Geo-sensitive? Here's What to Pack This Easter

Last week I was in Weston-super-Mare for a few days. It was my first time there. It was the equinox weekend and I had many activities planned, but by day two I was exhausted for no apparent reason. I felt drained and out of sorts without knowing why. On the third morning I woke up and asked spirit: What's happening to me?

The answer came straight back.

The tide.

So I looked it up.

Weston-super-Mare sits on the Bristol Channel, which has one of the most extreme tidal ranges in the world, up to fifteen metres between low and high tide. This happens twice a day, every day. The sea rises and retreats across that vast beach in an extraordinary rhythm.When the tide goes out, the sea pulls back so far across the mudflats it almost disappears entirely, leaving behind an exposed landscape that looks like another world; dark sand stretching to the horizon, the waterline a faint glimmer in the distance. Then it returns as if nothing happened. I witnessed the phenomenon while walking along the waterfront.

My body was responding to that powerful pull. The constant ebb and flow of it, moving through me, draining my energy on the way out.

Once I understood what was happening, it was easier to deal with it. I rested, stayed well hydrated, and paced myself through the equinox ceremonies. I made offerings to the land and did some energy work to stabilise my energy field.

This hypersensitivity to the energy of the land is called geo-sensitivity and it causes some people to be physically affected by the energies of a place, its geology, its landscape, sometimes even its history, the invisible forces moving through it. It sits within a broader spectrum of environmental sensitivity that includes weather patterns and barometric pressure changes, electromagnetic fields from technology and power lines, and the energetic shifts that come with seasons and solar events.

Being affected by the tide made me think of all those hypersensitive people out there who were feeling the effects of the change of season, and I decided to share my thoughts and what I learned from my experience.

Geo-sensitivity can make you feel inexplicably off, physically unwell, anxious or emotionally overwhelmed.

Sensitive people walk into a field and feel uneasy without knowing why. Some people experience fatigue, as I did at Weston, or they visit a place where something terrible happened and feel suddenly very sad. Conversely, they may step into a forest and their nervous system instantly settles.

If you're geo-sensitive, symptoms can arise immediately upon arrival, or develop over hours or even a few days sometimes.

It's important to note that geo-sensitivity is not a disability, it is a heightened sense, it can become overwhelming when we don't know what's going on, but once we do, we can work with it.

When you've been affected by the energy of a place, the body needs to be brought back into balance. Rest is essential, honouring how you're feeling rather than pushing yourself too hard is important, as well as grounding practices, light meals, keeping things simple.

Working with the energetics of the place rather than resisting their pull can also turn things around.

On the day of the equinox, once I established what was affecting my energy levels, I relaxed into it and, surprise surprise, the tide provided a unique opportunity to shift some stubborn patterns I've been working on for some time. As the sea retreated, so did the energies I was saying goodbye to. No longer a victim of circumstances, I harnessed the energy of the tide. I became part of that flow.

The low energy offered a chance to slow down and granted me the time to focus on myself, and the equinox ritual that emerged was beautiful and restorative.

In my experience, it helps to understand the place we're in. Knowing the geology and history of a landscape can help us orient ourselves within the experience. We don't always know in advance what the energetics might be in a particular place, they don't mention certain things on tourist maps, but once we notice something is having an effect on us, we can play detective and find out as much as we can about the land we're stepping onto.

In 2022, I arrived in Santorini to attend a retreat. I was very excited and in good spirits.

Then, within hours, I became very dizzy, and it got worse until I felt like the ground was unstable, as if the earth was shaking. But I was the only one feeling it. I had never experienced anything like that before, it was frightening.

It wasn't until I began reading about the island's history that it started to make sense.

Around 1600 BCE, Santorini had suffered one of the most catastrophic volcanic eruptions in human history. The centre of the island collapsed entirely into the sea. What remained were the fragmented pieces of the rim, the extraordinary cliff formations we know today. The eruption was so immense it is thought to have contributed to the fall of the Minoan civilisation, sending tsunamis across the Aegean and ash across the sky. What my body felt was the memory of that impact, which is imprinted on the land.

