Gravity as Hug

Wen we hear the phrase “holy ground” we usually think of a church or a mosque or a temple or a special location in a far away place which is declared holy by religions. For example, Jerusalem is referred to as Holy Land for Christians. Every year thousands of Christians from all over the world make pilgrimages to the Holy Land. For Hindus, River Ganges is holy land (water). For Muslims, Mecca and Medina are holy lands.

What if the parcel of land you currently occupy right now is “holy land? Start seeing and feeling the Earth beneath your feet as “holy ground” and your life will turn around in profound ways!

Considering the Earth as holy ground can be extremely beneficial to a congenial life on the ground. As a hospice chaplain, I have had great breakthroughs with difficult patients when I walked into their homes imagining their home as holy ground.

Looking at shopping malls as holy ground has helped me find good parking spaces and enjoy positive shopping experiences. Seeing congested highways as holy ground can make driving less stressful. Experiencing our homes as holy ground can help make family life harmonious.

The notion of Earth as holy ground will help us ease our grip on parcels of property as “mine.” We will be less likely to yell at a kid who walks through our yard, or curse at a neighbor who lets his dog pee or poop on our grass.

When we walk on holy ground, we are unlikely to hold a gun in our hand and “stand our ground.” We know what that did to Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida in 2012. If George Zimmerman had considered his neighborhood as holy ground a great tragedy could have been averted. Instead, as a neighborhood watcher, he saw the little swath of real estate he occupied as his ground that needed to be protected from others at gunpoint. Seeing Trayvom Martin, a black kid, walking through his property was seen as a threat to his survival.

When we love the Earth as a whole, there is no part of it that needs to be barricaded and claimed exclusively as ours, because we are here only for a short period of time and the Earth ultimately belongs to God. Between our birth and death is a span of time, called life. It is a millisecond compared to the lifespan of the Earth. The Earth has been here for billions of years. And it will be here after we are gone.

If you are struggling and wandering in the “vale of tears” you may want to cultivate a love for the Earth, by meditating about our home planet. Walk on it barefoot, not on concrete sidewalk, but on the grass. Feel the warmth of Mother Earth.

Imagine a mother tightly embracing her child. That is exactly what Earth does to us every day. Think of gravity as Mother Earth holding us closely to her bosom.

It is the loving embrace from the Earth that grounds and sustains us. Every time you come out of your house, believe that you are going to walk or drive on holy ground. See how your life changes with that awareness. That is a great way to live fearlessly in the world.

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God.” Keep your eyes open to see, and your ears to hear that proclamation.

(From Cosmic Kindergarten: Earthly Lessons for a Heavenly Life)