All day long we humans are walking around on the surface of the earth and we are often unaware of the huge ball that is our platform for life. We are equally oblivious to the force of gravity that the earth exerts on us.

Moreover when we are up in our heads, on automatic pilot, distracted and ruminating, we are easily pushed off balance. If however our attention is extended through the bottoms of our feet to the earth, we feel grounded and rooted and present in this moment, less swayed by thoughts, emotions and other cognitive events.

Instructions

As often as possible, become aware of the earth beneath you, become aware through sight and through touch, especially the touches on the bottoms of the feet. By working with our attention in this way, we are grounding ourselves in our experience as it unfolds from moment to moment.

I like to walk alone on country paths, rice plants and wild grasses on both sides, putting each foot down on the earth in mindfulness, knowing that I walk on the wondrous earth. In such moments, existence is a miraculous and mysterious reality. People usually consider walking on water or thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is to walk on earth….a miracle we do not even recognise. Thich Nhat Hanh

How to Train a Wild Elephant & Other Adventures in Mindfulness by

These practices are adapted fromby Jan Chozen Bays. You can find out more, read my review of and purchase this book from my Mindfulness Library (page 2)

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