Earth Energy Collaboration: A Visualization And Body Scan

Explore the interplay between the energies of the Earth and the Self in this brief visualization and body scan. Listeners will first be guided to position themselves alongside a "Mother Tree" and then engage in a guided exploration of themselves as active collaborators with the earth and her vastly supportive energy. Through a gentle body scan, listeners will have the opportunity to root down alongside this tree into the truth that we are never separate or alone as long as we remember our home within this vast network of aliveness.

Transcript

You stand at the edge of a clearing.

Ahead of you is a vast expanse of gorgeous green wilderness,

Freshly kissed by morning dew and now gleaming in the sun,

Which trails its rays of warm light across the open space,

As if guiding you to the other side.

In the distance,

You see a canopy of dark leafy green,

Which resembles a small forest.

Slowly,

You begin making your way through the grass,

Which softly brushes your legs and delicately cushions your bare feet with each step,

Such that you walk silently,

Aside from the sound of your own heartbeat.

Your own quietude is a sharp contrast to the sounds and signs of life all around.

There is some magic here that causes every living thing to stand up just a little straighter and stronger,

Inspiring branches,

Leaves,

And blossoms to lift themselves closer to the sun,

As if in true worship.

You finally reach the dark canopy,

And to your surprise,

It is a single tree that you find rather than several.

Her massive trunk is twisted with time,

But still thick with strength,

A rich mottled brown core that feeds dense branches reaching so high and far that you lose the topmost branches in the clouds,

And those growing lower rest their ends gently on the ground on either side.

Her roots curl gracefully into impossible shapes above ground before diving eagerly into the earth,

Likely stretching for miles to collaborate with mycelia and all beings that live below to seek and carry nutrients through the soft darkness of the earth.

Your bare feet detect a soothing vibration that resembles a low hum,

Which moves gently up your body and nestles ever so softly into your heart space,

Intermingling there with your own internal rhythm in an ancient dance of sensation.

It suddenly occurs to you that this tree is who heals,

Inspires,

And nurtures all the rest in this little oasis of calm,

Including you as long as you stay.

She is the magic.

And as you sit against one of her roots,

Which curves gently into a seat,

The vibration changes to one that an age-old part of you recognizes and understands as language deep inside.

You realize in that moment that you have met a mother tree and that she and the nature of this place have led you here with a gentle but clear intention for this exchange.

Just indulge in the full sensory experience of this place.

Imagine the sounds.

Imagine the smells.

Feel the temperature on your skin as the sun warms it as you stand in this field beholding this mother tree,

Noticing how her roots curl up and around the trunk as if in an embrace.

And just imagine how deeply those same roots extend into the ground,

Pulling in nutrients,

Seeking sustenance,

And carrying those life-sustaining elements to all that lives around.

This tree is a bridge above and below.

And as you rest next to her,

You too are anchored,

Grounded,

Beneath this tree,

Which reaches down into the earth alongside a vast network of other roots and mycelia connecting all living beings.

The surface that you currently rest on is quiet,

But there is so much aliveness beneath.

I invite you to see yourself rooting down into that dark quietude that is in fact so alive,

This dark quietude that is also aliveness just as we are.

See yourself welcomed by the aliveness that is already there which gladly makes space for you as a fellow creature of the earth.

And I invite you to connect to this tree that you've called up in your mind.

Observe how connected you are to all other living beings through this network.

And begin using all of the senses available to you to sense the energy of this vast network.

And just note any sensation that you can become aware of,

Especially in the part of your body that is closest to the earth.

Just get to know this energy that is there for you using all of your senses.

How does it feel?

What color is it?

What is its temperature?

Does it have a texture?

And how does your body respond to this connection?

Just name whatever comes to mind,

Whatever you become aware of as you scan using your senses and becoming familiar with this energy.

And now,

With your next in-breath,

Gather this energy in so there's a concentrated glowing mass just below and around where you rest on the earth's surface.

And once again,

Just notice how supported you are,

How you are one with the earth.

And with the very next breath,

Invite this energy up into your body through the part of you that is connected to the earth.

As you experience this energy entering the body,

Can you notice any change in sensation?

Allow it to explore through you,

To flow.

What color is the earth energy as it intermingles with your unique form?

Does it make a sound in harmony with your body?

Become familiar with what is there for you.

And once you have explored this unique energy body,

Now begin to explore the collaboration between your energy and that of the earth.

What sensations or emotions do you notice?

As you explore,

Remain non-judgmental,

Non-striving.

Just maintain an observant,

Compassionate presence for yourself and for the body as it receives this earth energy that we've called into ourselves.

Just notice how this energy feels specifically in the hips,

The lower part of the core which is associated with the earth.

See if you can visualize the warm glow that it might call up.

Can you notice any tingling?

Any warmth?

Perhaps you become aware of an emotion or a different kind of physical sensation in this part of the body.

And if that's the case,

Just simply name it.

Allow it to be just as it is.

There's no need to change anything here.

