SEASONAL SELF-CARE BLOG
LET THE EARTH LIVE
Posted on October 2nd, 2016
“Let the Earth live”, this is what I heard. The voice came quickly, clearly, without drama or excess. I was sitting in front of my yoga class one Thursday at noon, inviting my students and myself to listen inside and let an intention arise from the wisdom of the heart. I suggested not to let the mind tell you what to do, but to take the time, sit patiently, focus on the heart center and ask the great guidance from the wisdom of the heart to speak. I did the same and like a bolt of clarity from the very heart of Earth itself the words “Let the Earth Live” sprung forward leaving all the tendrils of my mind’s agenda dangling in the wind. I was actually a little stunned. Often when I really take the time to listen to the heart, words like “kindness”, “patience”, “deep love”, “listen”, “soften” come forward. That morning my mind had not been spinning on the impending disaster of climate change. My worries were far more personal and petty in nature. So when the words “Let the Earth Live” came forward with such a quiet force and with such clarity, I really listened and I’m still listening. And I’m trying to do what I can to follow this request. The class that followed was I’d say the best class I have taught in a long time. Though I had come in with a completely different plan, I shifted it to focus on connecting to the Earth. I mean, when the Earth speaks you have to listen! Right? So we slowed waaaay down, so that we could feel, so we could touch, so we could listen, so we could connect to the Earth. At first I could see the minds chomping at the bit, wanting to move the bodies into distraction, to fly through the air with a sweaty, windy, gymnastic adventure. But I knew from Ayurveda that would only create more air element and disconnection and that we desperately needed to find earth. We needed to slow down, to touch ground, to make contact, to feel our connection with our bodies so we could nourish the earth element in our bodies and connect with the presence of Earth itself. So I Invited our minds to ground their fragmented, distracted, disconnected wires of inattention, and connect through the temple of our bodies through simplicity through slowing down and connecting to the stability, the groundedness, the ever generous abundance and loving embrace of the Earth. We touched the Earth with presence of awareness awakening our own roots of our toes, our feet, our legs, and pelvis and strengthen muladhara chakra our root chakra. And it worked. People were glowing at the end and full of gratitude in our bow to the Earth.
The request “Let the Earth Live” continues and deepens daily. I have been strongly feeling that in order to survive, we need to awakening the wisdom of our voices as women. We must dust off, pry open, and reverse the conditioning of silencing the intelligence that is uniquely feminine. I am trying in my own path as a yoga teacher and artist to share the women’s Lunar Yoga practices through my teacher trainings, workshops, and gatherings. The Full Moon Elixirs that I’ve been offering have been very empowering. These circles of women gathering together to honor the lunar cycle feel like magical, mystical experiences, tapping into ancient roots of women’s circles over the centuries. As I offer more ways to gather, I am nourished by discovering other allies. Just yesterday after teaching a Lunar Yoga workshop in Boston, I stumbled through my e-mail into Tree Sisters, an amazing organization of women taking direct action to gather together and help re-forest the Tropics in 10 years. “Feminine consciousness is the vital ingredient in humanity’s evolution into a protector species on behalf of all life. This month we are calling forth women as a force of nature, on behalf of nature by inviting 2500 women to become tree sisters, collectively planting 1 Million Trees per year.”
Powerful action is needed, sisters. It’s time to wake up and plant some trees! The Earth is calling us. I encourage you to listen, follow the call, and do what you can to “Let the Earth Live”.
I invite you to join me on one of my upcoming retreats and embrace the journey to renew, rejoice, reconnect with yourself and the beauty of the natural world.
Sacred Roots Retreat: Catskills, Oct 14-16
Flourish this Fall with practices connecting you with your rooted, grounded, most vibrant self! Relax in nourishing yoga and Ayurveda remedies which ground vata dosha, the air element, and restore focus and balance to your being.
Nicaragua Yoga & Surf Retreat, Feb 18-25, 2017
Embraced by our beautiful yoga sanctuary at Costa Dulce, nourish your being with a week of yoga, meditation, and thai massage practices to awaken seeing and listening from the heart. Invite the spirit of wisdom, open hearted connection, and the abundance of nature into your life.
joyous heart!
Leigh