Grounding After Spellwork (Why You Feel Weird After Rituals)
You just finished a spell. It felt powerful. You raised energy, you directed it, you did everything right.
Maybe you're jittery and restless, pacing around your room unable to settle. Maybe you're lightheaded and floaty, like you're not quite in your body. Maybe you have a pounding headache. Maybe you're inexplicably anxious or emotional. Maybe you can't sleep even though you're exhausted. Maybe you feel drunk or high even though you're completely sober.
You might think: "Did I do something wrong? Did the spell backfire? Am I under attack?"
And nobody warned you this would happen because somehow, in all the spell instructions and ritual guides and witchcraft 101 posts, everyone focuses on HOW to raise energy and barely mentions what to do with the excess afterward.
What "Ungrounded" Actually Means
Think of yourself as an energetic system that normally operates at a baseline level—let's call it a 3 out of 10.
When you do spellwork, especially if you're doing it well, you ramp that up to an 8 or 9 or 10. You're vibrating at a much higher frequency. You're holding way more energy than normal.
Then you release the energy toward your goal... but you don't release ALL of it. Some gets stuck in your system. You're still vibrating at a 7 when your baseline is a 3.
That excess energy has to go somewhere. And if you don't deliberately discharge it, it just bounces around inside you causing problems.
Physical symptoms of being ungrounded:
Jitters, restlessness, can't sit still
Headaches (especially behind the eyes or at the temples)
Nausea or digestive weirdness
Feeling overheated or cold flashes
Exhaustion but inability to sleep
Clumsiness (you're literally not fully "in" your body)
Mental/emotional symptoms:
Anxiety or panic for no clear reason
Emotional sensitivity (everything makes you want to cry or laugh or rage)
Difficulty focusing or making decisions
Feeling "floaty" or disconnected from reality
Paranoia (everything feels like a sign or a threat)
Feeling like you're buzzing or vibrating
Sense of being "too big" for your body
Feeling like you're watching yourself from outside
Sensitivity to other people's energy (suddenly everyone's mood is affecting you)
Seeing things in your peripheral vision
Heightened psychic awareness that feels overwhelming rather than useful
Sound familiar? This is what happens when you raise a bunch of energy for magic and then don't ground it back out afterward.
Why Grounding Gets Skipped
Most spell instructions end with "and so it is done" or "blessed be" and just... stop. Like you're supposed to naturally know what comes next.
Or they'll add "ground and center" as a single line at the very end, with zero explanation of what that means or why it matters.
New witches see this, assume it's optional or advanced, and skip it.
Then they feel like absolute garbage after doing magic and think either:
Magic is harming them (so they stop practicing)
They're under psychic attack (so they panic and do MORE intense magic, making it worse)
They're just bad at witchcraft (so they feel discouraged)
None of these are true. They just didn't ground.
It's like going for an intense run and then immediately sitting down without cooling down or stretching. Your body is going to HURT. Not because running is bad for you, but because you didn't complete the process.
What Grounding Actually Does
Grounding is the process of discharging excess energy and returning to your baseline state.
Releases the buildup so you're not holding more energy than you can handle
Reconnects you to your physical body after working in energetic/spiritual states
Stabilizes your energy so you're not at the mercy of every stray emotion or entity
Protects you by creating a solid foundation (ungrounded people are energetically vulnerable)
Completes the energetic circuit of the spell (raise → direct → ground)
Prevents magical hangover (yes, that's a real thing)
Think of grounding like closing out of a computer program properly instead of just yanking the power cord. You need to shut things down correctly or you risk corruption.
How to Ground: The Basics
The core principle of grounding is connecting with the earth and releasing energy into it.
The Earth is an enormous energetic mass that can absorb infinite amounts of energy without harm. It's the ultimate energy compost bin. You're not hurting the earth by grounding into it—you're participating in a natural energy cycle.
The classic grounding visualization:
Sit or stand. Close your eyes. Take slow, deep breaths.
Visualize roots growing from the base of your spine (if sitting) or from your feet (if standing) down into the earth. See them going deep, through the floor, through the foundation, through soil and rock, deep into the earth's core.
Now visualize any excess energy—you might see it as light, heat, electricity, buzzing sensation, whatever—draining down through those roots into the earth. Like water flowing downhill. Let it all drain out until you feel calm and still.
When you feel empty of excess energy, visualize the roots dissolving or retracting back into your body. Take a few more deep breaths. Open your eyes.
