Whenever I think of the element of earth, I think of the ability to ground and be present in our physical body.  This ability can be lost during childhood. Trauma can often teach a person to seek safety outside of their physical body - the feeling of having a body but not being fully present within it (sometimes called dissociating).  It takes time to heal this wound and learn how to connect with the physical body in a safe way. And there are incredible gifts to be received when we learn to feel the safety & support of the ground beneath our feet. 

For our energy field to thrive, we need both a safe connection to the earth and also to the stars/divine/spirit (whichever word you choose). Like deep rich soil, the earth represents nourishment & the gift of receiving.

Part of My Journey Into Grounding

My journey into grounding has varied over time, with the past few years being an especially grounding period for me.

A few years ago I watched the show Eco-Challenge: World's Toughest Race Fiji. Teams of 4 paddled, ran/trekked, and biked across an island in Fiji for 4-8 days with little sleep and they had to navigate too. They went through extreme heat and extreme cold. In a weird twist of fate, I was hooked and inspired. I loved the team New Zealand - their leader was so grounded & wise. I loved the team element and I especially loved that it was in nature.

I reached out to a friend and we decided to sign up for a shorter 45km Adventure Race in which we canoed, mountain biked & ran/trekked in Ontario. No sleepless nights required. We're just about to do our 4th race in a few weeks.

If you knew me before getting into Adventure Racing, you would have NEVER seen this coming. I didn't see this coming within myself - it was another plot twist in my own life.  Prior to doing this I enjoyed hiking and nice leisurely canoe. Never running or biking. My husband tried for years to encourage me to get a good mountain bike, but I was never interested.

After adventure racing for a few years, I realized that this new commitment to exercise in nature has been tremendously helpful in creating an environment for me to feel support from the earth & my body beyond the visual exercise of grounding.

I also found that I started to enjoy being in the rain or going through mud. It's so peaceful to go for a hike on a rainy day when most people are staying inside.

How Do You Connect With The Earth?

Sometimes the best way to reconnect with your body or the earth, is to find a kind and intuitive way for yourself. It can start by going outside and sitting on the grass or park bench. It can be with animals or in creating a garden. It can visiting a place that helps you relax into your body, or doing an activity that needs part of you to be in your body like rock-climbing, rafting or hiking/running on trails where you have to watch for roots and rocks.

Taurus Season

It's also Taurus season, and Taurus is an Earth sign. Recently, I came across an amazing book - Living Astrology - by Britten Larue.  This book connects the Astrological signs to the northern hemisphere seasons. For each sign she suggests tarot cards, rituals, altar suggestions & contemplative questions for that season. Instead of just reading your own astrological sign, you are guided through each of them as they occur.

Contemplative Questions related to the Element of Earth

If you're looking for a few questions to connect to the element of earth, here's a few:

• What seeds have you planted in your life for the year ahead and what do you need to nurture, support & help these seeds thrive?
• Where in your life is it easy to receive from others/the world & where is it challenging?
• What are things you need to let go of to become compost so that other parts of you can grow?
• Where do you most enjoy being outside? Use your 5 senses to describe this place.
• What activity do you most enjoy outside?