🌿 Earth: Grounding in self-worth with Taurus
(🎙️ Recorded for those who prefer to listen) — It must begin within.
Hello sweet friend,
The New Moon rests in Taurus today and as I write to you I am sitting cozy on my couch wearing a gorgeous new linen top that arrived in the mail today, sipping tea from a favorite mug, listening to the Earth playlist (linked below), and gazing out the window at the blue sky and bright green leafs damp from a recent rain storm.
I originally sent this next installment of our Elemental Journey about a year ago just after having had breast reduction surgery. At first I thought I’d write a new intro to this letter with a more current note, but after reading over it I decided to leave it as is. The sentiment remains relevant and potent even after a whole year of recovery.
Though the pain I felt last year has eased and shifted with time, I am still journeying to the same depths, still learning to lean into trust, and very much still cultivating compassion and love for myself.
So, today I wrap my arms around my body, the soft flesh that has held and protected me through the entirety of my life, and I offer myself gratitude for continually returning to beginning within no matter how often I forget that that is in fact the best place to start.
(Here begins the letter originally sent last year.)
At the end of April, I had breast reduction surgery, something I’d thought long and hard about before making the decision to do so. Since then I’ve been resting and recovering while coming face to face with a deep and painful belief that I’m not worthy of the rest, care, or support that I’ve needed.
Three and a half weeks ago, I lay in bed unable to move in the ways that I had been able to just days before, and my mind took to racing through an endless stream of thoughts seeded in the soil of the painful belief that I hadn’t done enough, given enough, or proven enough to be able to receive such an abundance of unconditional love and support from the family and friends, who had generously offered and shown up to care for me and my children during my recovery.
It’s a particularly painful feeling to be completely physically vulnerable, reliant on care and support while confronting this belief that’s been etched so deeply in your core that it’s hard to see that it’s not actually true. And that, in fact, it’s a lie designed to keep you small and separate and alone, by rejecting all support, care, and love because you believe you aren’t worthy of it, never have been, and never will be.
As I write this, over three weeks into recovery, and after moving through many layers of vulnerable physical and emotional pain, I’m feeling more grounded in my truth.
I’ve journeyed to my depths yet again, and as I begin to surface, I hold more trust, understanding, and compassion for myself, albeit with much residual exhaustion as a result of all the layers of this journey.
I’m sure I’ll share more on all of this in the future, but for now, I’m so happy to finally explore the earth element from the lens of Taurus with you.
Unsurprisingly, though the synchronicities never cease to amaze me, many of the themes that we’ll find in the Taurus flavor of this element relate very much to what I’ve been confronting within my own personal journey in the last several weeks.
As always, thank you for being here, and let’s begin!
Taurus earth is the energy of “I have, I secure.” It grounds us in the present moment, in our senses, in what is really here, now. This energy asks us to slow down and connect with the “wisdom of simplicity” as Steven Forrest calls it in The Book of Earth: Making It Real.
The earth element in general is what connects us to the business of being a human on earth. While the other elements connect us more to the ethereal and intangible world; our thoughts, desires, dreams, emotions, etc., the earth element supports us in bringing that intangible energy into the physical realm. It is the channel through which we ground our dreams and take them from the expanse of our minds and into creation and fruition, ultimately allowing us to share them with the world at large.
Earth is the practical side of things, the material, the tangible, sharable. It’s the energy that guides the writer’s story from the mind, onto the page, into a published book, and finally, the hands of its readers. It carries the painter to the canvas day after day culminating in a body of work, perhaps ready for a gallery filled with collectors. It’s the steady companion of the athlete as they go from their first day of training, through the thousands of days of training to follow, and finally all the way to receiving an Olympic gold medal.
This is also the energy that wakes the busy mother before sunrise, taking one hour to herself to nurture her seemingly impossible dreams until one day she’s watching them grow alongside her children.
But before we begin the earthly journey of pursuing, building, or creating anything, it is deeply important that we are clear and grounded within ourselves, our inherent worth and value, and that we root ourselves in clear intentions.
If we start out on our journey without knowing, believing, and trusting in the security of our inner worth and value, it becomes all too easy to start an endless and impossible quest to find and secure our worth outside ourselves.
This imbalanced or shadow side of the Taurus earth energy appears when we look for our worth, value, and ultimately our happiness outside ourselves, not realizing that it must begin within.
When imbalanced, this energy manifests as the one who gets lost on an endless search for a romantic partner only to find that no one is ever good enough because they don’t believe themselves to be good enough. Or the one who is afraid that there isn’t enough, of anything, and in their search for security in the material world they find that no matter how many sweaters, mugs, journals, crystals, bowls of pasta, slices of cake (insert anything and everything, I have tried them all) there is never enough to fill the fearful space within that longs for healing and acknowledgment. It can also be the one who focuses all their energy on building wealth only to end up a billionaire, alone, holding so tightly to enough money to end world hunger, but so disconnected from the world that they forget that the greatest power for manifesting abundance and true happiness is generosity and connection.
The magic in the Taurus earth energy flows when we begin within. When we slow down and nurture our own self-worth.
We must start by healing the parts of us that have forgotten that we are all born inherently and entirely worthy from the moment of our very first breath.
When we cultivate and strengthen our own inner sense of self-worth, we are able to open our hearts to receive, drink from, and bask in all the splendors, beauty, and abundance, of the lush, rich, and sensual experiences that bring so much pleasure to our existence on Earth.