That's it. That's grounding.
Physical Grounding Methods (For When Visualization Isn't Enough)
Sometimes you're too ungrounded to visualize effectively, or you're just not a visualization person. Physical grounding works better for a lot of people because it engages your actual physical senses.
Touch the earth directly:
Go outside, take off your shoes, put your bare feet on the ground
If you can't go outside, touch a houseplant's soil
Sit or lie flat on the floor
Hold a rock or crystal (especially grounding stones like hematite, black tourmaline, smoky quartz)
Put your hands in dirt or sand
The physical contact creates an immediate energetic connection. Let excess energy flow into the earth through your contact point.
Eat or drink something: This is why "cakes and ale" is traditional after ritual. Eating brings you back into your physical body FAST.
Best grounding foods/drinks:
Root vegetables (they literally grow in the ground: potatoes, carrots, beets)
Protein (meat, cheese, nuts, beans)
Salty snacks (salt is grounding)
Basically anything heavy and substantial
Avoid: alcohol (makes you MORE ungrounded), sugar alone (gives you energy rather than grounding), light/airy foods
Stomp your feet deliberately
Dance to heavy bass music
Clean something (scrubbing, sweeping, organizing)
Take a shower (water is grounding and cleansing)
Physical movement brings awareness back into your body and burns off excess energy.
Engage your physical senses:
Wash your hands in cold water
Splash cold water on your face
Smell something strong (coffee, peppermint, eucalyptus)
Listen to music with heavy bass
Wrap yourself in a heavy blanket
This snaps your awareness back into the physical world.
Grounding Techniques by Situation
If you're too energized (jittery, anxious, can't sit still):
Vigorous physical activity: dance, run, clean
Push-ups or other exercise until you're tired
Stomp your feet hard while visualizing energy going into earth
Eat something heavy and grounding
Scream into a pillow (releases energy)
If you're too spacey (floaty, disconnected, dizzy):
Sit or lie on the floor (get low, close to earth)
Stomp your feet and say out loud "I am here, I am in my body"
Touch something with strong texture (rough tree bark, ice, rough fabric)
Count objects in the room out loud
Do something mundane and physical (dishes, organizing, cleaning)
If you're emotionally overwhelmed:
Cry if you need to (emotion is energy; let it out)
Ground physically: feet on earth, hands in dirt
Focus on slow, deep breathing
If you have a headache/physical pain:
Ground immediately (pain is often trapped energy)
Lie down with feet elevated or on the floor
Visualize the pain as colored light draining out of you into the earth
Put your hands in cold water
If you can't sleep after nighttime spellwork:
This is really common and really annoying
Do vigorous physical grounding: jumping jacks, running in place, dancing until you're tired
Eat a substantial snack (protein, carbs, salt)
Take a warm bath or shower
Put your bare feet on the ground for 10 minutes
Visualize roots draining energy until you feel heavy and sleepy
Progressive muscle relaxation (tense and release each body part)
Advanced Grounding: When Basic Methods Aren't Enough
Sometimes you've done REALLY intense magic, or you're naturally sensitive, or you're just having a hard time grounding. Here are additional techniques:
The tree method: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Visualize yourself as a tree: roots going deep into earth, trunk solid and stable, branches reaching up but flexible. Breathe and feel the stability. Let excess energy flow down into roots, draw stable earth energy up through roots to replace it. You're not just releasing—you're equalizing.
Grounding mats or sheets (yes, these are real products)
Walk barefoot outside for 10-20 minutes
Sit with your back against a tree
Put your hands in a natural body of water (river, ocean, lake)
The stone method: Hold a grounding stone (hematite, black tourmaline, obsidian, smoky quartz) in each hand. Visualize them pulling excess energy out of you like magnets. When they feel "full," cleanse them by running under water or placing on earth.
Salt bath: Salt is extremely grounding. Take a bath with:
Epsom salt (magnesium helps too)
Even table salt works Soak for at least 20 minutes. Visualize excess energy dissolving into the salt water.
The corpse pose (Savasana): Lie flat on your back, arms at sides, palms up, legs slightly apart. Close your eyes. Breathe slowly. Feel your body getting heavier and heavier, sinking into the earth. Stay for 10-20 minutes. This is both grounding and restorative.
Return objects to nature: If you used natural objects in your spell (leaves, flowers, stones), return them to the earth after. Dig a small hole, place them in, cover with dirt. This symbolically and energetically completes the cycle.
