What is Rooted Connection?
During the early stages of my business, I identified rooted connection as a key concept and underlying goal. So, what is rooted connection?
Rooted connection is all about bridging heaven and earth. I know that sounds big, but stay with me. It’s a specific state of awareness where you feel simultaneously expanded, awash in starlight, and rooted very deeply into your bones and the bones of the earth. It’s somewhat similar to transcendence, except when people talk about transcendence they often describe this elevated “above” human or out of this world state, more in the realm of spirit or oneness. Rooted connection isn’t that. It’s not about transcending our humanity; it’s about embracing our humanity while expanding our awareness and connection to the more than human world around us.
Practically speaking, how do you tap into rooted connection? There are endless ways to open our perception and shift our spirit to this place, but for now, let’s keep it practical.
At the top of my list is mindfulness in nature. This is a favorite because it’s useful to many types of people at almost any stage in their life and development. This doesn’t mean walking through the park with your podcast on or phoning a friend. Now is not the time for multi-tasking. We’re giving ourself undivided attention.
Meditation is great but leans a little on the transcendent side for the purposes of touching rooted connection, which is why I like the nature practices. Being in nature reminds us to find our root. With that said, meditation and riding the breath can be a fantastic vehicle to get anywhere, including rooted connection.
Moving meditation such at yoga and tai chi is great because it combines the breath with body movement. This combination helps facilitate the rooted quality, while breath and movement keep the energy active and unbound reaching toward the quality of connection.
Ritual will definitely get you there, although it can be a bit more advanced for those new to the spiritual path; not because ritual is complicated but because it’s not. Oddly enough, the simplicity of ritual can make shifting the body, mind and spirit “seem” more advanced.
Music…I mean, what can’t music do?
Rooted connection is a state of being. Anything static is dead, so it’s not about being that all the time. It’s a place that we go, come back to and stay for varying lengths. It’s a practice that takes practice. When I work with people, we employ many tools including the recommendations above that help to root deeply into the self and expand awareness of the spirit and the more than human world.