Earth is our Mother. We have sprung from the fertile womb of her creativity and are nurtured in the embrace of her physical body. Earth is our shelter, our home and our safe base amidst the vastness of the Universe.
Earth is the ground that we walk on, the mountains that we climb, the bones that support us and the food that nourishes us. Earth is the foundation for life, spirit made manifest as matter.
And so it is no surprise that the foundation of our bodies is the base or root chakra, which is related to the feet, legs, rectum, spine and the immune system.
When this energy centre is open, we literally draw energy up from the Earth beneath us through our feet, up our legs, into the perineum and up through the base of the spine or coccyx. Just like the roots of a tree drawing nourishment from the soil of the Earth, we also take in sustenance from the life-force of the planet.
When we move our bodies to the rhythm of a bass drum, we connect with the deepest frequency of the Earth.
Drums are a link to the power of our tribal past. All indigenous cultures use drums of one kind or another to communicate, celebrate and create ceremony.
The first musical instrument is thought to have been a 'slit drum,' basically a hollowed out piece of trunk split length-wise. Invented by the early matriarchal cultures, this was a symbol of the femenine, whilst the 'stick' used to beat the drum was a symbol of the masculine. Together these instruments represented the dance of polarities.
Today the rediscovery of repetitive rhythmns has launched the modern techno-trance scene and inspired people to find ecstacy through dance. Research has shown that the rhythmn of the drum initiates 'theta' brain waves, the deepest trance state which enhances intuition, creativity and also regenerates the brain by the release of certain chemicals.
The rhythm of earth music can be as gentle as the purring of a pussycat or as wild as a pack of wolves howling, it can be as undulating as fields of golden yellow corn or as jagged as a volcano about to erupt.
'Earth' music is not quite the chaos or complete abandon of 'fire' music, but it always touches on that part of us that is raw and alive: it's a primal feeling that fills us with awe at the majesty of life. Underneath the music of earth there is a kind of pattern that makes sense, a purpose to it all, a grand design. Deep in our beings we sense this and it soothes us.
We are an intrinsic part of Mother Earth and the connection stretches over aeons to create a common ancestry for all human beings and all living creatures: our spiritual roots are firmly embedded in the Earth.
Earth Music Recommendations:
Some of the best earth music is Vanraj Bhatia's Earth (from The Elements series) - a wonderful collection of modern Indian pieces stemming from a classical tradition. Each piece evokes a mood reminiscent of Earth's cycles, from tender and lyrical to tribal and dramatic.
On a different note, there's James Asher's Feet in the Soil with its djembe-based dance rhythms and Cybertribe's Sacred Memories of the Future with its gentle yet deep-down didgeridoo sounds.
The AfroCelt Sound System also offer an ingenious and exciting mix of ethnic and modern rhythmns.
There are many types of music that resonate to the rhythm of the Earth … if it makes you move your feet, if it amplifies your heartbeat, if it makes you throw your arms wide open and want to say YES!, then you can be sure it's the pulse of life coursing through your veins, that it's the voice of Mother Earth speaking in the universal language so that you may remember who you really are!
Here's a very simple visualisation for connecting to Earth-energy … it's wonderfully grounding and nurturing as well as strengthening. Try it whenever you feel a bit spaced out, over-stressed or anxious:
Sit upright and close your eyes, taking a few deep breaths to consciously relax your body.
Take a few moments to get a sense of how your body is making contact with the ground beneath you, the pressure of your sitting bones, your thighs, calves, feet.
Now move your attention to the base of your spine - take some time in getting a sense of how your body is resting here, how gravity is anchoring you from this point into the Earth. And align the rest of your body over this anchor, imagining a central column of energy rising upwards, starting with the lower belly, then the middle abdomen, the chest, the neck and right up to the crown of the head.
When you are ready, take a few more deep breaths and take a few moments to allow any excess tension to fall away, staying balanced over your anchor.
Bring your attention once more to the base of the spine and imagine here a ball of red light; as you breathe into this ball of light, imagine it melting like hot lava, the red light spreading through your legs and feet and down into the ground beneath you.
Imagine it flowing deep down into the Earth, rivers of red light going down to the very centre of the Earth. And at the centre it joins a huge red ball of red glowing red light, the heart of the Earth.
Spend a few moments breathing into this huge pulsating light and then as you breathe in, imagine drawing this red light back up to the base of your spine. And with each breath, draw it higher until it starts to radiate throughout your body, feeling the warm glow spread.
When you are filled with red light, come back to the anchor point, take a few deep breaths and allow any excess energy to drain away back into the Earth.
Now very gently allow your body to sway slightly - back to front and side to side - all the while staying anchored at the base. Notice how there is always a point of stillness within the movement.
When you are connected to this still-point, then you are connected to the strength and serenity of Mother Earth … you are home where you belong!
Kavi's new album - Unconditional Love - an ambient psychedelic journey into love and healing - will be released on New Earth Records in Spring 2007.