Building Grounding Into Your Practice
Don't wait until you're ungrounded to think about grounding. Make it part of your standard procedure.
Before spellwork: Ground and center (yes, before too—you want a stable foundation)
After spellwork: Ground thoroughly, even if you feel fine (prevent problems rather than fix them)
Create a grounding ritual: Make your post-spell grounding consistent so it becomes automatic. For example:
End spell with "It is done"
Visualize roots and drain energy for 2-3 minutes
Eat a specific grounding snack (always the same one)
Journal briefly about the working
The consistency trains your energy body to automatically shift into grounding mode.
Regular maintenance grounding: Even when you're not doing magic, ground regularly:
Every morning (starts your day stable)
After stressful situations
When you feel anxious or overwhelmed
After being around a lot of people
Grounding isn't just for post-magic. It's a life skill that helps with anxiety, overwhelm, and staying present.
What If You Ground Too Much?
Possible, but rare. You'll know because you'll feel:
Extremely heavy and sluggish
Difficulty accessing emotions or intuition
Disconnected from your spiritual side
Do something energizing: dance, run, sing
Reach upward (stretch, raise arms, visualize connecting to sky)
Work with air element (breathe consciously, open windows, burn incense)
Engage your upper chakras (third eye, crown)
But honestly, in modern life, most people are chronically ungrounded. Over-grounding is not usually the problem.
The Grounding Mistake Most Witches Make
Here's the thing: a lot of witches ground BEFORE spellwork (good) but then forget to ground AFTER (bad).
Or they ground after, but not thoroughly enough. They do a quick 30-second visualization and call it done, when they actually need 5-10 minutes of solid grounding.
How to know if you've grounded enough:
You feel calm and still, not buzzing
You feel fully "in" your body
Your emotions feel balanced
You could fall asleep if you wanted to
You feel like your normal self
If you still feel weird, keep grounding. There's no such thing as too much grounding after spellwork.
When Grounding Is Hard (And What to Do)
Some people struggle with grounding more than others:
If you have ADHD/neurodivergence:
Physical grounding works better than visualization
Keep grounding SHORT (2-3 minutes max, repeat as needed)
Use stimming as grounding (rocking, fidgeting, movement)
Pair grounding with something you find interesting
If you dissociate easily:
Don't force it; be gentle
Use the 5-4-3-2-1 sensory technique (name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste)
Physical touch and pressure (weighted blanket, tight hug, hand on heart)
Avoid grounding visualizations that feel triggering
Focus on present moment awareness rather than "going down into earth"
If you live in an apartment/can't access earth:
Visualize going down through ALL the floors to reach earth
Visualization is enough—you don't need physical earth contact
The nearest tree or patch of grass
If you're naturally very grounded:
You might not need much post-spell grounding
But still check in with yourself
Your natural groundedness is an asset—use it
Red Flags: When "Ungrounded" Is Something Else
Usually, weird feelings after spellwork are just lack of grounding. But occasionally it's:
Magical backlash: If you did harmful magic, tried to override someone's free will, or worked beyond your skill level, you might experience backlash. This feels different—it's not just buzzy energy, it's like you've been hit with your own spell. Ground, cleanse, and reflect on what you did.
Spiritual contact: If you invoked entities or did spirit work, sometimes they don't leave when you're done. This feels like you're not alone, like there's a presence. Thank them, ask them to leave, close your ritual space properly, cleanse yourself and your space.
Actual illness: Sometimes a headache is just a headache. If symptoms persist for days or get worse, see a doctor. Don't blame every illness on magic.
Psychic attack: This is RARE and usually overstated. But if you did antagonistic magic (cursing, hexing, banishing people), sometimes they push back. This feels targeted and personal, not just scattered energy. Cleanse, shield, ground, and consider whether the magical fight is worth it.
Grounding after spellwork isn't optional. It's not advanced. It's not just for sensitive people.
It's basic energetic hygiene, like washing your hands after handling raw meat.
If you do magic, you need to ground after. Every time.
Make you feel better immediately
Make your magic more effective (complete energetic circuits work better)
Protect you from feeling drained or overwhelmed
Let you actually enjoy your practice instead of dreading how you'll feel after
Your spell isn't done when you blow out the candle. It's done when you've released the excess energy and returned to your baseline.
Then, and only then, are you finished.
