Backs to the ground

On Tuesday I invited the two young rangers working for Action for Conservation at The Penpont Project to join me in lying down on the ground. It was their last week at Penpont and it was a gloriously sunny day. They chose a meadow next to the river and though the ground was saturated from weeks of rain, the earth was soft and yielding with bright new shoots of grass. I invited them to rest on the earth, breathe deeply and soften their bodies into the ground, allowing thoughts and sensations to come and go. Whenever I lie down on the ground I am reminded of the support I get from the Earth. I let go and allow my gaze to reach up and outward. It was a joy to share this experience with these two young people who have been working through the winter months, doing a whole range of things such as building leaky dams, grafting fruit trees and making fences. The sunshine on our bodies felt like a celebration of the emerging spring and the end of their time here as rangers. Afterwards we talked of the comfort of lying down and resting, the sounds - of the river, a distant lamb bleating - and of our gratitude for everything around us, our connections across the globe.

a figure lies on the grass, a line of trees in the background with a blue sky and bright sun above