Each morning, I sit with my cup of coffee on the couch, my focus spread between the warm beverage held in my physical care and my breath bringing me into my body. With each breath, I center more fully. With each breath, I deepen.
Holding a cup of coffee, it is easy for joy to spread through me. How I love my cup of coffee! How grateful I am for this brew that brings me to life each morning!
As I take each deeper breath, the warm mug in my hands keeps me centered in 3D reality. This is no meditation to take me deep, deep into the mysteries of self, but one that holds a bridge between my inner world, and the living room I find myself physically present within.
What I love about this set up is how it holds me within two worlds. Again, this is no deep meditation to go within my own inner realms (like many of my other meditations); still, it is a powerful experience of connecting inward, while simultaneously being grounded in the physical realm.
Everything I teach has to do with being this bridge: How can we deepen into our internal realm, and maybe even expand into the spiritual realm? All-the-while, how can we ground more fully into life lived here on Planet Earth? This, here, is The Embodied Path. It is the path into New Earth. It is not some high and mighty, esoteric spiritual space. It is grounded here in reality. It is grounded here in the physical. From this space, we get to call in the light. From this space, we get to explore the great potential of all that we can connect into. In doing so, we get to call in, and to embody the light, and anything else that has to do with “the spiritual.” Here, we get to call it down and embody it. We get to experience it here on and as Planet Earth.
A grounded path. An embodied path.
With cup of coffee (or tea, or whatever it is!) in hand, I know I am grounded in 3D reality. There is no escaping it. I am here, I am here, I am here.
And what a joy this is! What joy it is to ground ourselves into reality, to know ourselves in this world that is so full of life! What a joy, what a joy, what a joy.
Speaking of joy…
At some point in my morning ritual, I cast my gaze out the window. And, there she is!
Earth! Taking form in endless shapes and beings, those that communicate to me through sound and sight and all my other senses!
The birds are chirping this morning. Their voice rings through the light layer of fresh spring snow. The grass is poking up through the white layer, and the sun is just about to pierce through the gray layer of clouds.
What a joy, what a joy, what a joy.
Through the seasons, I am in daily ritual of connecting with Earth outside my window.
Sunshine, rain, snow, wind. I witness it all as the Earth around me changes. And, as the Earth around me stays steady.
Yes, for as the Earth changes, she too, stays steady.
The great ponderosa that lives outside my window shows me this.
She stands tall, branches reaching high above my house; and, branches reaching towards me, around me. With roots deep set within the Earth below me, she holds this ground. My home, my self. She holds it all, here in this moment.
She is illuminate today! The layer of fresh snow brings a dazzling display of crystal to her branches. The crystal shines fully from her green needles as she reaches out towards me. I follow this display of light as it guides me to her trunk. Now, down into her roots.
All-the-while, I am taking those deep, grounding breaths into self. Remember those? They form a foundation of everything we do here in this embodiment space. Those deep breaths ground me into self, even as I am guided down into the Earth.
Here, I am reminded of the Earth that holds me. More than this, I feel it. I know it. Because, I am it.
Create your daily ritual
The power of this ritual comes through its simplicity. And, the power of this ritual comes through its immediate benefit as it sets you up for the day: connecting you more skillfully into self, and connecting you more skillfully into the world outside of self (meaning, here, the physical, Earthy nature of your environment).
Whether you have a cup of coffee or tea, well it doesn’t really matter, does it?
This point is, take time each morning. And/or, take time during your day. Sit by a window. Sit comfortably. Feel the chair/cushion that is holding you. Be present to the sensation of gravity holding you in connection to the physical surface beneath you.
And, take those deep, grounding breaths. Feel the expansion of your rib cage. Feel the expansion of your belly. Be present to those physical sensations that tell you that you are your body breathing
From here, tune into what is alive. Feel into the physical, but also the energetic space you hold. What emotions are present? What thoughts are present? What is here for you, and as you, today?
One more step: From here, connect into the Earth around you. Cast your gaze out your window! Tune into that which is present in your environment. Connect with this life through your senses: your eyes and ears especially. What other senses can you connect in with?
The power of daily ritual
The power of daily ritual has to do with its immediate effect. And, it has to do with the effect that builds over time.
Each day, allow this ritual to fill you light as it connects you into self; and, as it connects you into the world that expands beyond self. Call upon the fruit of this ritual to move you forward into your day with greater presence, greater connection to self and this planet. Maybe you even get to carry a greater state peace and of clarity.
Over time, this state will grow. You will feel more grounded, and more present to that which matters most: within self, and outside of self.
Over time, let this ritual guide you into being a more powerful bridge:
- between what is alive “out there” as Earth, as your environment
- and what is alive within, as you are in each moment