In metaphysics, grounding is presented as a method of visualizing our centered energy as a stream going down into the earth to either provide a shield for protection against negative energies or as a method to connect ourselves with the energy of the planet.
But let us ask ourselves: what exactly is this ground that we are encouraged to seek, to bond with, to be allied with. In
very real literal terms, what is it that we want to be associated with. What are we truly asking for. What are we admiring. Remember, it is important that we use the
right words and have the right thoughts to attain both our material and
spiritual goals. Who was is that said
“Be careful what you pray for, you might get it”?
Let us take a simple look at a
photograph of this Earth, this ground.
At the top level, we have the Crust, the
outermost layer of our ground, running from zero to thirty-one miles deep, roughly
the distance from Reno NV to Carson City NV.
The familiar landscape on which we live (rocks, soil, and seabed), it is
composed of a variety of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks.
The next level of our ground is the
Mantle, which starts at about six miles deep and runs down another 1,806
miles. This distance would roughly equal
the mileage between Chicago IL and Las Vegas NV. The boundary between the Crust and Mantle is
conventionally defined by a contrast in seismic velocity, which is why we see
the depth variation numbers. The Mantle
layer consists mainly of magnesium-iron silicate minerals, such as olivine and
pyroxene. It has an upper molten part
and a lower solid part. Many people
think of molten part as lava, but it is actually rock so hot that it flows under
pressure, like road tar. This creates
very slow-moving currents as hot rock rises from the depths and cooler rock
descends.
The next level down in our ground is the
Outer Core at a depth of 1,806 to 3,219 miles. Starting from where your feet touch the
surface of the planet, this would roughly be equivalent of getting in your car
in San Francisco CA and driving to Key West FL.
It is believed to be liquid iron, nickel and sulfur, and very hot,
perhaps 7,200 to 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
The final level of our ground is the
Inner Core at a depth of 3,219 to 3,981 miles, which leads us
down to the kernel of the Earth. Get back into your car, this time in Vancouver,
British Columbia, and drive all the way to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and you would have
a pretty good idea of how deep 3,900 miles might be. This deepest layer is a solid iron ball, about
1,500 miles in diameter, and is thought to be solid, primarily iron, with
nickel and sulfur, plus small amounts of other elements. Estimates of its temperature vary between
9,000 and 13,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Although
this Inner Core is white hot, the highest temperature region in the Earth, the
pressure is so high the iron cannot melt.
Interestingly, recent evidence has suggested that the Inner Core may
rotate slightly faster than the rest of the planet.
Except at the Crust level of our ground,
the interior of the Earth cannot be studied by drilling holes to take samples. Scientists map the interior by watching how
seismic waves from earthquakes are bent, reflected, sped up, or delayed by the
various layers. Each earthquake provides a glimpse of the Earth’s interior.
It
is worth noting that it was from interpretation of the data from a 1929
earthquake in New Zealand that brought Danish seismologist Inge Lehmann to the
theory that the Earth’s center consisted of a solid inner core surrounded by a
liquid outer core. How many people out
there are aware that a woman developed the most major theory in modern geology?
Okay, so why the science lesson? This all falls under the aforementioned
category of “Be careful for what you pray for, you might get it” and also Buddha’s
admonition “With our thoughts we make the world.”
In the everyday sense of grounding,
being frozen paralyzed, unable to breathe or move. . all of this results from
being trapped in a solid ball of iron (not to mention death!). If we are grounding ourselves in the metaphysical
and spiritual sense, visualizing those tree roots running deep deep deep into
the planet’s center, do we really want to spiritually shackle ourselves to a
ball of solid iron?
Until next time, LLAP!
References:
Chang, Kenneth (2005-08-25). "Earth's Core Spins
Faster Than the Rest of the Planet". The New York Times. Retrieved
2010-05-24
No comments:
Post a Comment