Make a deal with gravity.

You are earth. Grounding is an action. It requires doing.

Grounding Begins Within
Assuming any comfortable position on the earth, we begin to inquire into the density of our form and function. We enter our own earth to find our relationship with gravity and the planet on which we live.

Choose any position you like. Simple seated, reclining, standing…anything. Begin in stillness. Without too much agenda feel for what is present. See what you find. Your mind? Your feelings? Fine. Keep going.

Earth contains the seed for growth. It is home. All growth, including consciousness and perceptual ability, begins from the root. Our roots dig into the earth under us to garner the nourishment for upward and outward growth. In learning to descend into earth, we form the basis for creating spaciousness and lift in body…and mind.

Like our physicality, our inner world is dependent upon earth’s support. Developing a healthy relationship with gravity, we learn to trust earth’s support in movement and in stillness, thinking and not thinking. Our feeling bodies learn where to go for comfort. We feel gravity’s force move through us. Gravity is a consistent reminder to plant, to root, and to recognize the fact of our simple existence. To be present.

Earth invites us to yield the complications of our human processes into its density. Earth is capable of absorbing and grounding our mind's fluctuations our bodies’ rising and falling emotional selves. We learn to embody qualities of steadiness, calm presence, and constancy.

Slowly we learn to yield to the earth under us. We are this and we contain this. Can we feel it? Can we release fragmented and scattered thoughts and feelings back into the root of their physical existence? Can the earth within and under us assist a more stable and coherent sense of self?

Yielding and releasing are actions. We actually do the action. Allowing something to happen is not passive. It is a choice, a movement of consciousness. We need to choose to allow the electrical vibrations and undulating fluidity of your feeling body to rest onto and into earth. As electricity is grounded by earth, so are your thoughts. As the oceans and rivers flow along earth's surface, your emotions and feelings move and seep into the ground. They can settle and rest there.

Every thing about us — every personal particle, thought, feeling, and action — is held by earth and her gravity. Even as we flow and surge. Even as we create, yearn, love, rage, and aspire, we are held.

We can find the very rooted existence of our form and function right here, right now, on earth. Believe me, it is a valuable perspective to gain. It’s not difficult to do. It can be play. Try things. Move in different ways. Breathe and move at the same time. See what you find.

EXPLORE THESE THINGS:

STANDING
—Stand barefoot on the earth. Really feel the earth under your feet, exactly as it is.

—Notice its texture and qualities: soft, firm, dry, or wet. Uneven or smooth. Feel the balls of your toes, arches, and heels. Dig your toes in.

—Feel your earthy, thick legs go down. Feel their weight. Touch deeply with your legs and feet.

—Allow gravity to draw you into the earth. Bend your knees and slowly push into the earth as you straighten your legs.

—Give yourself to mother earth. Inquire. Test it. As you descend, does earth touch back? How far into the earth can you feel your legs go. How far through you can you feel the earth touching back?

LYING DOWN
—Make yourself comfortable and lie down on the earth in any postition. Release resistance to gravity and allow earth to hold you. Roll on the earth. Might there be love in this?

—With your whole body feel and touch deeply into earth’s texture and power. Might you be able to cultivate greater stability in your life by observing earth's presence and dependability?

—Lie belly down. Allow your soft belly tissues to feel and yield to the earth.
Mark the feelings and try them again another time. Is more revealed each time?

DO A YOGA POSTURE

—Any posture is fine. Prone, supine, standing, seated. Begin your posture with the qualities inherent in your inquiry into earth.

—Allow the shape to develop from there. Move with awareness of earth under you and within.

—Does it slow you down at all? How else does it change your experience?

COMING SOON! —WATER, FIRE, AIR, AND SPACE
Along with earth we will be exploring the other of the five basic elements: water, fire, air, and space. Multilayered and swirling together their subtle qualities and traits underly our individual forms and functions.

Together they create the complexity and wonder that is you.

The play continues.
Keep an eye out and join me.
Thank you for your presence here.

Patty