It is, to this day, the most powerful physical experience of geo-sensitivity I have ever had. It took me a couple of days to recover. Once again, becoming aware of what was going on helped me begin to restore balance.

Whether we are hypersensitive to energies or not, cultivating a relationship with the natural world is one of the most beautiful gifts life can offer. Listening to the landscape, learning about the science, history and myth of the places we visit, brings us closer to the spirit of the land. Then we can hear the rhythm of its breathing, witness the artistry of form, colour and sound that the earth provides every moment of every day, for a lifetime, for eternity.

If you feel off in a place, try this

Most experiences of geo-sensitivity are subtle, a sudden headache, a low mood that lifts the moment you leave, a restlessness you can't explain. But some can be potent, as my two stories above show. When that happens, here is what I recommend.

The first thing to remember is not to panic, and not to give in to fear. Whatever energy is held in the land belongs to the land. It is not yours to carry, and it is certainly not your responsibility to fix it. Unless the land itself calls you to do healing work there, and you have the experience and training to respond to that call, simply take care of yourself and make the most of your visit.

Slow down and listen to your body. Drink water. Eat something simple and grounding.

Then try this exercise.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, or sit with both feet flat on the floor. Close your eyes and take three slow, deep breaths. On each exhale, imagine any energy that doesn't belong to you travelling down through your body, through the soles of your feet, and deep into the earth below you. Let the earth receive it, she knows what to do with it. Then, on your inhale, draw up grounding, nourishing energy from the earth, through your feet, up through your legs, your belly, your chest. Let it settle there. Do this for as long as you need. It is simple and it works.

Speak to the land. You don't need any special words or training for this. Simply address the spirit of the place, Mother Earth, the ancestors of that location, out loud or silently, and ask for their support. Ask them to help you feel steady. Ask them to show you how to walk gently on their ground, how to pass through lightly and with gratitude.

In my experience, the land responds with kindness almost immediately. We are guests wherever we go. When we remember that, everything shifts.

Once you are feeling more stable, you may want to find out about the place. Knowing the geological history, the human history, the mythology of a landscape can help you make sense of what your body experienced, and it crates a bond with the spirit of place that is based on mutual loving care.

On my last evening in Weston-super-mare, I watched a spectacular sunset, while the sea slowly returned to the shore where it belongs.

Easter Geo-sensitive Kit

Easter is approaching, and many of us will be travelling, to visit family, to explore new places. If you know or suspect you are geo-sensitive, a little preparation goes a long way. I recommend putting together a simple kit to carry with you. An aura spray for grounding and protection, used upon arrival, or even beforehand, on the plane, and whenever you feel yourself becoming unsteady. An organic energy snack in your bag in case your energy drops. A meditation for grounding and harmonising, recorded on your phone, to use every morning and whenever you feel the need. And a small offering for the land, token of gratitude.

This can be some herbs or a stone from home, to greet the spirit of the place.

Some people like to travel with a smudge stick (sage, palo santo or other) and a crystal to keep them connected to their altar back home. If you're sensitive to electromagnetic pollution, staying in hotel rooms can be unsettling. You can wear shungite to shield yourself, and to stabilise your energy field while flying. And once again, ask the spirit of the land to support you while you visit.

These small things make a real difference. You can create your own geo-sensitive kit with whatever you need to feel cosy and comfortable and loved.

Tell us all about it in the comments below.

I source my aura sprays from my friend and homeopath- wise woman Caroline Gaskin.

If this post has resonated with you and you'd like support in understanding an experience you had, or if you're struggling with the effects of geo-sensitivity, I can help you ground, realign and restore balance, while offering guidance on the deeper message the spirit of the land carries for you. I can also help you create a geo-sensitive kit tailored to your specific needs. Book a one-on-one session with me here.