JULY/AUGUST 2026 EDITION
The Monday Night Sangha Newsletter
The Soul's Need for Grounding
“To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul.”
— Simone Weil
Recently, I returned from a beautiful yoga retreat in Madeira, Portugal. While the yoga itself was nourishing, it was my time walking the island's breathtaking trails that left the deepest impression on my heart.
Madeira is a place where the mountains seem to rise directly from the sea, where ancient forests, waterfalls, and volcanic cliffs remind us that the Earth has been quietly holding life for millions of years. As I hiked through these magnificent landscapes, something unexpected began to happen. With each step, I felt an increasingly intimate relationship with Mother Earth. At moments, it was as though shafts of light were extending from my feet, reaching deep through the layers of stone and soil, connecting me directly to the radiant core of the Earth herself.
In the months leading up to my journey, I had been practicing an energetic looping program that uses breath work and imagery to connect with the Earth through heart-centered self-love, embodiment, and grounding. By the time I arrived in Madeira—with its ancient volcanic mountains, emerald forests, cascading waterfalls, and dramatic cliffs rising from the sea—I felt fairly well grounded. It was as though the island itself was amplifying a connection that had already begun, allowing me to experience the Earth's presence with a depth that surprised me.
We often speak about raising our vibration, opening our hearts, and connecting with higher consciousness. These are beautiful aspirations. Yet without grounding, our spiritual lives can become untethered. Just as a tree cannot reach toward the heavens without roots reaching deeply into the earth, neither can we.
I am writing about this to share a profound experience during the retreat. This retreat was wonderfully social. Sharing meals, conversations, yoga practices, and adventures with such a vibrant group was joyful, but by evening I often noticed that my nervous system felt a bit overstimulated. I helped to slow things down by practicing before sleep. By the third night in Madeira, something had shifted. As soon as I closed my eyes, I found myself effortlessly bathing in the luminous energy of the Earth's core. Whatever I had absorbed throughout the day—the excitement, the stimulation, even subtle emotional residue—seemed to gently melt away. I was left feeling deeply rooted, peaceful, and completely at home within myself.
If you feel called to deepen your relationship with the living Earth, I'd be honored to support you. Together, we can explore simple meditation and grounding practices that help awaken this quiet connection, allowing the Earth's steady presence to become a source of balance, peace, and belonging in everyday life. If this speaks to your heart, I'd love to hear from you.
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“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”
— Kahlil Gibran
With loving kindness and peaceful presence
Susan Keller
Conscious Calm Presence