A seven-minute seated grounding practice to begin an online session.

Closing our eyes softly, and taking a moment to notice all the parts out our bodies that are in contact, supported, by the ground beneath us, by the chair, the back or sides of the chair.

[Pause]

Now taking three deep, slow breaths all together – and as you exhale, feeling your body relax into that support, feeling how you are held there, so safely and surely.

And as we breathe and sink deeper into that support, we invite the energy of earth, of gravity, of rock and soil and root and riverbed, to join us in this space tonight.

[Pause]

Earth is our infallible support in this journey. Liberatory work and self-exploration can feel so heady, or heart-y or gut-y… so let’s take the time before we get started to recognise our physical bodies, these bodies, that move through this world, bodies that harm or are harmed. Bodies that kill or are killed. Bodies that can rise up together to create change. Bodies that feel. in relationship, in conversation, with our environment, our planet, with other bodies. Nature is our greatest teacher. Whatever happens, wherever this takes us, however it feels, we know that earth is here, with us, hold us, supporting us, always reminding us that we come from this soil and we will return to it.

One more deep breath to welcome our earth.
Welcome.

And now I invite us all to bring both hands to our lower belly, the dark cave, the mass of digestion and reproduction that sits deep at the core of our selves. Slowly, lovingly, massaging, circling, soothing that space, that fleshy middle, and taking three more deep, slow breaths. And as we breath, taking our breath deep down there, right to our core, those in-breaths bringing oxygen to the fire that glows and burns, the fire where things are catalysed, transformed, reborn.

We invite this element of fire to join with us tonight, bringing passion, intention, will, rage, commitment, desire, inspiration, the burning energies that make us who we are, make us show up to this space together tonight, filled up with the passion to create change, to be change. This is the fire that that will burn away the old ways, raze white supremacy to the ground, prepare the way for the equality and justice we long for and will fight for, the fire we draw on, this shimmering, never-still resource deep down here in our bellies, and it powers us into alignment.

One more deep breath to welcome our fire.
Welcome.

Now, bringing our hands slowly, slowly, upwards, upwards, past our chest and shoulders, neck, and up to our head, fingers maybe pushing into hair, holding the round, hard shape of our heads. And again, taking three deep, slow breaths here. Breathing in clarity, truth, justice, exhaling with a sigh or a groan to release tension, to release distraction. As we breathe we’re welcoming in the element of air, the sky, horizons, mountaintops, the ability to see clearly, to discern, to communicate. Notice the quality and texture of your mind tonight – perhaps it is busy, or still, or fizzy, or racing, or blank. Our minds can dominate this kind of work and hold us back from the real depths, but they can also be keys to liberation, as we learn to cut cleanly through cultural injustice and claim and communicate the often difficult truths of our existence. So taking a moment now to imagine that wonderful feeling of being on a hilltop, in the breeze or the wind, and just feeling how good that clean, fresh air feels and how good that view looks.

Raising our arms now, slowly up to reach towards the sky, stretching upwards, opening our hands, to channel that truth down into our bodies, into this physical space, and like this, one more deep breath to welcome our air.
Welcome.

And then lowering our hands to rest on our chest, exhaling and sinking our shoulders down, breathing slowly and deeply into the heart. As we breathe into this space, into this great pump that sends water coursing through our bodies day in, day out, tune into the rhythm pulsing deep in our chests, breath ourselves into stillness so we can really hear that beat, with our ears or with our hands or some other way. And just sitting with that rhythm for a moment, if you wish, patting your hands on your chest in time with your heart, quieting your mind and just letting all your attention rest here.

We welcome the element of water to be with us tonight. River, lake, ocean, the blood in our veins, the source of all life, flowing through us and all around us. As we do this work, we are at the mercy of ocean swells, river flow, the unpredictability and disobedience of our emotions, our longings, our fears, our love. This water will take us on a journey, it asks us to surrender, to let it flow, to let it happen. To let what comes come. To let this journey be true, real, profound. It brings us compassion, grief, love, connection, and we are all in this swelling sea together.

Let’s take one more deep, slow breath together here, to welcome our water.
Welcome.

Now inviting you to lower your hands to your lap or your sides, to shift a little if you need to get comfortable again, and to relax back into your seat, feeling all of our elements, all of these multitudes, these allies, these resources, arriving into this space to support and guide us. Every element we welcomed in, an element of your whole, beautifl, powerful, intergrated, messy, contradictory, wonderful self. Feel the earth holding each of us, feel the fire of each of us as we inspire and ignite each other, feel the great airy expanse of the sky, the truth we all breathe together, and feel the swell of water, of our hearts all beating together, uniting us.

And, when you are ready, softly open your eyes and join us in the space.