The Earth Within Us
Let’s make Earth day every day! Planetarily we are told that today is the day we are to recognize her majesty, the Earth. She is here all around us; under the soles of our feet; below the depths of the ocean floor; and within our bodies every waking day. It is a shame to only tune in to the needs of the Earth, one sun-to-moon rising. 
The Hawai’ians know this intuitively. It has been passed down within their bloodline and cultural practices from the beginning of their ancestry: The Earth, nature and the solar stars guided them on massive, oceanic journeys to new earth-residences in their tree-crafted canoes. Uncertain of their outcome, and with seeds in tow, they were outfitted with Earthly elements only. From this, they birthed food, clothing, medicine, tools and shelter, and grounded on new-found lands where fire, land and water were cared for and respected. Our modern age has powerful forces at play: numbing us with laboratory foods and drugs; separating our feet from the earth’s surface with manufactured rubber and plastic soles; and taking us out of our presence with technology and overstimulating environments that market and compete for our attention with each nano-second.
We are captivated by things void of nature and are conditioned to work for the dollar. It is important that we identify the experiential shortcomings that come from neglecting the natural elements that support our very lives. At the moment, this negligence is reversible. It is our Kuleana (our responsibility) to come back into our humanity and malama (care for) the Earth that supplies us with true wealth, true life-force and true mortal humility and strength. With every decision, purchase, and action we choose to make, we collectively gain the power to take care of the Earth and in-turn be cared for by her offerings.
We are gifted from the onset of life with what the Hawai’ians refer to as Aloha. There are many interpretations and meanings of the word Aloha, with one in particular that feels appropriate to share here. Ha, meaning breath; and Alo, meaning to be in the presence of. If we are in the presence of breath, we are living with the spirit of Aloha.
Today is Earth Day, which merely is a reminder that we must envelope the present state of Earth’s existence with that of our own. They are one and the same. We impact the Earth with everything we do. She in turn impacts us. Stay present; tune in to the impact you have on the Earth; recognize that the vitamins and minerals that circulate in your bloodstream come from the very Earth below your feet. And be the difference. Be the change. Be in the presence of your breath and follow the sentiment of the old African proverb from an anonymous virtuoso, and “Pray with your feet”.
Wherever you are in the world, turn off the technology. Walk. Climb a tree. Plant a seed or two or three. Smell the flowers. Get into nature; real nature. Listen. Smell. Remove your shoes and feel the energetic forces grounding you to the Earth’s core. Close your eyes and take in the Earth’s slow-moving rotation; recognize you too, are only particles in motion, and be grateful for the Earth within you
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