our Sacred Gardening Guide as a thank-you.

Listen + support here:
 twocronesandamicrophone.com
Or go straight to: buzzsprout.com/2019424/support

#TwoCrones #Grounding #CroneWisdom #SpiritualPractice #SupportIndiePodcasts #JulyCronePicks

Transcript

Betty:
Hi everybody.
Our producer Libby asked us, the Crones, what our favorite podcast is. And I had to think for a while because I really like all the podcasts that we've done. But I do think my favorite one is probably the first one we ever did. That podcast is the podcast on grounding.

Why did I pick that one? It's pretty simple. It's a skill I use all the time. And I think once you all get into the habit of using it, it'll become one of your favorites. Also, I think it's just a skill that helps us get through the rackarakaroo of the day and, as I often say on the podcast, the muddy waters of our time.

So, I encourage you to go to twocronesandamicrophone.com. You can pick it up on our website. You can also pick it up on any of the podcast channels—Spotify, Apple, whatever you're using. It’s the number one that we did, the very first one that Linda and I did. And I encourage you to download it, listen to it, enjoy it, and practice it. It's gotten me through many hard times in my life.

So, there you go. Number one: grounding.
 Talk to you soon.

Linda:
Hello and welcome to Two Crones and a Microphone. I am Linda.

Betty:
And I am Betty.

Linda:
We are cultural midwives and a force for change using applied, practical spirituality.

Betty:
We've been friends for—how long, Linda?

Linda:
Over 30 years.

Betty:
Time just flew by, didn’t it?

Linda:
It sure did.

Betty:
We'll talk about wisdom practices we use in daily life. These are things we’ve accumulated over the 30 years, and we’re really excited to share them so others can benefit. That’s like—what? Sixty years of knowledge between us?

Linda:
Oh yeah. Sixty, seventy—easily.

Betty:
So this is our first podcast, and the topic is basic, but essential: grounding.

Linda:
What is grounding? Why does it matter? How do we ground?

We’ll share practices you can use in daily life—at home, at work, and at play.

Betty:
Grounding for me is something I do ten times a day without even thinking about it. It helps quiet what I call the “rackarakaroo” in my head, to quote our teacher Osha. When my head’s like a pinball machine, I have to ground to settle it. And once my mind quiets down, the body follows. Shoulders relax, abdomen loosens, hands unclench. It’s like a full-body reset. And it brings me right into the present.

Linda:
When we ground, we consciously reestablish our connection to the Earth. We live here, and we forget that—especially when we’re in our heads all day. Grounding reminds us we have an automatic relationship with the Earth, and it can bring calm and clarity. We can focus on our body, our feelings, and our surroundings. Grounded awareness is both relaxed and alert.

Betty:
It helps you think more clearly. You’re not scattered. I struggled with this for years—until I found this practice. I was a critical care nurse. I was in the military. Things were always moving fast, and a lot at once. If I just paused for a moment to ground and center, everything else would fall away. I could zero in on the real issue—not all the little things flying at me.

Linda:
Exactly. In my corporate job, I’m metaphorically a firefighter—always dealing with issues. So when I feel scattered or overwhelmed, grounding is my first go-to tool. It's the best thing I can do for myself before walking into a meeting.

Betty:
So Linda, what’s your favorite way of grounding?

Linda:
There are so many, but here’s a simple one. Try this with us:
Take your hands and rub the backs of your legs. If you’re sitting, rub the backs of your thighs. That brings your attention back to your body. Now press the backs of your legs into your chair. Release. Do it again. Press. Release. One more time. That engages your core and resets your posture. It's quick, it’s easy, and it works.

Betty:
Go on—give us your other two.

Linda:
Okay. The second is sound. It’s vibrational and it grounds you fast. You can say or hum “Mmmmmm,” or just sigh. I love this because you can do it quietly anywhere.

The third is visualization. I picture roots growing from the bottoms of my feet, going deep into the Earth. Then I imagine energy coming back up through my body and branches growing from the top of my head. It helps me feel present and supported.

Betty:
I love that. I do something similar. I sigh—deep breathing. My staff used to say, “Uh-oh, she’s doing that thing again.” They’d leave me alone for a minute while I got myself together.

Another one for me is placing my hand over my heart chakra—in the center of my chest—and visualizing light, peace, and calm. That centers me without being obvious. Deep breathing helps, too. Not with sound, just breath. It gives me a moment to not overreact when something’s going off the rails. It lets me ask myself, “Is that really what I want to say right now?”

Linda:
Exactly. It brings the filter back. So many people have no pause button anymore. Grounding gives you that pause.

Betty:
Sometimes I literally go outside barefoot and stand on the Earth. I let the tension drain out of me and visualize it going into the Earth to be transformed into something good.

Linda:
That’s beautiful. And it sets up our Two Crones wisdom practice. Every episode, we’ll end with a practice you can try right away.

__________

Libby:
Hi, I’m Libby, the producer of Two Crones and a Microphone. We’ve made something lovely for the summer: a Sacred Gardening Guide just for our supporters. If you’ve been enjoying the show, this is a great time to pitch in. Support starts at just $3/month—and you get something beautiful in return.

Want to support the show and get the guide?
 Go to: twocronesandamicrophone.com
Or head straight to: buzzsprout.com/2019424/support

And remember: all is made beautiful. Be well.

__________

Betty:
I’m lucky now—I live in the Poconos, surrounded by trees. But I used to live in an apartment in Queens. I couldn’t just go outside barefoot.

Linda:
You had a good workaround though.

Betty:
I did. I filled a flowerpot with dirt and kept it in the apartment. When I was overwhelmed, I’d go over and put my hands in the soil. The feel of the earth grounded me. Sometimes I’d also run water over my hands and imagine everything washing away.

So even if you live in the middle of a city, there are ways to ground. We had a teacher who used to say, “Even Manhattan is built from the Earth—cement is full of crystals from the ground.” You can walk with intention. Every step can be a healing one.

Linda:
I love that. And I love water, too. Doing dishes is my grounding practice—cleaning the dishes, cleaning myself. Air, water, earth—it’s all there to support us.

Betty:
We also have an energetic body—a field around the physical body that extends out, maybe a foot or more. You know it’s real if you’ve ever been on a packed subway. You’re in everyone’s energy field. You can feel all kinds of things you don’t want to know about.

Linda:
That’s why our next episode will be about clearing your energy body—another essential tool, right alongside grounding.

Betty:
We started this podcast to help people navigate the muddy waters of our time. It’s hard out there. People are struggling to re-enter society after being isolated. Social media has distorted our ability to interact face-to-face. It’s all gotten a little… skewed.

Linda:
And we want to help restore some of that. Whether it’s critical thinking in business or just treating each other kindly—these practices help.

Betty:
Everything we do affects others. So let’s ground ourselves and show up well.

Linda:
All right, Two Wise Crones say: here’s your wisdom practice.
Put down your device.
Go outside.
Stand near a tree.
Walk for five minutes.
Just notice. And if you skip a day, try again. It’s called a practice for a reason.

Betty:
Do it enough, and it becomes second nature. I hadn’t even thought about how often I do these things until we started working on this podcast.

Linda:
Our next episode will cover clearing techniques, including how to clear your energy body effectively.

Betty:
Until next time, this is Betty—

Linda:
And this is Linda. Check our Facebook page for updates. We’ll be dropping a new episode every two weeks.

Betty:
We haven’t picked the day yet… but it’ll go up. You can listen anytime.

Linda:
You can find us at twocronesandamicrophone.com or at minervazed.com.

Betty:
Until next time—
Two Wise Crones, signing off.