This week, Annie will facilitate, and we will practice Touching the Earth together.
Touching the Earth is a body-based practice for healing our relationships through forgiveness and embracing our ancestors, parents, teachers, and ourselves.
My friend and long-time Dharma Teacher, Mitchell Ratner, says this about the practice of Touching the Earth:
“Most often when we meditate we are sitting or standing, holding ourselves upright, against the pull of gravity. These are position of strength and will, indicative of our intent to know ourselves as we really are, to relax our fears, and to nourish our mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.
In the Plum Village tradition, as in many spiritual traditions we also sometimes “Touch the Earth.” We prostrate ourselves in order to offer gratitude and respect, and to relinquish our illusions of separate selves.”
There are many versions of Touching of the Earth. For this week, we will use the practice shared by ARISE and co-created by the Plum Village community.
During the practice, we will listen to the first part of one Touching. Then, each of us will join our palms on our hearts, and either fully prostrate on the ground, take a child’s pose, or simply bow where we are. While we are bowing, we will listen to the remainder of the Touching and experience it as fully as we can.
The version we will be using focuses on the ancestors of the land we call the United States. We have heard many times that “this is a country of immigrants.” Some of our ancestors came voluntarily from Africa, Europe, South America, or Asia. Of course, there are many of us whose ancestors were indigenous to this land, and many more brought here in chains. During our practice, we will hold all of our ancestors in our hearts and bodies and ask for their support.
The first training is below. The full practice can be found here
In gratitude I bow to this land and to all of the ancestors who made it available. (Bell, all touch the earth).
I see that I am whole, protected, and nourished by this land and all of the living beings that have been here and made life easy and possible for me through all their efforts. I see all those known and unknown who have made this country a refuge for people of so many origins and colors, by their talent, perseverance, and love—those who have worked hard to build schools, hospitals, bridges, and roads; to protect human rights; to develop science and technology; and to fight for freedom and social justice. (Bell, all stand up. Take three breaths.)
After our practice, we will have time to share and be together more informally.
Looking forward to seeing you then.
Xo
Annie.