In Tibetan Buddhism,
As well as many other traditions,
Earth is very much about grounding,
Connecting to that inner steadiness and stillness,
Allowing your roots to grow deeply into the ground,
Attuning to the steady,
Nourishing rhythm of the earth within and below us.
It's also about the sensual and enrichment,
So allowing ourselves to be really nourished by the senses and by the earthiness of the body.
As we move into the meditation,
Go ahead and get yourself really comfortable.
This meditation is very much about enjoying the depth of the body,
And so it's best that your body is deeply relaxed.
With your eyes still open,
You can slowly have a look around the room or the environment that you're in.
Try not to be pulled out to what's there,
But rather just notice,
Receiving as if you were seeing it for the first time,
Really being present with what you see,
Taking your time with it.
As you have a little look around the space,
Take a moment to really be aware that this is where you are right now,
Nowhere else,
Not anywhere away in what's going on in the mind,
Right here in this place,
In your body.
And you are safe here,
You are held.
And now gently closing your eyes,
Feeling your awareness draw in towards your center.
As you rest there,
Taking a little time to really listen to what sounds you hear,
Letting them come to you.
Try not to get drawn out to the sounds or label them or reflect on them.
You might hear sounds you've never noticed before,
And notice how each sound arises,
Passes,
And disappears in a constant flow.
Drawing your awareness further in,
Begin to notice what sensations you feel in and around the body.
Maybe you feel the temperature of the air or the clothes against your skin.
You might notice sensations,
Pulses,
Or nuances in the body.
Maybe you can feel the aliveness in your muscles.
Or the beating of your heart.
Maybe even a taste or the warmth in your mouth.
If you notice any tension in the body as you breathe,
Allow that to gently soften,
Release,
And relax.
Notice the sensations of your body against the ground.
The weight of your body.
The earth beneath your feet.
The gentle supportive pressure of the chair or the bed below you.
Noticing how that ground really and truly supports your whole body.
And as you relax,
As you breathe,
You could imagine your body slowly growing roots down into the ground,
Holding your body with a sense of steadiness and allowing you to deepen into relaxation.
Notice the sensations and feelings of your belly,
Your lungs,
And your ribs rising and falling with each in-breath and each out-breath.
Each time you breathe out at the bottom of the out-breath,
You could have the sense that your awareness,
Just for a moment,
Gently sticks to the ground before it comes up again into the in-breath.
And each time you breathe out,
Can you feel your body release and relax a little?
See if you can allow your whole body to follow that natural rhythm and deeply relax each time.
Gradually allowing your body to move deeper and deeper into relaxation,
Into grounding.
Allowing your whole system to gradually and gently let go and become more steady.
Connecting to that inner stillness.
Enjoying the comfort and richness of your body and the safety of the deep earth.
As we come towards the end of this practice,
Allow your body to move in a way that feels really satisfying.
Stretching,
Sighing,
Whatever feels really good for your body.
Letting yourself be really present with how good that feels.
And when you're ready,
Gently opening the eyes.
I hope this short practice helped you to feel calm,
Steady,
And grounded.
Even though grounding practice might be talked about quite commonly,
It is always a wonderful resource to come back to and a practice that can feel deeply nourishing.
Cultivating a deep sense of safety in the body and steadiness in the mind.
This practice is drawn from my short course,
Tibetan Buddhist Earth Element and Root Chakra.
So if you'd like to explore a little more deeply into the root chakra,
Or into the psychological and somatic expression of earth energy from a Tibetan Buddhist perspective,
Please feel free to have a look at the course.
Thank you.
