The turn of the seasons has always been a wonderful reminder to reconnect to the rhythms of Nature. Autumn particularly has always held the most magic here at the farm. By the end of Summer I’m pining for this feeling of slowing down, letting go, and sinking in. And in those moments of pining for some other place, some other feeling – I’ve found a practice that brings me back to being present and remembering everything is holy, every moment precious.
I abscond to the woods and immediately the energy shifts. With my head humming and my feet almost floating, I find the smallest little friend I can; a sapling, a fern, a wiley vine. Then something smaller; the softness of moss, the unfurling fiddlehead. And smaller yet; the frill of lichen, the insect scaling the cap of a wee mushroom – a mountain to them.
And then I feel my head is quiet. My feet full and heavy on the earth. This is holy ground.
But it was always holy. I didn’t have to flee to the church of the trees to find myself on holy ground. I only had to remember.
It’s experiences like this that help us to remember though. It reconnects us to the feeling in our bodies so that we can find it again, in less than ideal circumstances.
A dear friend wrote this next piece which I’ve shared before and which I’ve been holding in my heart quite a bit recently. With gratitude to my angel friend Cathy Ray…
Summer is barefoot season.
The sand or grass squishing between our toes just feels good. It also connects us to the wonders of the Earth… Our bodies resonate with the energy of being Grounded. When we walk barefoot on a sandy beach or through lush, green grass it is easy to be aware of the holiness of the ground on which we stand.But what happens when we are standing in line at the grocery store or waiting not so patiently to get a new driver’s license? Doesn’t seem so holy to be in these places.
How could concrete possibly bring the energy of creation? What would change if any place you stood became a place to meet [what is holy]? I invite you to stop periodically this week, shoes or no shoes, and say to yourself –
“I’m standing on holy ground.”
Whether you find your reminder about the holiness that is all around you and within you here at the farm, or there’s some other place calling to you; May you find what you need. May you feel holy. May you feel whole.
{This farm is built on unceded (stolen) land of the Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee) Nation. A portion of all proceeds is donated to Cherokee nonprofits as an offering of reparations. Most recently a donation was made to Cherokee Nation Foundation}
