Clinton Ober, in his book Earthing, posits that daily life typically leads to imbalance in the natural electrical charge of the body. This has to do with the difference in charge between the earth and the atmosphere. Direct contact with the earth is the simplest way that we regain balance. (I got a C in Chemistry in high school, so don’t ask for a better explanation that that! If anyone wants to jump in, feel free.) Surfaces that come between us and the earth, such as plastic or rubber soled shoes, insulate us from the earth. Ober went on to develop a line of products, such as a bedsheet that is connected to a wire that runs out the nearest window and into the ground. He touts this sleep system as a way to improve sleep and reduce inflammation.
The concrete floor I stand on at my day job is a natural conductor, but the thick cushioning mat insulates the flow of electrical charge. Since I’m on my feet constantly, it’s no surprise that I feel achy and weary at the end of a shift. Stretching, yoga, and topical analgesics didn’t seem to help much. One day I noticed a customer was buying a big bag of Epsom salts (aka magnesium sulfate), and I knew that was exactly what I needed to ground all the energy I pick up, but am unable to discharge, while working.*
Epsom salts have been used for centuries for muscle aches and pains. While many experts will tell you that there is no evidence that magnesium can be absorbed through the skin, the Epsom Salt Council will be happy to inform you otherwise. But in this case, I think the conductivity of the magnesium sulfate is the important feature. If electrical imbalance is the problem, then a salt bath might well be the solution.
I remember my friend Joy Daley, a bodyworker I used to trade with regularly when we both lived in rural Kansas. She told me many times to take regular Epsom salt baths, but at the time I had well water that was high enough in magnesium to be a laxative (I didn’t drink it, though, because of the bacteria content). I figured, with that much magnesium, I didn’t need to add more. So I never really got into the habit of salt baths. Now I realized that it was time to give them a serious try.
I already had some Epsom salts at home, but I hadn’t thought much about them for a while. Now I dug them out of the back of a cabinet in the bathroom and started adding them to a bath twice a week. It’s made a remarkable difference in my level of achiness. It’s much better for managing my pain than yoga (which I still do, for other benefits).
As a massage therapist, the services I offer aren’t cheap; but there are things you can do for yourself. Epsom salt baths are inexpensive, enjoyable, and a wonderful addition to your regular self-care routines.
*Note that the energy that energy healers are talking about is electromagnetic, and when we talk about grounding, we do mean in the same way that an electrical outlet is grounded: there is a connection and free flow between the individual energy field and that of the earth. This connection is necessary for both the energetic and the physical bodies to function optimally.
Rachel Creager Ireland, LMT 