Rooted Strength: Coming Back to the Heart of Our Practice

In the studio, at the retreat, on the mat, in the quiet of our hearts: we’re constantly reaching—reaching for clarity, peace, upliftment. But what if the more important work happens not in the upward arc, but downward? What if the foundation beneath our expansive breath, our flowing vinyasa, our open hearts, is both more subtle and more vital than we sometimes acknowledge?

In his beautiful Jivamukti Yoga focus of the month essay “Rooted Strength,” Jules Febre reminds us that “when a seed germinates, the first thing it does is not send up shoots but send down roots.” That image—of movement inward, downward, toward the center—speaks powerfully to what true spiritual strength means: not just growth or display, but resilience, steadiness, foundation, and deep grounding.

The metaphor of roots and our spiritual practice

Roots are mostly unseen. They do their work in silence, underground, gathering nourishment, establishing a network that supports the visible tree. Jules writes in his essay: “The stronger the roots, the more resilient the tree; the deeper our foundation, the more adaptable and steadfast our practice becomes.” On our yoga path, those roots are the moments we show up: our early morning meditation, our breath work, the devoted chanting of mantra, the simple act of coming back to the breath when the mind flees.

When we skip or minimize the root-work, we may still grow for a time—but like a sapling in shallow soil, faced with storms of grief, change, or doubt, we can feel uprooted. Jules notes: “There are times … when we feel uprooted: disconnected from our practice, our teachers, or our sense of belonging.” And so part of what it means to be spiritually mature is to return to the roots. To remember that growth is not vanity, it is service—and it cannot happen without the unseen ground.

Rootedness in community: Satsang as network

One of the most resonant passages for me in Jules’ essay is the discussion of the mycorrhizal network (the “wood-wide-web” of forests) as a metaphor for satsang: “This mycorrhizal web offers a striking metaphor for satsang … Through our shared practice we, too, exchange nourishment, wisdom, compassion, and care.” At Satsang Yoga Studio, we’re not just a collection of mats in a room—we are also the ground beneath each other’s growth. When one of us bends with a challenge, we all feel it. When one thrives, we all benefit. In this way, rooted strength is both personal and collective.

Invitation: Returning to the Roots

Try working with these practices to deepen your rooted strength:

1. Grounding Meditation Begin (or end) your practice with a few moments of being supported by the Earth. Sit or stand, feel the weight of your body, your bones, your breath. Let your awareness travel “down into the Earth like roots.” Let yourself be nourished from below before you stretch toward the sky.

2. Asana with the Roots in Mind In postures that emphasize connection to the ground, such as Mountain, Tree, Warrior 1 and Warrior 2, ask: What are my roots? Where do I press down so I can rise up? As Jules writes: “Explore how stability below allows freedom above.”

3. Satsang & Community Check-In Reflect: Where in my yoga life do I feel rooted? Where do I feel disconnected or uprooted? Reach out—join class, sit with a friend, attend a circle—to reaffirm your place in the network of support. Jules asks us: “Where do I feel rooted in practice or community? Where might I need to deepen?”

Why this matters for us now

In these times—when life is fast, schedules are tight, our attention splinters—rooted strength offers a counter-rhythm. It says: You don’t have to always be rising. Sometimes the highest growth comes from being still, from going deeper, from nurturing what’s below the surface.

Your mat becomes fertile soil. Your breath the sap of your being. And from that place of steady, unseen nourishment can arise clarity, insight, service—the true harvest of yoga.

In closing

As you come to your next class at Satsang Yoga Studio, or sit quietly at home, or chant a mantra softly in the evening, remember: your practice is not just about outward expansion, but inward anchoring. Root yourself so you may reach—but reach from a place of strength, not just striving.

Let’s continue to grow together—not just as individuals, but as a forest of souls, connected by the roots of devotion, practice, and care.

With love and rooted blessings, Sharada Devi