The Hows and Whys of Grounding and Centering

If you practice magic, this is probably a term you have come across many times, yet been lost as to specifically what you should do. I've read many books (even some good ones) that make the mistake of assuming the novice automatically knows what the terms "Grounding" and "Centering" mean. Therefore, I'd like to take you, step by step through the process.
The first thing we must answer is this: WHY do we need to do this? The answer is simple; as we go through our day, living our lives, we are exposed to energy. It is all around us, and our bodies often pick up this energy. Now, don't make the mistake of assuming that you only have a problem with the bad energy. That just is not so-too much energy is just too much. Before we do any work, and before we can truly be in a place of balance, we need our energy to be balanced. That means not too low and depressed...but it also means not too HIGH and frantic too. There are times where high energy can be appropriate, but before you are meditating in preparation for magical workings is not that time. So we need to ground and center to acheive that "just right" feeling. Where we are neither topo much, nor too little of something-we just need to be at our perfect balance, a place where we just...are.
Now...HOW do we do this? I am going to share with you my method, however as always I encourage people to do what works for them.
GROUNDING AND CENTERING
1-Find a quiet spot outside where you will not be disturbed. Remove your shoes and stand on the ground

2-Take steady, deep breaths, just feeling the ground beneath your feet.

3-Feel your feet turning into roots like a tree, and growing deep into the earth

4-If you feel like you are carrying excessive energy, visualize the energy leaving your body and going into the earth through these roots

5-If you are feeling a dragging lack of energy, pull some energy up from the earth through your roots

6-Hold this visualization for as long as you need to, until you reach "that place" of perfect harmony a balance.

7-Feel your feet come out of the ground and return to their original form.



You have now grounded and centered yourself and are ready for meditation or the magical working your were preparing for.