Hello and welcome.
The following is a very simple yet very powerful grounding exercise.
It's one that I've incorporated into my daily life,
No matter where I am,
Especially in those moments in between engagements when I find myself with a few minutes to spare.
It tends to create space in the present moment one finds oneself,
Gets one out of one's head,
And redirects one's attention to the body,
To the breath,
And to the here and now.
As such,
It's also a great prelude to a more formal sitting contemplative practice.
Performing this exercise while out in the natural world can also be a sublime experience.
With that said,
Please enjoy.
I invite you to get into a comfortable sitting position with your spine erect.
Inhale a deep breath and lengthen the spine.
As you exhale,
Let the rest of your body just relax.
Let's start by gently closing the eyes.
Place your hands wherever they feel comfortable.
Take a big deep breath and then exhale,
Let it go.
Take another deep breath.
And as you exhale slowly,
Bring the image of a large majestic tree into your mind's eye.
This can be a towering sequoia,
A massive oak,
A stately ficus tree,
Or any other genus that you wish to imagine.
Now I invite you to start breathing naturally.
And as you do so,
Imagine yourself as being that large majestic tree,
Possessing all of the qualities which it has.
Strength,
Longevity,
Perseverance,
Deep-rootedness,
And a profound capacity to draw nourishment from the earth.
Continue to breathe naturally and maintain that image in your mind.
Now slowly move your conscious attention to your lower back,
To the very base of your spinal column.
Visualize the great taproot of this enormous tree extending from the base of your spine all the way deep down into the center of the earth.
See that taproot moving through topsoil and compacted dirt,
Stone,
And rock,
If you like,
All the layers of the crust and mantle of the earth to its very core.
Then visualize all the other roots of this beautiful,
Exalted living organism expanding into the ground,
Finding their way into the nutritious soil,
Deftly moving past large stones in the ground,
Other roots and things which are already there.
And then as they expand and grow,
Draw deep nourishment from your roots.
Sense how this nourishment from the earth can sustain you in a revitalizing symbiotic relationship.
Take a deep breath and draw that nourishment,
That energy up through your spine to each vertebrae in sequence.
Pausing at your chest cavity,
Bring your awareness to your heart.
Sense the nutrition from the earth expanding there and nourishing the very center of your physical being.
Take a couple of deep breaths here,
Really feeling into that connection.
And when you feel ready to move on,
Continue the journey upward and sense that connection all the way to the top of your head.
Now,
Seeing past the top of your head,
Visualize how that tree extends upward,
Kissing the sky in all its infinite wonder.
Can you feel your arms spreading out as if they were the branches of this tree,
Embracing the blazing blue sky?
I invite you to imagine a column of diamond white light descending from the beautiful azure,
Surrounding and enveloping you in its radiance.
Allow it to infuse your body from the skin through muscle,
Joint,
And bone all the way into each and every cell,
Bringing with it deep healing and loving energy.
On your next breath,
I invite you to place your hands over your heart and silently thank yourself for taking time out of your day for giving yourself this gift of connection with the earth,
With yourself,
And the present moment.
And before getting up,
Thank the image of the tree you've brought to mind as well.
Namaste.
