Autumn in Canada: A season for witnessing rapid change.
3 Lessons from the trees on being Rooted and Grounded.
I love this time of year. The crisp smell of autumn is everywhere. As the leaves change, there is the glorious final burst of colour before they fall, or are whipped off the trees by great gusting winds, creating moments of excitement and chaos. As days go by, the sky turns grey and I can feel the naked trees going to sleep around me, their bare bones revealed and standing tall.
For me, this season brings a grounding satisfying connection to the planet. I know the trees survive the long winter by having their essence rooted deeply in the earth. So too, I make being grounded part of my daily embodying practice.
Being grounded is an integral part of keeping balanced and able to cope when all around you is chaotic, changing, and unstable. Being grounded refers to having an active connection to the earth and her pull of gravity.
Grounding can be done anywhere, sitting, standing, or lying down. All it takes is an intention to connect. Imagery is a profound way of making such connections. Here are three active imagery exercises to practice that can support being grounded, and in relation to mother earth.
Bones
Like the trees, our skeleton contains the densest material in our bodies. Instead of marrow in the middle of the bones, imagine tubes that allow your weight, energy and breath to flow through them into the earth.
Sap
As the cold air comes the sap of the tree slows and starts flowing into the earth.
When sitting become aware of your sit bones. Take a deep breath and as you exhale feel the weight of your bones flow downward like viscous sap into the chair or into the floor.
Take another breath and as you exhale send the ‘sap’ down through your bones to your feet. Press your feet into the floor as if you were making an imprint in the earth. You are actively connecting and grounding with gravity.
Roots
Sitting or standing – exhale and feel the weight of your body as if you were full of moist earth. Bring your awareness to the bottom of your feet and imagine you are growing roots to the centre of the earth. You are actively connecting and grounding with gravity.
Lessons from the trees
This autumnal season teaches us what it is to be rooted and grounded or else we may get knocked off our feet. When we are grounded we are not, like the leaves, at the mercy of the wind. When we are grounded, we are like the trunks deeply rooted as we sway with the wind in a dance of intentional connectedness.
