Elemental Living: EARTH

From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free.  ~Jacques Cousteau

Cousteau talking about the sea, which is more appropriate to next weeks element - water. However, we don't have to dive below the ocean to sink beneath the surface – we have only to dive into our Mind.

...the Earth is our base

     ...the terra mater -mother- of our existence

     ...the terra firma -solid ground- of our beliefs

     ...the terra forma -system- of our experiences

Ever see a picture of the Earth from space....the pale blue dot?

Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there - on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.  ~Carl Sagan

But it's our mote of dust! Here's to some Earth fun facts:

1. we are the third planet from the Sun-formed 4.5+ billion yrs

2. the word comes from Anglo-Saxon word, “erda” - ground

3. we are the only planet not named after Greek/Roman deity

4. the planet orbits around the Sun in 365.256 days

5. it takes 23 hrs, 56 mins, 4 secs to rotate on its axis and, by the way, the rotation is gradually slowing at approximately 17 milliseconds per 100 yrs, which has the effect of lengthening our days ....in 140 million years, one day will equal 25 hrs

6. it was once believed to be the center of the universe, but we now know it's the youngest son in a Jewish family

7. seventy percent of surface is covered in water, 3% water is fresh and 97% is salted

In astrology, Earth signs have a tendency to have an unchangeable routine. They stick to habits that don’t always make them happy. They become convinced they have to stay at a job because of financial security, even when it is contrary to their intelligence and creativity. It is also said to be wise, stable, sensual, grounded; make great gardeners, cooks, and lovers, and are reliable, making trustworthy business people. But those are tendencies not inevitabilities. The planet keeps spinning and anything can change. Sagan again:

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.

So, where do those responsibilities begin? Well, in Mind, of course, in our consciousness, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs.
And how do we achieve those responsibilities? We get grounded!

You might ask, “Can I dream, be in wonderment, delve into my imagination, have my head in the clouds sometimes and still be grounded?” 

And my answer would be "YES!"

Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads. ~Henry David Thoreau, Walden

It's time to ground to the planet, as we reach for the cosmos. It's time to connect with Mother Earth, as we commune with the Divine.

Grounding, in electricity, is for protection from outside sources, such as lightening. Grounded in life, is also for protection from outside sources, as well as, any reflections or reactions from hate, despair, and fear. Grounding stabilizes, protects, centers, and enlivens us. Being grounded is not about being practical. It's an alignment, a communion, a firm connection to Mother Earth, the soil we were born to and attached to, simultaneously with the Divine Presence - he soil of our consciousness.

"How do I know I am not grounded right now?" 
Because you asked!

Earthing is another tool in our elemental living with the Earth. In electricity, it is similar to grounding in that it transfers an electrical charge into the planet. Earthing in life?

"How do we retain a calm center with fires, wars, etc. or when we feel challenged by finances, health, work, home, our family, or feel weakened or fearful because of life challenges?"

"How do we move forward, past the pain or hurt or embarrassment?"

We earth and/or ground!

Your life force energy is not grounded through your home, job, bank account or relationship. It is only through the Divine Matrix of Mind, Heart and Gut. Do you feel out of whack with temporary situations that are changing or maybe falling apart? Are experiences making you feel knocked off center and un-grounded, disassociated from your body, self or Divinity? Are your mind, heart, and body not feeling integrated and you feel disconnected from the world around you? GROUND!

Your spirit does not need to be grounded, rather your mind, and thus your body, does. You need a GPS fix on your here and now, to have your body and mind go from out there to in here. When grounded, you are centered within the energy, frequency and life force of the Universe and the planet; all of which are abundant and full of infinite possibilities....all of which are alive, centering and empowering.

Remain true to the earth, my brethren, with the power of your virtue! Let your bestowing love and your knowledge be devoted to be the meaning of the earth!  ... Let it not fly away from the earthly and beat against eternal walls with its wings. . . . Lead, like me, the flown-away virtue back to the earth—yes, back to body and life: that it may give to the earth its meaning, a human meaning. ~Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra

For the planet, we do what we can at home and in the voting booth, and we give our time, talent and treasure to organizations equipped to fight the good fight. For ourselves, we ground, we center, we put our bare feet on the dirt or sand (earthing). With that spiritual practice, we can keep away the fear, the trembling, the despair of the news, the climate, the idiots in government - whatever is in our way of thinking straight, taking right action, and living a fabulous life, no matter the circumstances.






Affirmation
I AM Grounded
In this state of support, balance and stability; I am open to the best decisions, the most fabulous thoughts, and the sincerest feelings of joy/peace/vitality and strength. Connected to Mother Earth and communing with Universal Presence and Intelligence, I AM electrified, fortified, beautified, and verified for a successful day.
I AM Rockin' It!