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Sacred Elements:
Wind, Water, Fire, and Earth as Teachers
Wind, water, fire, and earth, our ever-present life-givers, are often overlooked by us as sources of wisdom! In these times of letting go of so many things, the elements can give us surprising, wonderful assistance.
Ancestors v. Scientists
What has happened? Our ancestors, not so long ago, read the clouds and the earth to know the weather. They felt the soil running through their fingers to learn its growing capabilities. They studied the stars to align buildings with the solstice and to predict 26,000-year galactic cycles (the current one ends December 21, 2012).
Not being farmers, most of us, and no longer being so connected to the earth, we have mostly given up such skills, wisdom, and honoring. We have given over the "study" of the natural world, the elements, and how things work to scientists. As a naturalist myself--one who observes plants, animals, and nature to understand their relationships, life cycles, interactions, and behavior--I was surprised to discover modern naturalists defined as one who engages in "the scientific research of plants or animals" (Wikipedia). No longer is learning-through-observation and experience even considered!
Being Naturalists
Yet: observing any backyard, park, or ecosystem over time can teach us. Who lives here besides us humans? What attractors (plant pollen and nectar) and creatures (flies, beetles, native bees, and birds) live in symbiosis? How do the vibrations of bee hum, bird song, breezes, and frog singing affect my body? Which tree calls to me, speaking quietly?
As all you gardeners know, the more we understand our soil, the biodynamic "companionability" of our vegetables and herbs, the cycles of moon, rain, fog, and sun, and our neighborhood beneficial insects, the more strongly we can nurture and grow wonderful food. And relationship. And embodied connection with all living beings.
Even if we are not gardener or naturalist, engaging with trees, elements, stones, stars, and everything else as living beings can help us shift our energetic patterning (cells) and vibrations.
Matsuwa, the Huichol shaman, told Joan Halifax many years ago:
"In ancient times when balance was lost on the planet, a great flood came to destroy all that which was on the earth so that the world could be reborn. A similar imbalance seems to be occurring in this generation; we have forgotten our life source, the sun, and the sacred sea, the blessed land, the sky, and all things of nature."
He said, "...sending out your love in the five directions--the north, the south, the east, the west, and the center--brings life force into you. That love brings in the rain. As it has been since human history began, people are wrapped up in their little worlds, and they forget the elements, forget the source of their life." (in Halifax, Shamanic Voices)
Drawing on the Living Energy of the Elements, Inside and Out
Those of you who have studied with me know the "Moving Energy Meditation" I refer to often in this blog. It is a practice that has profoundly affected my energy, my fluidity, and my relationship with the elements. This seems like an apt time to share it, as a valentine (heart gift!) for you.
Doing the meditation daily is a wonderful way to deepen your connection to the elements inside and out. It is also a great practice for strengthening your intention to release your heavy thoughts, beliefs, and experiences, and to replace them with elemental, light, refined energy.
The meditation is a powerful tool for lightening the world, and a way of holding space for us humans to get through whatever arises in these times of transformation. I like to combine it with creating sacred space: as I drum to call each direction and element, I also connect with the element through my breath and intention.
In Andean cosmology, as in so many indigenous worldviews, everything is perceived as having "living energy." It is normal to interact with all living beings. Andean cosmology also perceives the luminous body (aura) as having five "bands of power" which make up the energy bubble/luminous energy field. In doing the meditation, you work with all of these. (The italicized words are Quechua, provided for your interest but not necessary to the meditation. There are a lot of descriptive words, too, but it's really pretty easy) Try it!
Moving Energy Meditation:
Releasing the Heavy and Bringing in the Light Using the Elements
Open the top of your energy bubble (aura) and receive highly refined energy (sami) from the cosmos, the Upper World, from the Divine.
Let any heavy energy in you drain through your body, down your legs and out through your feet.
* Open the center at the base of your spine--where your tail would be if you had a tail (siki nawi)--and picture a pathway extending to the nearest body of water: a river, a lake, the ocean, or the groundwater beneath you. Send any heavy energy in you through this pathway to the water as a gift, a delicious snack...
Now breathe in the wonderful refined energy of water through this pathway up into your tail center, letting it join with all the water in your body. Repeat this until you feel full of fresh, clear running water.
* Keeping your tail open to water, open the center in your belly (qosq'o nawi, hara, dan t'ien) and picture a pathway extending from your belly into the earth. Send any heavy energy in you through this pathway to the earth, as a delicious snack and gift for the earth...
Now breathe in the wonderful refined energy from the earth through this pathway into your belly, letting it flow to all the organs of your body, to your bones, your cells, your skin. Repeat this until you feel full.
* Keeping your tail open to water and your belly to earth, open your heart to the sun (sonq'o nawi). Picture a pathway extending from your heart to the sun and send any heavy energy in you through this pathway to the sun, our star, as a gift...
Now breathe in refined energy from the sun into your heart, liquid flowing gold until your heart glows and the golden glow spreads out through all the blood vessels and cells of your body. Repeat this until you feel full.
* Keeping your tail open to water, your belly to earth, and your heart to the sun, open your throat center (kunka nawi) to the wind, the moon and the stars. Let any heavy energy in you flow out through your throat on the wind to the moon and the stars, as a gift...
Now breathe in the refined energy of the wind, the moon and the stars through your throat center. Let the silvery light fill your brain, flow down your spine, and spread through your nervous system. Repeat this until you feel full.
* Keeping the four centers open to water, earth, sun, and wind, open the top of your energy bubble (qanchis nawi, which includes the 2 physical eyes, the top of the head, and the top of the energy bubble) to receive the refined energy of the Divine flowing in as purple light to balance and harmonize all the energies in your body...let all these energies fill you completely, filling your cells, your blood, your tissue, your organs, your muscles. Feel and enjoy the lightness!
In closing, I honor each of you for the ways you continue to explore your conscious connections to living energy! I give deep gratitude also to Americo Yabar and my Q'ero teachers for sharing their profound cosmology with us; and to Elizabeth Jenkins for the original form of the elements meditation.
Meg Beeler/Earth Caretakers
Copyright � 2012
| | Star Despacho Mt. Shasta |
"Observe the elements to see about moving your energy. When great winds blow through, let something go. When precious sun warms the day for a few hours, draw in the light. When it rains or snows, ask yourself what in your life you are watering
and feeding. When the quiet, long dark comes, let yourself enter the womb of silence and mystery." - Spirit of Sonoma Mountain
"Develop a state of mind like the earth, Rahula, for on the earth all manner of things are thrown, clean and unclean, dung and urine, spittle, pus, and blood, and the earth is not troubled or repelled or disgusted...develop a state of mind like water, for in water many things are thrown, clean and unclean, dung and urine, spittle, pus, and blood, and the water is not troubled or repelled or disgusted. And so too with fire, which burns all things, clean and unclean, and with air, which blows upon them all, and with space, which is nowhere established..." -- discourse by Buddha to his son, Rahula
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