grounding + capricorn full moon

This summer, I am grateful for being barefoot. I love & appreciate that I spend a majority of my days without shoes & both feet deeply rooted into the earth. Once my soles touch the grass I can feel my energy getting calmer, my mood brightening, my heartbeat & breath becoming fluid & slower. I am truly fortunate that personally & professionally I have found spaces where it’s encouraged to take your shoes off & reconnect with Earth’s energy. 

There are proven benefits of not wearing shoes, like increased strength & flexibility of your feet as you navigate uneven ground. Being barefoot can help your balance & posture, decrease inflammation & improve circulation. It can also boost your mood, reduce anxiety & allow you to be more in tune & aware of your natural environment. 

My whole experience out here in the Dakota prairie has been about grounding. Fully immersed into sacred Earth energy. Until this, my entire existence has revolved around the ocean. I planned where I lived to be in the optimal range of my favorite waves. I chose my jobs to ensure I would always be able to catch that early morning glassy surf. I put my love of the ocean over love in relationships, friendships, even family. I was obsessed, maybe even to my detriment. 

Each day, as I walk on the prairie, I am grateful I leapt into the complete unknown, leaving my entangled identity with the ocean behind. This has allowed me the space to turn inward & really ask, who am I? Who am I evolving into? Who is my authentic self that does not waver based on her environment? This exploration of Earth medicine has brought me stability, strength, resilience blended with grace & ease. 

intention setting in mountain pose, community gardens

All of these themes came to a culmination this Capricorn full moon. During this moon cycle, I focused on combining yoga & meditation with some much needed earthly grounding in nature. I started leading free yoga sessions with Growing Together Community Gardens, a local non-profit that grows community along with delicious organic produce. 

After working in the garden for 2 hours, we come together to breathe, stretch, meditate & rest. I was overjoyed when everyone from families with young kids to well-lived adults joined in this practice. We faced the garden & turned our intention towards our plants. Focusing our drishti or gaze with every pose, radiating unconditional love to make our garden grow.

moonrise gathering, Experience Moonglade

Additionally, I had the utmost pleasure of leading lunar-aligned full moon yoga combined with thermocycling at the local Nordic spa, Experience Moonglade. The words to describe the beauty & tranquility of this space fall short of the awe & peace you will feel experiencing it first hand. Nestled in the willows & cottonwoods, surrounded by grounds overflowing with flowers & plants, lies a sanctuary to reset the soul. 

I am beyond grateful to spend my days, barefoot of course, building fires, stacking wood, filling cold plunge tubs while listening to the symphony of blissful birds that are just as pleased to be there. Then, witnessing the shift in guests as they show up fearful of the unknown, carrying the weight of their everyday life & through the process of surrendering to the hot & cold elements of nature they release, open & heal. The ultimate grounding experience. Leaving behind what no longer serves you to call in the authentic self.

healing power of the natural elements, Experience Moonglade

We have become so detached from our natural world with all that we have built around us. We have lost our connection to the divine through nature. Tuning back into Earth’s energy is as easy as taking off your shoes & spending 5 minutes breathing with awareness as you feel the Earth supporting you. As you exhale, imagine any negative energy you are carrying being pulled out of your body & into the ground. As you inhale, allow the nourishing energy of the Earth to flow through your feet & up to your crown. Stay here as long as you need. Practice daily! 

Until next moon, 

Kerry + metamoon