So, we’re used to the usual grounding exercises – imagine roots growing into the ground and your branches rising to the sky. Or maybe a beam of light that comes into the top of your head (crown chakra) and out your tailbone (root chakra) or feet.
Or maybe you prefer earthing – just walking around barefoot, sitting with a tree or playing with stones, rocks, or working in your garden.
These are all awesome and they can be SO helpful!
But something fun I’ve done since I was a wee one that can be expanded a bit (I just left the deserts of Arizona, and after awhile, that tree imagery doesn’t resonate amongst all the cactus) is this one:
Go visit your favorite tree, cactus, or stone, or riverbed – dry or flowing. Mountains can work, but they can be a bit overwhelming, so experiment there if you like. You can do this in your mind’s eye if it’s easier than physically visiting said critter.
Connect mentally with your new/old friend here – the cactus/tree/stone/riverbed/mountain – which just means “to think about inquisitively” – and think about or imagine it’s history. How long has it been here? How many creatures has it seen? How many days? How has it seen the land around it change? How has it spent it’s days? What must life be like for this feature? What must time be like for it? What must YOU seem like to it? How would it see the world and it’s place in it?
Now, sometimes this can REALLY mess with your head and sense of time. If you start to feel anxious or scared, just wiggle your fingers. You might not be able to feel them at this point, but just wiggle them the way you remember wiggling working. The sensation should remind you of your body and confirm that it’s still there and that you’re connected.
In fact, this finger- and toe-wiggling technique is my favorite way to come out of a meditation – like saying hello to my body again.
If you experiment with this technique, I would LOVE to hear your experiences!
~ Nathara
