Become an Earthy Life

“The earth is the source of who you are, and unless you are nourished by it – in every way, not just physically – unless you are in tune with it, then riding the cycles will be difficult for you.”

—Sadhguru

On this Spot, Sadhguru suggests using the next few months to become living examples of a life lived to the fullest of our potential, and explains why our relationship with the Earth is essential to that. He says, “When you mistake the source of your life for dirt, the chances of you putting your roots down, growing to your full capability and potential, and seeing flower and fruit are remote.”

மண்ணுடன் ஆழமான தொடர்புகொள்ளுங்கள்

In yoga, this time of the year, which is known as Dakshinayana or sadhana pada, is a time to work upon ourselves. Like in agriculture or gardening, there is a time to work, and there is a time to sit back and watch the flowers and fruits grow. The growth and blossoming as such is not our doing. What we need to do is take charge of all the aspects that make things happen for us: our body, our thoughts, our emotions, our energies, the elements that make this body, and time, which determines the duration of our existence. If we take charge of these things, flowers will happen – no one can stop it.

For the next six months, the Sun’s relationship with the Earth is going to be different. You must ensure that your relationship with the Earth also becomes different. We are walking upon the Earth, we are eating from the Earth, and we are breathing with the Earth. In fact, you are just a lump of earth, which is something you forget, most of the time. Dakshinayana is essentially about a deeper involvement with the Earth. This deep relationship with the Earth reflects in the culture of this country. The cultures south of the Vindhyas are earth-oriented. Earth and water are considered to be the most important elements. The northern cultures are fire- and sky-oriented. In the North, when you say the “Divine,” people look up. The concept of an Uperwala is essentially from the North. In the South, when you said the “Divine,” people look down.

In Tamil, we refer to the soil as thai mannu, meaning “mother soil.” There is a deep understanding in the culture that the earth is the mother. We are born of the earth. Our biological mother is only a representative who is also born of the same earth. The real mother is the soil that we carry as our bodies. But these days, we have started referring to soil as “dirt.” If children put their hands in the soil, today’s mothers will say, “Your hands are dirty.” They are not dirty – you are touching the source of your life. When you mistake the source of your life for dirt, the chances of you putting your roots down, growing to your full capability and potential, and seeing flower and fruit are remote.

If a tree thought, “My roots are getting dirty,” there would be neither flower nor fruit. A tree understands that when it sinks its roots into the earth, this is the source of its life. But we, the seemingly most intelligent species on the planet, are not able to get this. This is a source of many problems that human beings are experiencing right now. Forget about enlightenment, forget about seeing other dimensions of life – human beings are not even able to be healthy, which every other creature is able to do quite effortlessly, because they do not sink their roots into the earth, since somewhere in their minds, it has become dirt.

This has become the culture of almost the entire world. They think they have dropped from heaven, unfortunately. Many religions are telling you that you dropped from heaven, and that your marriage is made in heaven – that is why it is so “otherworldly” for so many people. You popped out of this planet. In many ways, Adiyogi expounded this: It is only in taking charge of the five elements that you can know the nature of who you are and ride the cycles of life. The earth is the source of who you are, and unless you are nourished by it – in every way, not just physically – unless you are in tune with it, then riding the cycles will be difficult for you.

If you want to flower, you have to sink your roots into the earth. You have to become an earthy life. You should not wait for the day when people pretend to cry while they throw earth on you. Today is a good day to realize this. We are at a point in the history of humanity where our intellect has become more active than ever before. More people can think for themselves than ever before, and we can communicate with each other across continents, which was never before possible. Our ability to touch human beings is almost limitless. We are taking this for granted. When such a possibility has come, you should not miss whatever the greatest message on the planet is. It is my wish that every human being knows what the highest possibilities available are. Whether they will walk the path all the way or not is up to them.

Everyone should know there are higher ways of doing life. Whether they choose to do that today, tomorrow, ten years later, or on their deathbed, that is their choice and displays their level of intelligence. It is up to them, but they must know. With the way you live, you must show that your sadhana pays off. They should see on your face that wonderful things happen to you. Even those who do not like you should be able to see something wonderful about you. This is your business for the next six months. Make it happen for yourself.

Love & Grace,

Sadhguru