A roots visualization exercise to reconnect to reality

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This is a Stereo Forest production from StereoForest

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.com.

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Information, resources and opportunities to support the show

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and connect with others are available at StereoForest

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.com slash Daily Reconnect.

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This podcast is for informational and educational purposes

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only and is not a substitute for medical

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advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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If you have specific mental health concerns, please

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consult with a qualified health care professional.

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Now on to the show.

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In today's episode we'll practice a tree root

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visualization that helps you ground yourself by connecting

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to the earth beneath you and then outwards

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as a foundation for being present.

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You'll be able to do this visualization no

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matter where you are or what you're doing.

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So welcome to the Daily Reconnect.

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I'm your host Jenda Hahn and this brief

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episode will help you reconnect to the present

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when you're feeling disconnected or dissociated from the

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world.

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Together we will re-engage with this wild

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world, our bodies and our minds.

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So let's reconnect with reality.

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Today we're going to root ourselves to the

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ground and notice what's going on around us

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using visualization in order to reconnect with each

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other.

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You can choose to physically look at nature,

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you can be within nature or you can

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visualize it from wherever you are.

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You can use whatever you have in your

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space whether it's urban or indoors or you're

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in the middle of a forest.

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After this exercise we will get motivated to

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start our day.

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So take whatever works for you during this

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exercise and throw away whatever doesn't.

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Revise whatever you wish while you're going through

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the steps.

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You don't have to follow any of this

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exactly.

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I'm giving you permission to improvise right now.

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For example if something doesn't work for you

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just focus on the sound of my voice

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and not the words or connect in your

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own environment however fits best for you.

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Take this moment for yourself to focus and

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reset.

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That's the most important thing for today.

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So on to the exercise.

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Take a moment to get comfortable whether you're

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seated or standing or if you're walking find

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a comfortable pace.

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Begin by taking a deep breath in and

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then slowly release it and allow your body

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to settle.

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If you're visualizing nature take a moment to

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choose a place you know well.

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If you're in nature perhaps on a walk

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notice your environment.

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Imagine or experience your feet making contact with

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the earth beneath you.

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Whether you're indoors or outside visualize the ground

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below the floor below the building extending deep

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into the soil.

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Picture or look at your feet firmly planted

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on the earth.

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See the delicate roots beneath your feet connected

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to you and to each other.

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These roots begin as thin tendrils pushing gently

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into the soil.

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Feel them extending from the soles of your

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feet reaching downward and then outward.

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This is connecting you to a wide network

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of roots extending under your feet to those

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of your neighbors and those neighbors to their

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neighbors.

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As you breathe in think of your roots

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growing stronger.

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As you exhale those roots they push deeper

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and outwards.

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These roots are flexible yet strong anchoring you

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to this present moment.

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Now think or look at a giant majestic

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tree.

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Perhaps it's an evergreen, a giant fir tree,

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or a sequoia tree.

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Just as these large trees withstand changing weather,

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changing times, changing climates, think of your root

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system handling an emotional storm.

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If you're feeling overwhelmed right now imagine your

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roots growing especially deep and wide creating a

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strong foundation for you.

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During calmer times a spring day your roots

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can gently pulse with each breath maintaining a

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steady connection.

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Now let's think about where you are right

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now for real.

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So now let's extend that awareness beyond and

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outwards.

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In forests trees communicate within a forest through

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root networks and fungal helpers.

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It's fascinating but a search for later on.

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But right now let's imagine your roots working

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with the root systems of others around you

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creating a supportive community beneath the surface.

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You remain distinct yet connected to something larger

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than yourself.

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And now let's briefly think of connecting with

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our space wherever you are right now.

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Think about someone or something that was in

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that space before you something or someone that

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isn't troubling.

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It might be an ancestor, a family member,

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a friend, a pet, a great walk you

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took in the snow where you are right

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now.

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Or maybe it's an event that occurred in

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that place or even a piece of furniture

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that used to be there.

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Now return your thoughts to the ground.

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Your roots are reaching out beneath the ground

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or the floor where you're standing or sitting

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and those roots are connecting in that shared

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space to that person, that thing, that event,

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that pet, that big snow day.

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Now take a moment to appreciate this dual

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awareness, the now, the reality where you are

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right now, and the past reality.

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Those two realities are grounded and connected through

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those roots.

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When you're ready to conclude this visualization return

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your awareness to your feet and the sensations

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in your feet.

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Move them around a bit.

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Return your attention to the space that you're

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in.

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If you're visualizing somewhere else, return to where

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you are right now.

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And now let's return your attention back to

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this moment.

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So as we return to this day with

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this renewed sense of presence, remember that the

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clarity that you've just cultivated isn't just for

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you alone.

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It's a powerful tool that we can share.

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In a world that often leaves us feeling

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isolated and powerless, know this.

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Your awakened presence matters.

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When systems that can include exploitation and control

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want us disconnected and afraid and isolated, simply

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being fully present can become an act of

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resistance.

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You are not alone in your struggles or

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your hopes.

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So many others are coming to these same

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realizations that together our collective energy can reshape

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what might seem impossible at times.

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So today carry this awareness with you, whether

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it's reaching out to a neighbor or supporting

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a local project or an online project or

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simply sharing your authentic voice in a conversation.

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These small acts create ripples that join our

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roots with others in a much wider network,

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a much wider reality.

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Your worth isn't measured by your productivity or

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what you consume.

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Your power lies in connection to yourself, to

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others, to the collective possibilities we can imagine

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together.

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So take one small action today that connects

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you to something larger than yourself, even if

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that action was what you just did there,

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reconnecting with yourself, refreshing your drive or getting

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healthier.

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This is all how we build resilience and

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resistance.

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This is how we create change and this

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is how we transform the systems that weren't

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really designed for us to thrive.

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You are present and you're powerful too and

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you're part of something greater.

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So that's it for today, Wednesday, March 5th.

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Thank you so much for joining me here

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today and let's connect again on Friday.

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Thank you for listening to The Daily Reconnect.

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Episodes are released on Monday, Wednesday and Friday

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every week.

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This show was created, written, hosted, edited and

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produced by Jen DeHaan.

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Links to contact information, ways to support the

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show, transcripts, the free newsletter and our community

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discord can be found in the show notes.

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This is a Stereo Forest production.