Earth....a state of mind

Dear Yogis,

You know that hush that you not only hear, but also feel, when you enter the woods?  Or that rush of pure bliss you feel when you have been on your feet all day and you finally drop back into the couch?  How about the big exhale you let out when you step into the elevator or your car at the end of a long busy or stressful day?

Those are all the energy of earth. 

 

It is time again to start the chakra journey.  And where else would be start but at the beginning – earth.

Muladhara Chakra, our root chakra, is located energetically at the base of the tailbone.  Its energy is comforting, calming, dense and grounding.  It is the lowest vibrating energy so it slows us down, and is the downward gravitational pull which keeps our feet planted here on the earth. 

Its associated color is red – the first color of the rainbow.  And physically it is our bones, spine, feet and legs.    It is the mother energy.  To me, earth is home base.

When I dove into this spiritual path with my entire being 5 years ago (although not exactly sure if it was me diving, or more like a strong shove from behind by the universe) I craved this energy.  Our house backs onto a strip of woods, so every single day I would head in there, find a place to sit, close my eyes and just be there, soaking it in for ½ hour.   I did this every day for months.  I just loved what it did to me.  The difference in my breathing and the sense of peace it brought each and every time was profound. 

I would get frustrated if I had to miss days.  I wanted to feel the serenity that poured into me when I entered.  But then one day my teacher told me – the woods is simply a state of mind…….  Wow. That was an “aha” moment for me. 

So where to begin?  To develop this state of mind we must be willing to take the time to simply stop.  To simply be. To watch our exhales and let go.  Let go.  Let go.  Let go.  Oh, and let go.  Nature is a beautiful teacher of this most basic concept. 

So here we are back at earth one more time.  This is a crucial step in the path - the ability to be here in this present moment.  Right here.  Because this is the only moment that is real and when we can bring it into focus we can see its perfection. 

So a couple of assignments!

·         If you are doing the March Meditation – keep it up (or let me know if you want to join in).  A great guide toward stillness.

·         This week – Go for your first Barefoot Walk Outside of the year!  Even if it is just for a couple of minutes.   We will be doing a lot more of this as it warms up.

·         Get down on the floor at least one other time besides yoga class, and just lie there on your back for a few minutes

·         Once a day just suddenly stop, stay perfectly still and notice the space around you

Letting go into the energy of earth,

SARAH