So, how do we slow down and connect with this “wisdom of simplicity”? How do we cultivate and strengthen our inner sense of self-worth and value?
In many ways the practices are simple, and it is in their simplicity that we often find our biggest challenges. It takes time and steady, diligent dedication to integrate this wisdom.
We must start by slowing down and creating space in our lives for rest, space to cultivate a deep inner connection with ourselves, even when the world around us tries to tell us that we are not worthy of this rest and that it is not safe to slow down.
As we create space for slowing down, for rest, and for presence, we will need to practice listening to the wisdom of our bodies and the things we know deep in the marrow of our bones.
In its most simple and primal expression, the Taurus earth energy reminds us to eat when we are hungry, sleep when we are tired, and find time to enjoy the miracle of life in a precious human body, living on a sphere of soil and water, suspended in thin air.
When we embody this energy it becomes possible to tap into the profound sense of security, abundance, and pleasure, of which every single sentient being is worthy of experiencing.
May we practice slowing down and meeting ourselves in the present moment.
May we become deeply rooted in our innate worth and value.
May we approach the world, our dreams, and our desires from this grounded foundation of self-worth.
What makes me feel safe and secure?
When and where do I feel most valued?
What do I value about myself?
What am I ready to let go of to create space for more self-honoring?
How can I build and cultivate a secure relationship with myself and my worth and value?
Jealousy is a guide pointing me toward my desires.
I am worthy of all that I desire.
I am worthy of moving slowly.
I am worthy of taking my time.
I am worthy of receiving boundless abundance, beauty, and enjoyment.
I am worthy simply because I am.
Grounding in the senses: Plan to give yourself a spacious hour or two in the evening or morning, depending on your unique preference.
Gather the following:Something soft to the touch; a favorite blanket, a silk cloth, a pillow or two, maybe all of the above!
Something lovely to smell; perhaps an essential oil spray or a scented candle.
Something beautiful to the eye; a bouquet of flowers or a favorite object.
Something tantalizing in taste; perhaps a favorite chocolaty something if you’re like my Taurus Grandmother and Taurus son, and/or some fresh fruit.
A playlist or album that helps ground you (scroll down for an option).
If the weather permits, make your way outside, if not find a comfortable place indoors. Lay out your soft objects; spray your essential oil or light your candle, filling the air with its scent; place your beautiful object nearby within eyesight; taste your edible something. Then, lay yourself down, allowing the earth to hold your body as you ground into the present moment through all your senses. Allow this practice to be slow, intentional, and spacious. You are worthy of all the time in the world to rest in the abundance of your experiences.
Self-honoring solo dates: Plan and take yourself out on a weekly or monthly solo date night to a favorite restaurant, a gallery opening, or perhaps a picnic in the park. Treat yourself as you would someone you deeply admire; dress up if that feels fun, wear your favorite scent, buy yourself flowers to come home to, and splurge on a bottle of sparkling water or maybe a nice glass of wine. When I first started this practice, as part of the Artist’s Way, I felt uncomfortable and out of place sitting alone in a restaurant, but I’m so grateful I did it anyways. Now I savor the intentional time alone with myself and I often bring a good book to read or a journal to write in.
Love notes to self: Write yourself love notes in the morning or evening of each day. Include three to five aspects, qualities, or achievements that you’re grateful to yourself for. These love notes can be written in the form of a small poem, a numbered list, or a letter to a dear friend. Most of us spend a lot of time criticizing ourselves. This is a practice for noticing and appreciating the innate value that we bring to the world. Over time you will cultivate a core of deeply felt self-worth.
Releasing scarcity, connecting with abundance:
Write a list of all the areas in your life where you tend to react or make decisions from a place of scarcity, believing or feeling that there isn’t enough, you aren’t enough, or you or others don’t have enough. (Hold this lightly with as little judgment for yourself as possible).
Next, write a list of all the areas in your life where you feel and experience abundance, where you trust abundance to flow from, around, and to.
Take the scarcity list and bury it in the roots of a tree. Leave these fears in the care of the earth. Allow them to be gently transformed.
Take the abundance list and find a place where you can lie down on the ground. Allow your body to be held by the whole of the earth. Read your list aloud. Let it echo far and wide throughout the entire universe.
Lastly, a few songs to accompany you as you engage with these practices:
Below is a guided meditation inviting you to slow down and to rest in the present moment as we practice cultivating an inner foundation of embodied self-worth.
Thank you so much for continuing on this journey together!
As always, I invite you to engage with any prompts, affirmations, or practices that feel supportive to you, and leave anything that does not. Sometimes just one sentence is enough to shift and balance a whole lot of layers within us.
I would love to hear what resonated with you, what questions may have come up, or any other feedback you may have. Leave a comment or reply to this email.
If you know someone who might be interested in joining us, I’d be very grateful if you would pass along this link!
With endless love,
Raina
With deep gratitude, I would like to acknowledge the teachers and mentors who have taught me so much about the elements and the language of astrology, and in turn, given me the gift of knowing myself more deeply. Kristina Adam of Aether, Debra Silverman, Jules Ferarri, Kristen Masi, thank you for sharing your wisdom and light with the world.
Thank you for this abundance of love and wisdom. I enjoyed the meditation and listening now to the playlist. Xo