Yesterday I went to say goodnight to my dog Elvis, he keeps a vigil at our entry gate through the night. I laid down in the dirt next to him and as my body rested against the earth, I realized it had been a long time since I had surrendered myself to the land. It is easy to forget what it means to lie on the ground. Maybe it doesn’t seem that important to remember. Allow me to challenge you for a moment. Some homework. Lie down on the ground where you live and think about what is under you. Are there systems; piping, electricity, waste? Even if you are in a park it’s likely there are, though it is a gift to have access to any nature. I was once thrilled to have a city grate with a tree outside my door. I grew some zinnias there.

Now take a field trip, do not take a blanket or a chair, and find a place to lie on the ground where what is under you is earth. Focus your mind on the layers teaming with life: the soil, the crust, mantle and magma, water and energy, layers of history, the core. Allow your body to rest into this place until you heart settles in the cradle of your chest and your ribcage spreads against earth. Look at the sky. Remember.