May's new moon, the earth, and me 🌿
Secret gardens | Grounding practices | Healing the world
“Ground yourself, strip yourself down, To blind loving Silence.”
— Rumi
Hello, you.
Do you practice grounding? What does grounding really mean? Maybe you have a beautiful definition of it. Or, maybe you haven’t ever thought about it.
I actually use the phrase quite often. And I know I mean something specific when I say it. A certain feeling washes over me and through me when I say, or even just think, “Grounding.”
But, I’m not sure I’ve ever taken the time to really define what grounding is and what it means to me.
Yesterday was the beginning of a new moon cycle, and, in May, it always feels like the perfect moment to reset and re-ground myself.
If I were to describe May as a place, then it would be a lush, green, flower-filled secret garden. Here, my senses are heightened. The colors are vibrant, the smells are sweet and soft, and time seems to stand still as I stand grounded and safe in the middle of the garden, soaking it all in. Indulging in the abundance of the earth.
The secret garden energy of May always calls me outside into the light, but it also calls me downward into the earth. It is a call to find healing and abundance in the beauty and stability of the earth, even when things are chaotic and unstable. So, naturally, for me, May is a month in which I feel drawn to deepen my grounding practices.
So, why do I practice grounding? And what does it mean to me?
To begin with, for me, grounding is simple. It is a conscious decision to slow down for a moment. With myself, with a tree, with my houseplants, with the ground. It offers me a way to be mindful and aware of the beauty that is found everywhere, at all times. Grounding means that I consciously stop for a moment to soak in and enjoy whatever is occurring in the present moment.
🌳 Connecting with the earth
Obviously, grounding is making space for connecting with the earth. Literally. The trees, the roots, the flowers, the bushes, the ground. It is my way of observing and being mindful of all that is occurring in nature throughout the year.
Touching, feeling, and interacting with the earth brings me back to the present moment and to the truth of who I am - a human, a part of nature itself, co-existing with everyone and everything on this beautiful planet. From the tiniest ant to the great sequoia trees to the deep, dark ocean to the neighbor that lives beside me to the unknown stranger that lives in a far off land.
Grounding reminds me that I am not alone. Nor are you. We are here, and belong, together.
🧘🏼♀️ Connecting with my soul
I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart. I am. I am. I am. -Sylvia Plath
Grounding requires me to slow my pace. To embrace and create a quiet moment - even as the world moves on around me. In this quiet space, though, whether walking in a forest alone, meditating on my floor at home, or touching a tree on a busy sidewalk in the city, this is when I can hear whispers of my soul, feel the nudge of Spirit, and intuit the deeper messages of the earth (plants, animals, birds, humans).
Of course, it is always a gift to experience grounding outside, but I often practice grounding inside as well. It is laying a hand on my heart (for I am just as much a part of nature as a tree is) and taking in a long deep breath in the middle of a crazy busy work day. It is also a part of my meditation practice. I often begin meditation by sitting or standing and visualizing roots that grow down from my body deep into the earth.
Grounding is a reminder of who I am beneath the surface. It is a moment to center myself and listen to my soul.
🕊️ Healing and restorative - both for me and for the world
Connecting with nature and with my soul nurtures and affects my connection to others. So, even if grounding seems to be something that I do for myself, it is in slowing my pace and turning inward that I unearth inspiration and wisdom to bring forth the love, service, and peace that I am meant to give to the world.
May’s new moon in Taurus symbolizes stabilizing, grounding energy and offers us a chance to spend this month dropping down into our deepest roots. It is the perfect month for walking barefoot, for starting a daily meditation practice, for wandering in the forest or lounging in the garden. Anything that truly centers and stabilizes and grounds us - so that we remember who we are and who we are called to be.
Step away for a moment, as often as possible this May, to not only ground yourself, but to practice creating a centered, soulful way of living. And, while you’re at it, define what grounding means to you.
I’d love to hear what you think about grounding, how you define it in your life, and what ways you ground yourself. Share your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below so we can inspire each other.
And, most importantly, my friend, blessed new moon.
With deep, grounding love, liz. xoxo.
Just in case you’d like a grounding meditation, I thought I’d link one from Insight Timer, an app I use for guided mediations and musical tracks when want to ground myself and return to my center. Click below! 👇🏼
And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. - Kahlil Gibran
May as a Secret Garden--that's exactly how it feels to me, too. For grounding, I love to think of a grounding word or phrase or (especially) a question to roll around in my mind as I walk outside.
Yes! I love this. I think of grounding as embodied consciousness - fully inhabiting the body while remaining fully connected to the non-material self. I share a similar kind of practice in my book which invites connection with feelings of stability, connection, support, growth, and vitality.