A Handful of Dirt
“I am a universe in a handful of dirt,” writes thirteenth century poet, Rumi, “whole when totally demolished.”
The whole of our spirit is greater than the pieces of who we (think we) are. We are a reflection of the very earth. Her mountains, her endless abundance, the ever renewing sustenance of the Great Mother Gaia lives within each of us as a solid connection to strength, peace, and resilience.
Grounding is the practice of connecting our energy to the force of solid earthliness. “Ground” is an electrical term meaning, according to Google, “a connection to the earth, which acts as a reservoir of charge.” In yoga, or in life, grounding means exactly the same thing. We connect ourselves to the endless wellspring of sustenance that lives within our planet.
We do this by touching the earth, and her plants and trees, with our bare skin. We breathe down through our bodies and visualize our spirits anchoring into the core of the planet. A simple meditation of feeling sensations in our body can ground us. Salt is profoundly grounding: take a bath in salt water to detox and recharge.
When we are grounded, we feel at ease. We live in and recognize the present moment for its reality. We think calmly, not about the past or future, and worry not; instead, we breathe, and feel, and be.
Walk upon the earth, and know that your spirit is abundant. You are more alive than you realize. Another great poet, Mary Oliver, writes, “For one thing leads to another. Soon, you will notice how stones shine underfoot.”
And then, you will see that you, too, are shining.
Live a magical Life 