Nourishment 

‘And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.’ 

Kahlil Gibran 

The Sioux understood that true sustenance extends beyond the food we consume; it encompasses the delicate harmony of all things.  This wisdom resonates in the ancient practice of earthing, where bare skin meets soil in a profound exchange.  As we walk unshod on dewy grass or recline on a sun-warmed stone, we absorb more than just minerals and electrons – we imbibe the very essence of our planet. 

Chief Luther Standing Bear spoke of this communion in Land of the Spotted Eagle: ‘The old people came literally to love the soil, and they sat or reclined on the ground with a feeling of being close to a mothering power.’  This connection transcends the physical; it is a spiritual communion that fosters healing and insight.  ‘To sit or lie upon the ground,’ Chief Standing Bear continues, ‘is to be able to think more deeply and to feel more keenly’.     

In a world increasingly disconnected from nature, embracing earthing becomes a radical act of reconnection and nourishment.  

Frontiers Article | Refocusing on nature: the role of nature reintegration in environmental, mental, and societal wellbeing 

The Earth Hums 

Do our cells remember we are stardust,  earth dust, the land incarnate,  walking, breathing, dreaming?  We children of an ancient line  press our ears to the soil, seeking whispers from stone and root.  Mater Terra calls us to remembrance, her low living drum, and  in each heartbeat  I am reminded we belong.  

  Children’s Story: Thank You, Earth by April P. Sayre 

‘Grandmother (I am the Earth)’ Song by Ayla Schafer