Put down Roots in order to Launch

Sending down Roots to Take Flight

In Tai Chi I talk about rooting or sending energy downward so that you are connected to Earth. Today I learned that once you’re rooted you can take flight!
On my walk today I encountered a deep puddle and I wanted to jump over it. It was large enough that I needed a running start. The ground surrounding the puddle was muddy and slippery and I wondered if I could do it without falling. I took a few steps back and started to run. As my foot hit the last bit of land before the puddle, I thought about jumping. Luckily, in the moment before I jumped, something made me take flight before I decided it was time and I cleared the puddle without any slipping. I was caught off guard that my body leapt into the air before my mind told it to but if I had waited any longer, like I was planning, the weight of my body would have caused me to slip and, while I may not have fallen, I probably would have flailed about and landed in the puddle. I needed to launch sooner than I thought and this struck me as a metaphor for the way I live my life… my projects, workshops, dancing, writing, etc.
I’m going to take flight sooner than I usually do, just a moment sooner than I think I should. And I’m going to continue to spend time in nature because who knows what lessons I’ll find there.