She creates, she destroys, she provides, she births, she transforms, she grows, she shape-shifts, she is our home…
She is Earth.
Every year on April 22nd, we devote a day to her majesty, Mother Earth.
How will you honor this place we call home?
10 inspiring ways to honor the Earth
1. Get to know your local trees
It’s amazing how most people can easily recognize celebrities, but struggle to name the trees in their neighborhood. Take the time to find out what trees live on your street. What species are they? What are their seasonal patterns? What is unique about their leaves and bark? The more you get to know nature, the more connected you’ll feel.
*Challenge yourself to learn one new tree species in your neighborhood today.
2. Neti Pot
This is a simple practice to clear your breathing passages so you can fully receive the life-giving oxygen of Mother Earth. It’s easy to appreciate life when you’re able to fully receive life. I love doing the neti pot practice first thing in the morning to set up the day with a deep breath of gratitude and appreciation.
* Practice deep breathing as an expression of gratitude for the Earth.
3. Use Earth-Friendly Cleaning Products
There’s a simple way to know if you’re using Earth friendly cleaning products: just do the splash test. If you are scared to have a cleaning product splash on your skin, there is probably a harsh chemical in that cleaning product that you intuitively know is unhealthy. If you wouldn’t want a cleaning product to splash on your skin, imagine what it would do to the fish in a pure lake. When I wash my bathroom I use baking soda, vinegar and lavender essential oil. I never worry if it splashes on my skin, and it still creates sparkling results.
*Experiment with splash-friendly cleaning products.
4. Name your house plants
Connecting with nature is about building a relationship. Try naming your house plants based on their personality and you’ll start to feel a unique relationship taking shape. For example, if you have a temperamental plant who drops its leaves every time the wind blows, perhaps you could call this plant “Moody”, or if you have a plant that just keeps growing and growing, perhaps you could call this one “Abundance.” Notice the character traits of your plants and honor them with a name.
*Get to know your plants and name them based on their expression.
5. Move with the moon
If you live near the ocean, you’re probably already familiar with the idea of moving with the moon as you watch the tides flow in and out. When you live more inland, you may not have the tides to watch, but there will still be energetic shifts guiding your body. Get to know what it feels like in your body during a new moon, and a full moon, and what is different between the two. As you get to know the moon cycle, you feel yourself living more in sync with the natural rhythms of nature.
*Pay attention to how your body feels at different points in the moon cycle.
6. Look an animal in the eyes
Animals remind us of our pure nature. Get to know an animal, feel its intelligence, even if it is different from yours. Feel its consciousness and presence and marvel at the brilliance this Earth can support.
*Spend time with a special creature.
7. Conscious Garbage
Have you ever noticed that nature doesn’t have garbage? Everything in nature is included within a cycle. Only humans have garbage. Garbage is something that stops the cycle and simply becomes waste. Becoming more conscious about garbage is about noticing how the things you’re using could be reintegrated back into the cycle of nature. Recycling is one way, but it goes deeper than that. Conscious garbage is about rethinking waste and approaching the things we use and consume in a much more mindful way.
*Consider how everything you use and consume could be reintegrated back into the cycle of nature.
8. Nourish your body with the best quality
Nourishing yourself with the best quality means eating food that is nutrient-rich. The only way to get that kind of quality is through organic food. Organic food grows from nutrient rich soil and is not sprayed with synthetic chemicals and pesticides. Take care of yourself in the best possible way, and you’ll take care of the Earth. Be mindful of the products you’re using and the way they were created.
*Eat the best-quality food you have access to.
9. Love her!
Love is the best medicine. To honor the Earth is to love the Earth. Consider her, appreciate her, listen to her, show up for her, build a nourishing relationship with her so you can express love for her.
*Find a way to express your love for the Earth today.
10. Be who you came here to be
One of the best ways to honor the Earth is to be the person you came here to be. When you contribute your great gifts, you enrich the whole ecosystem. You have a unique role to play in the world. Share what is unique and special about you and the Earth will be nourished by your presence.
*Contribute your great gifts to the world.
How will you honor and celebrate the Earth?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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