In here,

We will allow this earth energy to be the vehicle through which we explore the body.

Visualize it spreading through this part of the body,

Through the hips.

And now notice as it moves up into the abdomen,

Into the lower belly.

And once again,

Just see if you can become aware of any sensation here,

Visualizing this earth energy intermingling with the aliveness that is already there in your abdomen and in the belly.

The breath is your anchor at all times.

You can always return home to the breath.

You can always acknowledge whatever thoughts the mind is presenting to you.

Simply name them and then return the focus to the breath.

Allow the earth energy to fill this space.

And then from the abdomen,

Move further up.

Now let's move into the heart space,

Into the chest.

In here,

Visualize the earth energy as a warm glow.

The love that is contained in the earth is now here in your heart space,

Here right in the middle of your chest.

Just notice any sensation available to you here.

Explore around with this energy,

Explore the heart space as if it was a room that you had never been in before.

Notice how the heart can expand to hold everything,

To hold all aspects of our experience.

All emotional aspects of our experience can be safely cushioned here in this amazing container.

Just feel the warmth of this earth energy as it fills this space.

And if you notice any emotions coming up or any physical sensations,

Once again,

Just simply name them.

Allow yourself to be with whatever is there,

Whatever is part of this present moment.

In wholeness,

All parts of your experience have a place with you in this heart space with this earth energy.

And then let's call the energy up yet further into the throat and see if you can detect any change in sensation as you pull this energy up into the throat,

Allowing it to fill this space.

And here,

As we place our focus in the throat,

Do you notice any tightness?

Any physical sensations that are available to you here?

Just simply name them and allow them to be just as they are.

Sometimes by naming a thing,

By seeing it,

That alone is an invitation for it to soften.

Here again,

For anything that comes up,

Our task is to simply acknowledge it and then allow it to pass.

And now,

Perhaps take a moment and notice if,

In our focus on these different parts of the body,

If other parts of the body not involved directly in this investigation have tightened up or assumed some kind of tension,

In which case,

Let's use this next out-breath as an opportunity to invite that tension to release.

And then let's continue on up into the face.

Let's call this earth energy up into the face and into the head.

And here we might notice the warmth of the earth energy in the jaw.

Perhaps the jaw can slacken ever so slightly.

Perhaps the mouth can be relaxed.

You might consider placing the tongue behind the front teeth so that the whole jaw can just hang,

Letting gravity do its work.

And again,

Explore as if you've never been here before,

With curiosity and with gentleness,

With interest,

With non-judgment.

As we move our focus further up,

Move into the eyes.

Perhaps notice the play of light across the backs of your eyelids.

Notice whether the edges of the eyes,

If they can relax down just a bit more.

If perhaps you can give permission to the brows to relax.

And then finally,

Let's call the earth energy up into the top of the head.

And again,

Notice any sensation here as we pull this glowing mass,

Which came all the way up from the earth,

All the way up from the earth through our body,

All the way up into the top of the head.

And again,

Just notice any sensation that's available to you here as you collaborate with this earth energy.

And as you explore this part of the body,

Begin to notice a very thin,

Very delicate,

Golden thread stretching out from where you are aware of this earth energy at the top of the head.

All the way up into the heavens.

And notice that this golden thread is actually a part of this earth energy.

And that in fact,

When we called the energy up from the earth,

This golden thread served as an anchor,

Holding you gently in place from both above and below.

Stretching down through the center of the body,

So that just like the tree,

You too are a bridge.

You too are an intermediary between the heaven and the earth.

And so perhaps take just a few moments to rest here with the knowledge that you are a conduit for this earth energy.

It is a part of you,

And you are a part of it.

So let's take a few breaths now and just broaden this field of awareness.

To feel the earth energy through the entire body and perhaps surrounding us as well.

We are an important part of this field.

And you may have noticed during this scan,

How perhaps while there was an initial distinction between the energy of the earth that you invited up and your own,

That there was also a familiarity to it.

A compatibility.

You are,

After all,

A creature of this earth.

And although your physical form is separate,

The energy that enlivens every living thing is of the same source.

So we mustn't let our eyes and minds deceive us into believing that we are separate.

We are never alone.

We are never really separate.

Knowing this,

Allow yourself a few moments to rest in this awareness of togetherness.

Of ongoing collaboration.

How will you interact with and knowingly collaborate with this energy field moving forward?

For now,

Let us take a few moments to consciously send out our gratitude for this period of shared connection with this age-old energy.

For carving out this time in your day to spend with yourself.

And of course,

Sending gratitude to the earth for her tremendously supportive energy,

Which is available to you at any time.

You may sit here in this relaxed pose for as long as you might wish.

And once you are ready,

Begin coming back in whatever way suits you,

Moving the parts of the body that call for that.

I thank you for spending time here today and I invite you to revisit this place in the mind,

The heart and the spirit where you can become more aware of the connectedness between ourselves and the earth any time you wish.

It is always available for you.

Thank you.

Namaste.