This Monday Camille will facilitate and we will practice Touching the Earth together.
The Earth Touchings are a Buddhist meditation practice where we bow down or prostrate ourselves, and surrender to the Earth to offer gratitude and respect. We join the mind and body to help us "return to the Earth and to our roots, and to recognize that we are not alone but connected to a whole stream of spiritual and blood ancestors. We touch the Earth to let go of the idea that we are separate and to remind us that we are the Earth and part of life. When we touch the Earth, we breathe in all the strength and stability of the Earth, and breathe out our suffering - our feelings of anger, hatred, fear, inadequacy and grief. This is a wonderful practice." (From Plum Village website).
During this practice, we will begin by joining our palms together in the shape of a lotus bud place them on our hearts and listen to the first part of one Touching. Then we will either fully prostrate on the ground, take a child’s pose, or simply bow where we are. If you are prostrating, our palms will face up, showing our openness to the Three Jewels - the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. While we are bowing, we will listen to the remainder of the reading of the Touching and experience it as fully as we can. The additional touchings will follow in the same way. The Five Earth Touchings can be found here.
The Earth Touching practice of " healing our relationships through forgiveness and embracing our ancestors, parents, teachers, and selves" (a quote by my friend Annie) was so alive for me most recently, particularly with my parents and myself. I had the opportunity to spend two weeks with my 90 year old parents. The visit was more than just a visit - my mom had broken a shoulder bone badly from a fall which also later led to a blood clot. My intent was to go and help where needed - which turned out to be caring for her almost 24/7 for the first week. When I shared my plan with a friend, he had recommended to really be with them, and listen to them deeply, and find out more about their journeys, struggles, joys and just simple stories to know more about them. I was happy to get the reminder to really be with them - particularly since we were mostly alone - and really the first time I have ever been alone with them for so long with no kids or siblings (which was hard to do growing up with 10 siblings).
It was probably the most grounding and centering two weeks I have had in a long time. I was very attentive to their needs (my father has some mobility issues as well) but at the same time I took care of myself and stayed present without worrying about what I had to do at home or what I didn't do in the past. It seems almost impossible - but in between the caring for my mom and the cooking, cleaning, and gardening I was able to find time to care for myself and also listen to them with understanding and compassion. While we have had many differences over the years, things I have blamed them for in the past, I had the time to look at them with the eyes of forgiveness and I had an opportunity to connect with them and begin to understand more about the suffering they had experienced as well as happiness. I found out that as a kid my father was often blamed by my grandmother for any trouble that could be found (even if it was caused by his only brother) and was punished. And at the same time his father taught him how to cook some delicious food (that he still prepares for all of us today) and plant wonderful gardens in this beautiful land given to us by our land ancestors.
My mom told of the challenges her mother and father had coming from Italy as teenagers, but she remembered that at least they were warmly welcomed at their first arrival - not something we see today for most immigrants. I loved the stories she told me about she and her siblings picking raspberries from their garden and selling them to the local markets or shops for just pennies. So so many more stories and memories were shared during my time there.
I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to know my parents, have known my grandparents, and learn of the experiences of the ancestors we know about. But there are many that don't know their ancestors. In this 12 minute recording, Thay is asked the question "How can we heal our ancestors if we don't know them or we don't know how they suffered and then how can we love and understand them?" He goes on to say that even those who have parents that are alive - may still not be able to connect or communicate to them. Thay says that "practicing meditation and looking deeply" we can connect with our parents and all ancestors. He says that "forms, feelings and perceptions are passed down to us and that we are the continuation of our ancestors." We know that all beings suffer and to remember that suffering and difficulties are passed to us - but also wonderful things are transmitted to us - we need mindfulness to help transform them all together.
I know I have contributed to being disconnected to our land and our land ancestors. And I know that life has been easy for me and my blood ancestors as I have been protected and nourished through the efforts and work of those before us. And so during the Touchings I also bow to those who made life possible and easier for me and my family.
We may not know or have ever met all our spiritual ancestors. But through the teachings and practicing - we are connected to them. Thay says our teachers are "are alive in every cell of our body. We can move mindfully with this knowledge. They are available when we walk, sit, breathe, and so we are with them and can connect deeply with them all the time."
I am reminded every day of the support of the Sangha and Dharma and take refuge each day in the practices. Having this community is what gives me energy and support and keeps me hopeful that we can heal the world and Mother Earth with peace, transformation, and joy, now and for our descendants for the future.
I look forward to being with you on Monday night and sharing the Earth Touchings with you. I am hoping they will bring you nourishment and healing as they do for me. Happy to hear of your experience with this practice.
In light and love,
Camille