Rooted - begin with a strong foundation

I began this blog at the new moon in Gemini. Sun and Moon joined together in my 10th house. The 10th house is the career. Gemini, the twins, a sign of duality, multi-tasking, represents the lungs, arms, hands (for self-expression) A sign that represents communication... and I started a blog :-) This also explains why I usually have two or more jobs going at the same time.

Not only that, I joined another yahoo group - a mandala group. I started back up with

Creative Everyday and started to reread Susan's book, The Chakras in Shamanic Practice by Susan J. Wright. Susan is my yoga teacher and who I trained with for my certification. I'm reading Shaman, Healer, Sage by Alberto Villoldo and just so happen to be reading chapters on the chakras.

This morning, I decided I would sit for awhile and create a mandala. I thought of starting with the root chakra - that was my intention. As with any art, the creative process flows where it needs to go and I allowed whatever wanted to come up... messages of movement.

A message that has been repeating itself lately.

Yes. I need to move. Walk. Do some yoga.

Get in touch with the body and out of my head... so really, this mandala did have something to do with the first chakra. Placing your feet on the ground and move.

Muladhara is the Sanskrit name of the first chakra, meaning foundation. I decided it is best to start with a strong foundation to build upon. Our roots. It is where we begin to trust.

It is also here we connect to Mother Earth, Pachamama. What draws me to the South American cultures, Peru in particular, is the deep respect they have for Mother Earth.

She provides everything for us... food, shelter, gravity and heals us.

Walking, whether in sacred places like Machu Picchu or nearby wooded areas, provides us this opportunity to connect with her abundance.

Connecting with the earth helps us to connect with our own body. Walking and yoga are the two ways I use to help ground myself. These are the tools I use to ground me, bring me back to humbleness, to help me trust that I am provided for.