Make Love to the Earth Practice #1: Behold & Be held

Select a flower, leaf, or plant that you can hold in your hand, touch or be touched by. You might pick something from the ground or bring yourself to its home, still attached to its roots.

Start with a few minutes of quietly savoring the flower or leaf with just your gaze. You might zoom your awareness in and notice tiny details or maybe take a step back and notice it from afar. You might turn it around or upside down to explore its many sides. Take your time to really get to know its shape, size, colors, and unique qualities.

Then, when you feel ready, begin to touch the flower or leaf with your hands. Touch slowly - even slower than you think - you might even lay down or recline as you spend time getting to know this special being with your hands, fingers, and palms. Can you allow your curiosity lead you into touching it like it were a lover? How do you touch it? How do you offer it your loving attention? The gift of your touch?

Then, when you feel ready, switch: what happens when you allow the flower or plant touch you? How does it touch your body? Where does it want to touch? Where does it feel neutral? Good? Really good? What parts of the flower or plant feel really good on your body? Follow the impulse to touch yourself with the flower or plant for as long as you like.

End with gratitude for the flower or plant and for yourself.

Here is an earth-inspired playlist with about 4.5 minutes of silence for savoring built in and a song to let you know to come back.