“There is no other place I want to be. Right here, right now.” (Song by Jesus Jones)
For this inaugural post on my practice website I considered where to begin…and decided to begin…at the beginning. Or the bottom really.
Grounding – the practice and the cultivated skill. A tool whose potency and comfort I admit I heavily underestimated in the earlier days of my personal practice.
For the sake of discussion, let’s accept the fact that intentional contact with the Earth and connection with the Great Mother offers myriad health and other benefits and shift our focus to a different aspect.
Present-moment awareness.
As an experience, let’s start with the practice of what one of my clients affectionately calls “green ball grounding” or grounding via the 1st chakra.
Grounding (as easy peasy as it gets).
Settle yourself. Sit in a chair with your feet on the floor or with your bum on the ground.
Bring your attention to your 1st chakra, located at the base of the spine in the pelvic floor.
Envision a bright green ball of Earth energy filling up your 1st chakra space. [I use the color vision of fresh Spring grass but whatever you connect with is fair game]
Allow this ball to expand until it is as wide as your hips, filling up your entire pelvic cavity. [key here: think massive tree trunk not skinny spaghetti noodle]
Release the expanded ball down – let it drop down, down – forming a cord deep into the very center of the Earth, feel yourself connecting, rooting in. Being you – strong, supported.
Here. Now. And AWARE.
You have arrived at Right here, Right now. Pause/breathe. Take an internal load off, even for a handful of seconds. It doesn’t get much better than this.
[Bonus bit: try doing this several times in a row. See if that feels different.]
Two quotes from an article that I enjoyed in Psychology Today by Grant H. Brenner, MD:
“It is within the present moment, and only within the present moment, where we can actually encounter ourselves, different parts of ourselves, conflicts and concordances, where we can in real time meet ourselves. The present moment is a mirror.”
“This is all relevant because every single move you make, every decision and choice, every distraction or diversion, takes place within the moment. It’s the only time when you have any say at all over what happens.”
There is a reason that grounding often precedes or concludes all other energy practices when engaging in self-care or self-healing work. It is a good diagnostic for where you are (mind, emotions) in space/time, and a constant reminder to Self of where you want to be, if you are not already there. It is absolute part one of moving towards true embodiment.
It is in grounded, present moment awareness that the ebb and flow of one’s internal tides can find an exquisite stillpoint – like the balance point of a see-saw – offering the opportunity for clear knowing, gentle being, and the chance to stay where you are or to pivot in choice.
But you will have chosen your path from a place of equanimity, not knee-jerked in reactivity, or sent your nervous system for a loop on a roller coaster. You have a chance at a ‘do-over’ before the choice has even been made. Incredible.
I have used this skill in infinite life scenarios from deepening the quiet space on the yoga mat to calming the stress nerves of waiting in the hospital with loved ones. And in airports….best travel companion ever.
This is one green ball that delivers wonderfully if you spend some time with it. Once the grounding practice is polished it is the gift that gives exponentially. Give it a try if you are so inclined!
One final inspiration from Cathy Heller:
“The happiness you’re looking for is a feeling of being connected to that part of you that is bigger than time, part of you that’s bigger than your story, part of you that is connected to Gd, connected to the oneness of all. You can feel that right now.”
EXTRA: if you want to enjoy a rad early 90’s flashback (I certainly do) then take a listen here to Jesus Jones, Right Here, Right Now off the album Doubt. It is timely in more ways than one.
Photo by Christina Brinza on Unsplash
