Upon awaking, the ground is there to greet us no matter our mood, frame of mind or disposition. The earth shares its energy, pull and power without judgment. Like the best relationship possible, the ground beneath us is natural, intimate and life-giving.
In our ITP practice, we pay close attention to the ground -- to literally support our stance and carriage in the world, to draw on the vital earth energy for sustenance, and to anchor ourselves emotionally when off-center or facing upheaval. To ground yourself means to focus attention and awareness on the soles of your feet, to embody your innate connection with the earth and to face whatever life presents in a calm, steady and relaxed manner. Grounding prepares us to be ready for anything.
The ground, however, does have its limits and its own evolutionary arc, like life itself. As we humans are intimately entwined with the earth, there is a dynamic interplay of mutual discovery and growth -- a dazzling interdependence!
ITP gifts me with consciousness about my placement on the ground, literally and figuratively. Through the practice of balancing and centering, I have developed, over time, a conscious awareness of my feet -- and whole being -- firmly connected to the earth as I stand, walk and move about in the world. I aim for awareness and then get reminders of being out of balance particularly when I stumble or fall, or if fortunate, steady myself before doing so! Each step of the way is, for me, an undeniable practice.
Recently, I have begun to view my connection to the ground in a new and astonishing way. No longer do I feel a separation of myself from the ground, rather I experience more of a oneness -- ground and me -- functioning as a dynamic duo. That energetic connection has begun to ripple out from inside to include all that is, in surprising glimmers of bliss and boundless gratitude.
The practice of evolutionary love, holding the love object in its highest expression of potential, has guided me toward an experience of the world and my place in it as one. I am beginning to embrace the paradox -- and experience it in body, mind, heart and soul -- of being separate and connected, both at once.
What does ground mean to you? How are you conscious of the ground, and what practices take you there? Let's keep exploring, mining and blessing the ground together!