This practice is called Sitting with Earth Mother.
Please enjoy working with Earth Mother as any variation of gender that fits for you.
Let's begin this practice by orienting the body to the space.
Using your eyes,
Notice the edges of the objects in your environment.
Gradually move the eyes around the room,
Allowing your nervous system to get a sense of safety as you begin this practice.
Rest your body into a posture that works for you,
Finding a position that's both upright and gentle.
Coming into stillness now.
As you begin this practice,
Notice what your intention is.
What is it that's bringing you to this practice right now?
There might be a word,
Such as comfort or awakening or joy.
Invite the mind now to come to settling in the body.
You might allow the mind to rest with the breath,
Just like a ship on gentle waves,
Allowing the mind to rest on the breath as the breath comes in and the breath goes out.
You can also use your ears to gently listen along with the sounds around you,
Or a place in your body,
Such as your hands or feet,
To let your mind steady itself there.
Choose one of these places and stay there,
Allowing the mind to linger and lengthen its presence here.
Beginning to take note of what you notice with you today as you come into stillness,
A certain quality of mind or a state of being.
Without rejecting any of the experience,
See if you can invite yourself to soften and to have an accepting attitude towards this practice.
Wherever you are,
Allow awareness to touch upon the physical world around you.
You might notice the solid ground beneath you,
Something your body is touching,
Or even the temperature of the air.
These are all parts of Earth Mother.
Allow the mind to gently sense your immediate environment as part of this Earth.
Wood from trees,
Metal,
Rock,
Heat,
Oxygen.
Sense the aliveness of your environment.
When your mind wanders or is distracted,
Return again to the practice of the Earth Mother.
Take note of your body and how it feels with the presence of Earth Mother.
Extend the awareness of Earth Mother to farther places outside,
To places that are natural or wild.
Sense into the awareness of flowers and trees,
Weather,
Animals,
Or anything else that comes to mind.
Encouraging a soft attitude toward yourself in this practice.
While life is not always easy on this Earth,
There are qualities of nature that are safe and nurturing.
Now bring your attention to a part of Earth Mother that feels this way for you.
Feel in the body where the sense of safety resonates the most.
Coming back into the body.
Bringing this practice to a close,
You can move forward in your day knowing that Earth Mother is with you.
