Let's start by finding a comfortable seated position.
Plant your feet firmly on the ground if you're sitting upright.
Or let your thighs relax and draw downward if you're in a cross-legged position.
Imagine a straight line connecting your head to your heart and your heart to your pelvis.
Take a few deep,
Full breaths,
Grounding you to the earth and to this practice,
Building the foundation for a comforting and possibly transformative experience.
Take a moment to check in with your bodily sensations.
Are you feeling cold?
Are you tense in any areas?
Perhaps the jaw or the shoulders?
Have your emotional experiences from the day thus far bombarded the body with the swarming buzz of jumbled sensations?
Can you collect these sensations and send them down the body?
Flex your feet or legs deeper into the ground as if they are growing roots.
Release any lingering discomforts.
Let go of all that is to come.
You are simply here,
Planted firmly,
Breathing deeply,
Welcoming nutrients from the earth beneath you.
Affirmations for the root chakra include one such as,
I am steady and I am safe.
Let those statements sink in,
Perhaps by calling forth a memory of safety.
For some that may be the warm embrace of a loved one,
The easeful companionship of a beloved pet,
Or the snug envelopment of a cozy blanket.
Do you notice the flow of energy in that space?
To feel safe is to feel a sense of freedom,
Certainty,
Contentedness.
For those of us who don't visit this space often,
It may feel like the opposite of our norm,
Withdrawn,
Contained,
Timid.
We lose this unburdened energy for various reasons.
Most often,
Through the cognizance of impermanence.
We seek comforts outside of ourselves,
Only to realize that items can be damaged or lost.
We outlive cherished companions.
And to lose it can throw us completely off balance,
Can leave us questioning everything and everyone.
These are losses that deserve to be honored.
Breathe in to the lowest parts of your body,
The tailbone,
Hips,
Thighs,
Legs,
Feet,
And out through those roots that you planted at the start of this practice.
Let go of what no longer serves you.
Give it back to the earth.
But hang on to one thing.
The knowledge that you've experienced that strong,
Uninhibited flow of energy before.
To recognize that is to comprehend that it can be found again.
In this space,
We can learn to soften the walls that we've built to protect ourselves.
We can learn to rely on ourselves,
Replenish our own sense of vitality,
Trust that we are exactly where we are supposed to be,
Embrace the unknown path ahead of us,
And believe in our ability to protect our own peace along the way.
In this space,
We can become intentional in our actions,
Stay rooted in our values.
All is well within this space.
All is well within you.
Draw your palms together at the chest.
Cultivate a sense of gratitude for this time you've given yourself to achieve a sense of connectedness to yourself and to the earth.
