08/12/2021
Speaking to the earth, to help you release grief from your body.
You may do this alone, or invite witnesses to join you. Find a space in nature that feels completely safe: your sanctuary. It can be your backyard, a spot in a park, or a place in the wild. If you have ready access to a forest or a creek or a beach, feel those spaces out. Dig a small opening in the earth or sand, large enough to speak into. Feel the earth below you, allowing it to support all your weight. Say your grief into the earth. Here is an example that Francis gives in his book, The Wild Edge of Sorrow: “I have been carrying this grief for so long, and I cannot hold it any longer. It is too big for me. It is weighing me down and depriving me of any joy. I know you can hold this sorrow. In fact, you can turn it into something sweet for the roots that rest in your body. I do this to set down my sorrows so I can better participate in the mending of our community. Thank you for being here for me and all of us.” If you’re called to, lie down to speak or cry or scream your grief into the earth. When you’re done, fill the hole back up, returning it to its former shape, and thank the earth for being your holder.
My favorite books on grief and grieving:
The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller Wild Mind: A Field Guide to the Human Psyche by Bill Plotkin Dark Nights of the Soul: A Guide to Finding Your Way Through Life’s Ordeals by Thomas Moore
When we set our goals, we will succeed. Stop acting so small, you are the Universe in Divine motion.