Grounding, Compost, and Collections

Today was a restless day inside - the kids' moods were up and down, and everyone's energy was low. After attempting an impromptu short nap, it was clear from our tempers that we needed a change of scenery. Out to the backyard to feed the compost pile and have some sunshine time.

What is it about the outdoors that completely shifts our outlook? Within minutes, the kids were calm and happy, quickly ramping to excited. I admit it took me longer to lose my funk, but then that's the problem with being a grown-up - we're not really "here" most of the time.

We were lucky to have a warm day - no jackets necessary in the sun - and no wind. It's still mostly brown everywhere, but the trees have tiny closed buds on their branches and the crocuses are blooming, the daffodils starting to pop up. But in truth, though the sun helped, I think it was the ground that made the most difference.

Grounding

My daughter's first reaction was to start picking up rocks and sticks and grass. (She was pulling it out, but hey, it really stands out when most things are brown.) Immediate and physical - real skin contact with the outside. It turns out this physical touching is incredibly significant. According to this researched article, there is scientific basis for why our bodies relax when we touch the earth:

It is known that the Earth maintains a negative electrical potential on its surface. When you are in direct contact with the ground (walking, sitting, or laying down on the earth’s surface) the earth’s electrons are conducted to your body, bringing it to the same electrical potential as the earth. Living in direct contact with the earth grounds your body...  

The Earth is a natural source of electrons and subtle electrical fields, which are essential for proper functioning of our immune systems, circulation, synchronization of biorhythms and other physiological processes and may actually be the most effective, essential, least expensive, and easiest to attain antioxidant.

Taking several deep breaths, centering on our breathing as in meditation, or visualizing "roots" going into the ground are other ways to bring us back to the here and now. It moves our energy out of the airy mental realm and back down into our bodies and the ground we stand on.

Compost

For me, it was the compost pile that brought me back to myself. I unabashedly love compost. There is something absolutely magical about nature turning food scraps and garden waste into beautiful dirt (the first time I found earthworms and other many-legged wigglies in my pile, I felt such pride). It mirrors to me all good that comes from change and from things that we cast off because we no longer need them. Today was no exception - our food scraps tucked into a side of the pile, and we used our saved dry leaves from the fall to carpet them over. Some of the leaves had gotten wet from the recent rain and started to break down some - with that heavenly smell that reminds me of fall.

Collections

It's exciting to see your kids connect to the earth and learn from nature without needing any prompting from you. The older one loves PBS's Dinosaur Train and she's latched onto the idea of creating a nature collection just like Don. She has a little plastic egg carton to store little berries, rocks, and other finds and treasures to look at and play with again and again. The best free toys you can imagine. Joining the ranks today: "Piggy", a little pink granite pebble.

Today's Nature Lesson

Touch the earth. Love the things you can't really own - the process of change, ground under your feet, rocks in your hands. Remember to breathe and come back to where you are. And for all that, I say, "Thank you!"