Hitting Send

It can be so easy to get caught up in the day, what needs to be done, moving forward, looking back, anything but being in the here and now. I like to begin my day by getting centered and grounded, and when extra stressors show up, whether it be traversing traffic, or an important meeting ahead, I once again ground myself, releasing the stressful energy and center myself in the present moment so that I can be the best me possible to face the situation.

Many of the Amazing and Beautiful womyn in my life seem to be needing this very practice, and it is advice I have shared with quite a few of them of late. “Sweetheart, take a nice cleansing breathe,” I have said to a few stressed-out friends. When I ask if they are grounding, or using any form of meditation, most are so busy doing remarkable things with their lives that they have forgotten to center themselves. I remind them that it doesn’t take very long and offer suggested methods. Just prior to my move, a Dear SistAr, shared a Lovely story with me. She is incredibly gifted at bringing people together and in being out in the World, but tends to take on too many energies, losing herself in the process. She shared that she had walked to the local park, found a tree to ground in with and was told, “Once you are grounded, you can no longer be swayed by others.” Yes! Yes! Yes! Exactly!

Five days after my recent move back to Northern California, I received a phone call from my Beautiful mother with very sad news which tested my inner resources, requiring me to utilize all of the tools I had been sharing. “I have some shocking news,” she told me, explaining that her Amazing and BeLoved father had crossed over. As soon as I was off of the phone, I put on a coat and went outside. Being outdoors to grieve, ground, and heal has been so helpful during this time. It took two days for me to feel comfortable driving, but as soon as I knew I could do so safely, I drove myself into the mountains, found a tree, and after asking its permission, I sat on its roots, my spine against the trunk, and sent my sadness down into the ground.

I had already planned to drive north to my mother’s house later in the week for her birthday celebration, which in true mother form (i.e. self-less, giving) she had changed to a Birthday/Welcome Home, Daughter party. Beautiful, yes? I am Blessed. She had planned for the top of the cake to read, “Full Circle Celebration” with two candles, but now will be adding an additional candle, one for our Dear Patriarch whose life on this side has come full circle, but remains with us in Loving memory and lineage. I chose to depart for mom’s a day early; an incredibly Beautiful journey along the CA coast.

Yesterday, mom and I had our own adventure, to the Sacred Redwoods. It was a Gorgeous journey through the pine tree covered mountains, Sun shining brightly. Wow! After driving for about fifteen miles through the curvy roads, we finally arrived at the redwood forest! WOW! They are so special and so very, very Magnificent! While it was a tad cold to sit and meditate, we listened to the Lovely babbling creek, and grounded in with the trees. It was a Wonderful journey, which was healing for us both. This weekend we shall share her birthday, my return, and fondly remember my Dear Grandfather with BeLoveds; a Full Circle Celebration.

Below are two grounding techniques which I use and would recommend to assist in getting focused and centered. They will help you in decreasing your stress levels, clearing your mind and make you feel better quickly.

A Simple Grounding Technique:

This can be done indoors, but having your feet against the Earth in an outdoor setting is always best.
Take a deep breathe and with the exhale send energy through your legs and feet, imagining that there are roots growing from your feet into the ground beneath you. Continue to take slow, cleansing breathes, sending the roots from your feet into the center of the Earth, wrapping the energy around the very core of Mother Earth, releasing any negative energy and grounding yourself. This need only take five to ten minutes to be very effective. Enjoy! It feels good to be centered in the now and you shall be a better, more effective you!

Bonus tip: If really stressed, you can use this technique while hugging a tree. It works!

Chakra Grounding Technique:

Once again, indoors or outdoors, have your feet flat on the floor. Take a cleansing breathe into your belly, allowing it to expand, and with the exhale imagine a cord from your root chakra into the center of Mother Earth. With each breathe watch the cord grow bigger and brighter as you ground. You can envision either a cord of white light, or you can use the corresponding color for each chakra as you move up your body. Next move to the sacral chakra, sending a cord into the center of the Earth. Continue with each of the chakras until you are at the crown chakra. Then, imagine yourself in a bubble of Golden Light. Lastly, send Light up from your crown chakra towards the Heavens. (One need not believe in any particular faith to do this, as all is energy, we are simply connecting with energy around us in a Loving, conscious way.) You are now centered and grounded!

I’m sure that you can imagine why after uprooting myself to a new area then facing grief so soon thereafter, continuous grounding would help me so much in dealing with both processes. I hope that the techniques I have shared are helpful to you as well, Dear Reader. And, if you are already using your own grounding/centering/meditation techniques, please feel free to share them!

Love and Blessings,
Antonia

The Cake

The Beautiful Womyn Gathered