Think about it, close your eyes if you have to, but not for too long (you’re reading this after all). When is the last time you played? If you have a dog, or a kid, you probably know exactly what I am talking about. That all consuming smile and laughter, the fits of excitement emanating from a place where play is happening. It is infectious and life giving and I am sure that you can remember the feeling.
One of the things that as adults we fail to do for ourselves is play in the dirt. Play on the floor. I can probably ask you the same question about the last time you rolled around on the floor for any reason, and I’m not talking about your three minute heaven and it is probably as far back as you remember, too. While I am not asking you to regrade to playing with the ABC blocks, there is space for grounding in all of our lives. This lesson is about getting on the ground.
- Yoga. While not all exercise is the same yoga is one of the simplest gateways into the better you. By using grounding, in every move, with every part that is touching the ground you will use the earth and no doubt be better off for it. A couple of clicks and keystrokes and you will be able to find a yogi that suits you.
- Burpees. For an exercise now, which you can literally do anywhere at any time take a burpee for a spin, or two, three if you are feeling brave. There is not much more humbling than performing a set of burpees and realizing your own deficiencies and quickly. But as far as a bargian and bang for your buck exercise, perform burpees.
- Jiu-jitsu. I am including this because it is an art form that boils down all of the above experiences into one form and it is not recommended for everybody, but if you are testing yourself, test yourself on the mat with nothing but your own strength, among other skills.
I don’t want this one to be over but I have boiled the ground experience down into what I think is enough to get started, but trust me when I say that I am not finished with the ground.
Your Canadian brother.
Leadership from the front. 