Reflections from Soul Trak 2025 Environmental Leaders Fellows – July 2025

We’re excited to spotlight the contributions of our 2025 Environmental Leadership Fellows—Dede, Ayanana, and Jahmal—each of whom has brought care, creativity, and commitment to our work this season. From event support to community engagement, their leadership has helped bring our mission to life in meaningful ways.

Read below on their reflections from this month’s programming:

Let’s Get Grounded: Tips to Reconnect to Your Root Energy 

By Jahmal Clemons, Soul Trak Fellow and 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher

Who are your people? Soul Trak community is enjoying the afterglow of our grounded yoga class at Anacostia Park.        

“I really need to create more balance in my life.” 

Do you recall the last time you had this thought? Perhaps it was after realizing that it’s been months since you connected with a good friend or loved one, or after responding angrily to a troll for the fifth time this week, or after ignoring your body’s calls for rest. Regardless of the situation, whenever we notice that we are disconnected from ourselves and start acting from a place of uneasiness, one of the best ways to recalibrate ourselves is to tap into the energy of our roots.

Finding Your Roots

Wisdom traditions from indigenous cultures worldwide agree that we are not just composed of flesh and bone, but we are also made up of energy. According to the yogic system of ancient India, our energetic body comprises seven primary “wheels of light” or chakras. The first chakra, known as the root chakra, is located at the base of the spine. It governs the lower portion of the physical body (including the bones of the lower spine, legs, and feet, the adrenal glands, and the colon), but its health also influences our mental state. 

When our root energy is balanced, we are physically safe and feel secure in our bodies and the choices we make. Like a well-established tree, we can weather life’s storms without being emotionally dislodged. When this energy is off, we may experience issues in our lower body and react to life’s changes with fear and a scarcity mindset. We may be blown about by emotion or doubled over in panic. 

Fortunately, there are proven methods for self-care when we face challenges in this area. 

When Times Get Tough, The Tough Go Walking

Grounding ourselves is one of the easiest ways to navigate disconnection or stuck energy at the root. A grounding practice can be as simple as taking a mindful walk in your favorite green space. If it feels comfortable, you can walk barefoot, which amplifies your connection to the earth. Another practice could involve bringing your body to the ground in a gentle way, such as sitting or resting in a position that feels good.

Camping, hiking, gardening, and any activity that connects you to the earth, done with intention, can channelize this energy. Get creative and find the right mix for you!

Grounding Scents  

The sense of smell is associated with the root chakra. Simply bringing your awareness to the smells around you throughout the day is a gentle practice that helps anchor your awareness. Root-centered aromatherapy scents, including patchouli, cedarwood, sandalwood, frankincense, and ginger, can help support you. You can find these in incense, essential oils, or candles. I keep an inexpensive diffuser at my workspace with my favorite scents to help me navigate my days.    

The Ancestors as Roots            

“Who are your people?” is a common question that Black folks, especially those from the South, might ask when meeting someone new to discover commonalities quickly. I opened the July Soul Trak yoga event with this question because everyone interprets the question differently, and the answers are always fascinating. Your people might be from your genetic lineage, your chosen family, your spiritual lineage, or whatever designation that reflects your identity. We benefit from the many who came before us, often in unseen and unacknowledged ways. Conscious connection is one way to overcome this. When difficulties arise, we can reflect on the ancestors who possessed positive attributes we can embody today. Whether through elaborate ancestral veneration rituals, land acknowledgments, or spending time with the elders of your community, we have many opportunities to honor our ancestral interwovenness. 

Simple affirmations you can repeat to yourself are, “Generations of ancestors support me,” or “I am guided by ancestral wisdom for my highest good.” Many traditions believe that even 

I hope you find an authentic practice that keeps you rooted and grounded. May we see each other soon among the trees.

White Water Kayaking Cohort in Action

Captured by Dede Lawal, Soul Trak Fellow and White Water Kayaking Cohort Volunteer