"I am grounded"
Was the mantra for the yoga class I taught this week. I, at last have a permanent class of my choosing where I can play and practice teaching, and I have decided to base my classes around a mantra.
The studio is small- Tofu For Dolphins in North Melbourne.
We describe people as "grounded" "humble" "down to earth" "with their ear to the ground." These are all positive descriptions, if anyone described me as this, I'd be properly chuffed (I mostly get "confident" "energetic" "the good kind of crazy")
But a grounded person is someone we can trust. They have balanced opinions, wear clothes that they are comfortable in and remember their roots- see the path I am leading you down here?
On Sunday I had a rough day at work. Something really pooey happened. When I came home, I realised I had spent too much time in doors in front of screens as well so to decompress I went to the park and walked barefoot through the long grass for a while. With the sun on my back and tickle of grass in my feet, it was a great opportunity to connect to the ground and ruminate....I almost forgot that I was in a huge city until I saw a man with one of those old metal detectors and a hoe wearing camouflage and service station sunnies. I laid in the long grass which almost engulfed me and stared up at the sky. I laid there long enough to leave a me-sized imprint in the grass, and feeling much calmer, returned home.
In Yoga and Ayurveda (Indian Holistic medicine) our root- our foundation, is extremely important. The junction of energy channels located in our Muladhara chakra (root chakra) is the foundation of our energy body, responsible for the sense of smell and our excretion. That's right; if there's a blockage in your root chakra, it must mean you are full of s**t. (Sorry if you are a hardcore yogi and you think I am taking the micky out of an ancient eastern science; I'm just trying to bring it to the people!)
But seriously, when our roots, like our living situation, our family, our community, are unstable, it has ways of manifesting physically and emotionally- we get stressed, tired, sick, have headaches and poor circulation. Trees and plants grow down as well as up, and in order for us to grow and blossom, our roots too, need good soil, water, and space.
For me, getting grounded is about reconnecting with this sort of foundation. Reconnecting with nature, with people who like and know me for me.
One little sentiment cropped up as I was researching for my class-
"By connecting to the earth we can connect with something much bigger than ourselves. We are not just tiny egos floating in space, we are all glued to this planet that has been housing us and nurturing us for thousands of years."
It's like that feeling of the enormity of the universe when you look up at a starry sky, or a giant tree.
Was the mantra for the yoga class I taught this week. I, at last have a permanent class of my choosing where I can play and practice teaching, and I have decided to base my classes around a mantra.
The studio is small- Tofu For Dolphins in North Melbourne.
We describe people as "grounded" "humble" "down to earth" "with their ear to the ground." These are all positive descriptions, if anyone described me as this, I'd be properly chuffed (I mostly get "confident" "energetic" "the good kind of crazy")
But a grounded person is someone we can trust. They have balanced opinions, wear clothes that they are comfortable in and remember their roots- see the path I am leading you down here?
On Sunday I had a rough day at work. Something really pooey happened. When I came home, I realised I had spent too much time in doors in front of screens as well so to decompress I went to the park and walked barefoot through the long grass for a while. With the sun on my back and tickle of grass in my feet, it was a great opportunity to connect to the ground and ruminate....I almost forgot that I was in a huge city until I saw a man with one of those old metal detectors and a hoe wearing camouflage and service station sunnies. I laid in the long grass which almost engulfed me and stared up at the sky. I laid there long enough to leave a me-sized imprint in the grass, and feeling much calmer, returned home.
In Yoga and Ayurveda (Indian Holistic medicine) our root- our foundation, is extremely important. The junction of energy channels located in our Muladhara chakra (root chakra) is the foundation of our energy body, responsible for the sense of smell and our excretion. That's right; if there's a blockage in your root chakra, it must mean you are full of s**t. (Sorry if you are a hardcore yogi and you think I am taking the micky out of an ancient eastern science; I'm just trying to bring it to the people!)
But seriously, when our roots, like our living situation, our family, our community, are unstable, it has ways of manifesting physically and emotionally- we get stressed, tired, sick, have headaches and poor circulation. Trees and plants grow down as well as up, and in order for us to grow and blossom, our roots too, need good soil, water, and space.
For me, getting grounded is about reconnecting with this sort of foundation. Reconnecting with nature, with people who like and know me for me.
One little sentiment cropped up as I was researching for my class-
"By connecting to the earth we can connect with something much bigger than ourselves. We are not just tiny egos floating in space, we are all glued to this planet that has been housing us and nurturing us for thousands of years."
It's like that feeling of the enormity of the universe when you look up at a starry sky, or a giant tree.
I spent some time walking barefoot before my class on Thursday. I may have not been as present as I should have been.... I got a bee sting between my toes.
It's now a great reason to be barefoot. Nothing like an itchy swelling sting to remind you the wonders of nature.
It takes time, I've scratched the surface. I recommend digging much deeper.
Wearing a frown? Get your feet on the ground.
JJ
