Time to touch grass 🌱

“Go touch grass.” In 2026, this phrase is typically hurled at people to insinuate a person is out of touch with reality or overreacting. 

It’s harsh, yes. It can be hurtful, even. But the reality is that touching grass when we're out of touch or out of sorts actually does help. 😭😂

As a matter of fact, it has been my somatic practice of choice for the past 6 or so months, and my longest-running (read: sustainable) morning routine to date - it’s mostly free, pretty accessible, and easy with a big payoff. What’s not to love? 

Do you have reservations? I can imagine some of them now — 

“But, it’s cold out.”

“What would my neighbors think…”

“I’m too tired before work.” 

“There’s no grass where I live.” 

“I don’t know how.”

I know, and any hesitation is valid. However, if that hesitation moves just enough to give way to a sliver of openness, I’d encourage you to challenge yourself to incorporate the somatic practice of touching grass — even for 5 minutes this week. If you can do more, great!

Well, how do you do it? 

As a neurodivergent person, I find habit stacking very helpful. So, I like to pair my somatic morning practice with my morning coffee or ginkgo biloba green tea. 

Most days, when I have the energy to do so, I wake up, make my bed, pour coffee into whatever mug brings me the most joy, then bundle up and enjoy my coffee outside in the grass while facing the sun. I also have persistent guilt about not taking my senior cat (my warlock liege) outside more often, so I’ve started including him in my morning time outside and he loves it — even though you cannot tell.

Somatic Exercise: 

When I can tolerate it, I like to put my feet on the actual ground. Feel the crunch of the hard earth. 

Is there grass? Mud? Dirt? Is your sock wet or is it just cold? Maybe we let the sock be wet. Just for a moment. Notice it. How does the wet sock feel on your foot? Ask yourself: Can I feel my feet on the ground?

Listen for all the sounds — do you hear any birds? What about the distant roar of a highway? What about that not-so-distant siren? Or maybe you can hear the gentle hum of a generator, or children laughing down the street. An airplane flying by. A hawk circling overhead. Let the cacophony of sounds wash over you.

Now try focusing in on just one of these sounds. How long can you focus on it?

What about noticing the colors? The bright, blue sky met by the craggly edges of barren tree branches, or the soft pillowy puffs of white from long-gone jets. The shades within the flag on the garden gate. The sun-faded pillow. A bottle of bug spray.

Take a deep breath in through your nose, hold it for a second at the top, and exhale out through your mouth. On your next inhale, smell your morning beverage, if you have one. 

When you’re ready, close your eyes and face the sun. Feel the warm energy radiate at the top of your head and gently feel that warmth begin to go through your entire body. Slowly, starting with your forehead, your brows, your cheekbones, your lips, your jaw, and so on, all the way to the tips of your toes. Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth at your own pace.

As you finish your newly solar-charged beverage of choice, take a moment to see if the grounds or tea leaves make any shapes. By doing this, you are practicing creative thinking and embodiment. Take a deep breath.

Advanced level modification: say “hello” to the old oak tree in your yard, or “good morning” to the spider on your garden gate. Maybe it feels silly, but I bet you don’t feel worse afterwards. You never know, sometimes they even say “hi” back — like an acorn falling on your head, or the spider raising its little arms to fuss at you.

As always, if your body, brain, or circumstances do not allow you to be outside, make this practice your own in any way you see fit. The same practice can be achieved by looking through a window or while lying in bed. 

I hope this email grants you the opportunity to carve out some pockets of slowness into your week. 

If you’re ready to explore somatics on a deeper level, you can schedule a free 15-minute discovery call with us here, or learn more about our offerings here.