Don't look up for so long...
that you forget to look down.
Nature photo of the day: pumpkin leaves taking in the morning rays of light.
the clouds speed on by messing with my sense of balance and place like watching shorts running on a blue racetrack morphing into heads with bear-shaped ears, if animal-shaped, why not friendly? and when I fall to the ground after a dizzied frenzy of swipes I am reminded why I am here to see the healing green that repairs my fading eyes to hear the birds chirping happily as they gather dry grasses for another nest and a second brood to feel the earth squish between my toes after a summer rain to feel that - I am present. I am alive. I am here. I am now. I always will be - outside. - Cheryl M.
Lately I’ve been somewhat obsessed with watching the clouds. Every time I go outside they are doing something different - performing strange acts of non-compliance while I watch the wispy nothings fade into broken clots of water droplets floating in the sky.
This past summer alone I’ve seen clouds like no others in my life and while I can’t be sure about the certainty of this statement, I do believe it is true : something bigger than nature is playing in the sky.
When I get discouraged, rather than looking up, I remind myself to look down. Down to the ground where my feet are, where I am and where I want to be.
Staying grounded with all that is going on in the world is no easy feat. There are so many distractions, mostly online, that infiltrate our subconscious and enter our homes, our bodies and beliefs that make us who we are.
It’s time to make a stand against all that is standing against us! The first step in doing just that is getting outside, to once again (re)connect with the very Earth that supports us.
Here’s how you can get grounded at home:
Take your shoes off.
Step outside.
Find a nice place to rest your bare feet on some wet grass (morning dew is the best!), sand or soil.
Stay there for at least ten minutes, or more. As long as you have time for, plus a few minutes longer.
Feel your connection to the earth. Hug a tree if there is one close by.
Imagine and give thanks for your grounding cord to Mother Earth.
After all this is over, go inside and get yourself a glass of water. Come back out and drink it in nature.
I can’t promise you’ll feel better, but you’ll have done something about connecting to earth - and the intention is the thing. The more you walk barefoot, the easier it gets.
As for the journal prompt of the day:
Make a list of all the reasons I know I should be walking shoeless (barefoot) every single chance I get.
This morning Facebook reminded me that 10 years ago I was in Paris, standing in the rain, with Csermely in a carrier on my back.
Upon closer inspection I was also wearing my earthing shoes, designed by yours truly using hemp rope and a strong linen sewing thread.
This year alone, this single image has gathered 164.33k impressions on Pinterest. Can you believe that? From a single earthing shoe?! I never made a pattern of these rope-soled shoes, though I probably should… But you can still find our hemp rope sandal pattern on our website for free.
It’s never too late to learn how to make your own shoes.