January 23
One With All Earth Life
When I opened the Expand app earlier today, I found a beautiful exercise crafted by Marinda Stopforth entitled “One With All Earth Life.” It nudged me to stop what I was doing and feel the connection I had to the earth and everything around me. In my theoretical studies, I’ve been seeking evidence of a global consciousness, as is currently being studied by the Global Consciousness Project. I believe there is a deeper connection among everyone that hasn’t quite been pinpointed yet, and I want to be involved in studying this further. This is likely why I love to meditate on the feeling of connection to the world around me, starting with where I direct my attention.
Before I dive more into my experiences with the exercise, I’d like to add that one of my absolute favorite parts of meditation is how it has trained me to shift my perspective to a different point of view. If stuck in a dilemma, for instance, it can help to zoom out and look at it from a point of view that spans a greater slice of life, where the problem appears smaller or of less consequence. Or maybe ponder something small or immediate to put the matter out of frame for a while. Or, perhaps focus on interpersonal connections or something else as a respite from the dilemma. Getting to shift and play with perspective is a highlight of meditation for me. This exercise activated that playful activity.
I believe there is a deeper connection among everyone that hasn’t quite been pinpointed yet, and I want to be involved in studying this further.
As I sat in my lawn chair (this is a good one to do outside), my bare feet gently touching the grass, I immediately felt rooted to the earth. As a light breeze moved by, I could feel my connection to the air expanding out with the breeze. I felt movement buzz through the stillness as people walked through my neighborhood, a deer pranced by, and cars passed in the distance. I felt my energy was integral to this bustling and flowing. This connection that we all have to life, and that we all have access to this awareness, brought me to the sensation this exercise is named for. I perceived beyond the physical world into one of movement and energy, greater and more fluid than a physical body.
Feeling this connection is a delight. There’s something serene about sitting outside and feeling the world move around me. Getting to meditate in expanded states and feeling it is always a highlight of my day.
I’ll end with this: if you’ve never experienced the Earth Core exercise at the Monroe Institute, I highly encourage you to take Exploration 27 where you would spend substantial time in this energy. If not, I encourage you to take more time meditating in nature. Meditation, at least to me, is a very different experience when done outside, and it’s well worth the experience.
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Learn MoreMalorie Mackey
Actress, author and adventurer