Souls and Soil

Your comment like a nail

I moved

You missed

Hammering fruitlessly

You continue to hiss steam like geyser

But I’m out of the way

Over here

And while I stay formless

I can simply disappear

I am part of it all

You’re apart

Your heart reaches but cannot grasp

The tangles of mental vines choking

We play either the victim

or the perpetrator

Flipping roles,

Masks that wear grooves in our cheeks

Until the thought occurs that actually,

I’m only here for awhile, gone so soon

And I merge as happily as a child

who has just learnt to tie her shoes

By taking them off

And behind me the sounds of construction continue

Humans are so bent on building things up up down

But how often do we look at the moon?

And remember how little we have really learned

Whilst all the while our souls cry at the separation from the soil

*the nerve endings in our feet – so many. Bury them in the grass, the soil. Modern humans can go days, years without their naked foot touching soil or grass.

I heard a yogi once say that for all these allergies and intolerances a person should dig a hole in the earth and then put their feet in it, backfill with soil and stay that way for an hour. Repeat as necessary – they are allergic to modern life and have forgotten their connection to earth. I don’t know if it works, I’m not allergic to anything and I take the opportunity when I remember, to take my bare feet walking on Mother Earth often.

Today began at 4am. My husband was leaving for a job in another town five or so hours travel away. After he left, it was still dark, I stoked the fire and did some writing. Once it was light enough I walked with my dog for a very long way. Thinking.

Perhaps due to this I was up in my head – a lot. I couldn’t seem to come back to earth and begin to be “productive” on my return.

Eventually it occurred to me – too much ephemeral human thinkism, not enough reality. I took my bare feet to the cold crisp lawn, then out of the freezing southerly wind I took shelter near a wall, and let the sun nourish my shoulders and back.

Barely twenty minutes, and I was reconnected.

By then of course I was sun drunk and reluctant to move – another problem with winter. But at least that off kilter feeling was gone.

We forget we are part of this earth, part of everything. Reliant on others, reliant on that giant sun, the seasons, the soil.

If you’re feeling off, disconnected and unsteady, perhaps it is a simple remedy. Take yourself to the earth. It can’t hurt and it might just help.

17 thoughts on “Souls and Soil

  1. Kate, I “grounded” myself today. I’ve been off-kilter. Overthinking. Upset. Dark days. Confusion. Irritated by tornadoes of toxic, as my friend Stacy put it,…a crazy world of tragedy, mass killings, hate,…those that say to ME, “you should, could, or don’t” instead of, “I understand, I hear you, I’m with you, I love you.” I was in my head. Then my emotions took over. Today I took off my shoes and allowed the sun to shine many minutes on me. Easily I became tired from being up since 2 am and my mind churning and turning. And my pup staring at me. I come here until I have to go for an MRI and read YOU. As always, my soul finds companionship in your words and “being”. You have such a beautiful way of existing. I understand you. Thank you for sharing this with us! Much love my dear friend. Oh, how I wish we could walk and talk…and be.💕🥰🤗

    • And I wish the sun was all the radiation you needed Karla. I wish we could tap I to the natural intelligence I know is there to heal you but I think we are a few years put from knowing just how to do it properly, safely, confidently – for the everyday people at least. Until then we have hospitals and modern medicine. But I’m glad you have a place to “go to ground” amidst all the whirl. I hope you find lasting and full healing soon. You’re in my thoughts and prayers often. Big love to you wherever this reply finds you – maybe one day the internet could evolve to immediately send a hug – until then we will just have to imagine it X ❤️

      • How beautiful, my friend. “I wish the sun was all the radiation you needed…” in many ways I feel healed. Healed from seemed “dead” inside~it just hasn’t all been revealed. In the meantime I’ll stay present, one hour at a time, and remain grateful to have the support of friends such as you. You’re in my heart and thoughts often too. I feel the hugs and hope you feel mine 💛💕

      • Received! take care I have never entertained any other notion other than you recovering completely and coming away with fresh insight and resilience from all you have been through.

  2. you hit the nail on the head, Kate: to much ephemeral thinking, not enough reality; that’s why, as you point out, it’s good to get out, do things like taking a walk, phone or text people 9 something I can improve on], touch things, feel things, connect —

    • Modern life is such that the whole world can come to us – we don’t have to move anywhere or see anyone. “Man is not an island” a great man once said, but we can be these days – yet we are social animals wired to connect in fundamentally sensitive and intelligent ways to both each other, other life forms and nature itself. It is no wonder we are off to hell in a handbasket (I just love that saying!) 😊

  3. I enjoyed reading about how you were able to reconnect, by connecting with the earth. Wonderful! 🌄 Interesting art that complements nicely.

  4. Beautiful thoughts Kate. Grounding ourselves is so important in this crazy world. Thank you for sharing this beautiful message in the eloquent way you did. 🌸

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