The alt-rock singer/songwriter, Moby, once famously proclaimed in a popular lyric that “we are all made of stars.” But herbalists, naturalists, and practitioners of folk medicine all know that the human body is far more terrestrial than celestial. We are the children of earth, the heirs and offspring of Mother Nature. We are part of the great cycle of life, and both our origin and our destination lie in the soil beneath our feet.
It is perhaps little wonder, then, that the natural reservoir that breeds life should also be a potent resource for protecting, preserving, and prolonging life. Indeed, nature was humanity’s first pharmacy and its healing powers have never waned, nor has our need for them.
Getting Your Feet Grounded
If you want an example of the restorative powers of nature, then you have only to look at the mounting evidence in support of the healing properties of grounding, also referred to as “earthing.” Grounding is predicated on the premise that free electrons circulating in natural substances, including soil, water, rocks, and grass can be absorbed through the skin and distributed througho