Getting Grounded with Leilani Cline: Ancient Practices for Modern Anxiety

When was the last time you forgot your keys, missed an appointment, or felt like you were floating through your day without really landing? According to Diane Leilani Cline, these aren't just signs of a busy life—they're symptoms of being ungrounded. And in a world that pulls us constantly into screens, intellect, and endless doing, learning to reconnect with the earth beneath us isn't just spiritual luxury—it's survival.

In this intimate teaching session, Cline brings three decades of kundalini yoga practice and retreat leadership to the humankind community, offering what she calls "two-minute tools" for coming back to center. "So much of what we do in our society is definitely all the intellect and we're in the phones and we're in the computer," she explains. "So it becomes a little bit more and more challenging to get ourselves grounded."

Who Is Leilani Cline and How Does She Hold Space?

Speaking with the warmth of her Hawaiian greeting—"Aloha, hello friends"—Cline immediately creates an atmosphere of accessibility. This isn't esoteric teaching reserved for advanced practitioners. Her approach is practical, offering multiple pathways because, as she puts it, "maybe you love using the red rope going from the root chakra and somebody else really loves connecting with a tree."

With 30 years immersed in kundalini yoga and a practice of leading retreats across the planet—from Sedona to Kauai, New Zealand to Greece—Cline speaks with the authority of someone who has tested these practices in her own life and witnessed their effects in others. She mentions leading sound healing ceremonies where "the golden light" appears unaltered in photographs, a testament to the energetic potency of her work.

But what stands out most is her realism. She knows you might be listening in your office chair, in a city apartment, unable to take your shoes off and stand barefoot in nature. Every technique she offers has an adaptation. "If you are in a city and you're not able to step outside and take your shoes off, you can use the visual of the red rope or the sacred geometry from the root chakra," she reassures.

What Actually Happens in This Grounding Session?

The session unfolds as a careful layering of techniques, each one simple enough to remember, potent enough to shift your state in moments. Cline begins with a single Om to establish presence, then guides participants through her first method: visualizing a red cord dropping from the root chakra all the way to inner earth, breathing three times with this image.

Then comes the drum. "The drum carries the frequency of the earth and the fire element," Cline explains, before the deep, resonant beats fill the space. After each practice, she pauses: "Take a couple seconds just to recognize. Notice what you notice." This isn't about achieving a particular state—it's about developing awareness of your own shifting energy.

The centerpiece of the session is a kundalini breathwork practice specifically designed to release anxiety: a four-part segmented inhale paired with a two-part exhale, accompanied by the silent mantra "Sa Ta Na Ma" on the inhale and "I am, I am" on the exhale. For two full minutes, Cline guides this rhythm, creating a container where scattered energy can reorganize itself.

Throughout, she weaves in other grounding possibilities: touching trees with your forehead for three breaths, holding houseplants, placing hands firmly on the ground, or—for the ultimate combination—sitting barefoot outside while visualizing the red cord and listening to drumming. Watch the full session to experience the pacing and presence Cline brings to each practice.

Why Does Grounding Matter Beyond Feeling Centered?

Cline makes a compelling case that grounding isn't just about personal peace—it's about showing up for the people in your life. "This ability to stop and get grounded and to actually use the practices that we share with you mean you become more present for your family, for your loved ones, and for yourself," she teaches.

She also offers grounding as an emotional regulation tool, especially for parents: "If your child is going through a lot of emotions and emotional outbursts, or actually, no matter what age we are, if you're having a tough time with your emotions, one of the number one ways to come back and balance yourself is to get grounded."

Her challenge to viewers is specific: commit to seven days straight, practicing twice daily. "Things that normally would make you feel anxious, on day five, you'll go, huh?" she promises. "You'll be able to reflect back and say, normally that would be something that would have disturbed me... and because you've set up this practice for yourself, ideally five minutes a day, twice a day, keep going for seven days and notice the results for yourself."

This is the first in a three-part series Cline is offering through humankind, with upcoming sessions on releasing frustration and exploring the particular magic of Sedona's high-frequency earth connection. Each session promises the same blend of ancient technique and modern adaptability, the same invitation to spend just two minutes returning to the ground beneath you.

Experience the complete grounding practice and discover which of Cline's techniques resonates most deeply with your own path back to presence.

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