Earth, Water, Fire & Air , livre ebook

may the wind deal kindly w/ us may the fire remember our names may springs flow, rain fall again may the land grow green, may it swallow our mistakes
-F ROM L IFE C HANT BY D IANE D I P RIMA
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Earth
Introducing Earth
Earth Prayer
1. The Nurturing Ground
Being with the Earth
Growing Earth-Love
Seed-Thoughts on Earth as Great Nourisher
2. The Underworld
Underground Journey to the Roots
Seed-Thoughts on Earth as Underworld
3. The Sacred Stone
Rock-Prayer
Cave of Safety
Seed-Thoughts on Earth as Sacred Stone
4. The Holy Garden Grove
Spirit-Garden
Tree of Your Inner Spirit
Seed-Thoughts on Earth as Holy Garden Grove
Water
Introducing Water
Water Prayer
5. The Great Maternal Sea
Bath of Form and Formlessness
Grieving with Water
Reflections on Water as the Mystery of Life/Death/Life
6. The Universal Solvent
The Well of Releasing
Washing Away Fear
Reflections on Water as Purifier
7. The Compassionate Healer
Drinking Sacred Waters
Journey to the Undersea Chamber of the Heart
Reflections on Water as Compassionate Healer
8. The Deep Creative
Creative Water Play
The Nature of Rain
Reflections on Water as Creative Source and That Which Is
Fire
Introducing Fire
Fire Prayer
9. The Destroyer/Liberator
Liberating Fire
Illuminating the Face of Fire as Destroyer/Liberator
10. The Flame of Life and Spirit
Flame Song and Visualization
Guided Journey to the Spirit of Fire
Sacred Fire Shrine
Illuminating the Face of Fire as the Flame of Life and Spirit
Air
Introducing Air
Air Prayer
11. The Inspirer
Incense Meditation
Breaths of Fresh Air as the Inspirer
12. The Breath-Bridge
Journey to the Breath
Breaths of Fresh Air as the Breath-Bridge
13. The Power of Sound
Sound Prayer
Breaths of Fresh Air as the Power of Sound
Notes
Further Reading

About the Author
Copyright
Also Available
About SkyLight Paths
Preface
I am the taste of pure water and the radiance of the sun and moon. I am the sacred word and the sound heard in air, and the courage of human beings. I am the sweet fragrance in the earth and the radiance of fire; I am the life in every creature and the striving of the spiritual aspirant.
-T HE B HAGAVAD G ITA
W hile we have so very much in common as humans, our religious differences, especially, often serve to alienate us from one another. Every day we are bombarded by reminders of the violent harm that people do to each other, frequently in the name of faith. But there is a place where we are more connected than estranged, more linked than sundered. If we go deep, to the place that is older than the branches, twigs, and leaves of the global religions, we find the root where all our widely differing paths are one.
The root of human spirituality is grounded in four elements-earth, water, fire, and air. They are common to all people and to virtually every spiritual path; they are how we have understood and celebrated the Great Mystery since there were humans to do so. This prehistoric concept of four elements eventually surfaced in the mythologies of every ancient civilization, from the Sumerians to the Hindus, from the Native North and South Americans to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. The ancient Chinese included metal and wood in addition to earth, water, and fire, but air is there as well, since everything is thought to spring from ch i, related to air, the breath, and the life force in all things. A few other traditions also include mention of a fifth element: ether, or aether, which is the prima materia, a spiritual essence of which the immortal bodies of angels or gods are made, or the divine spirit imbuing all things, much like the Chinese ch i.
The elements relate in every culture to the four directions and to the four generally accepted ways of disposing of the dead; eventually, they gave birth to the idea of four bodily humors that classify human behavior, four suits of Tarot cards (and, later, playing cards), and even, perhaps, Carl Jung s four basic personality types. They are the building blocks of human understanding.
When we explore and savor and interact with these elements, we are both remembering a primal connection and forging it anew. Welcome, then, to this travel guide for a journey with a particular purpose: connecting with the elements that are so basic and universal to all of us. We will look at the many ways that different faiths have danced with earth, water, fire, and air throughout history, coming to a deeper appreciation of each way s uniqueness and a greater respect for one another s paths, at the same time remembering the commonality of our human beginnings.
While the information in this book is by no means scholarly or exhaustive, I trusted that if I was surprised or fascinated by something I found in my own journey through the world s religions, you would be, too. And all of my work-including my other books and the healing work I do with my counseling clients-is grounded in love for earth, water, fire, and air. I have seen at first hand how deeply nourishing it can be to live in an elemental way. It is this rich, elemental juiciness I want to share with you.
For those of us actively seeking a more satisfying and personal connection to spirit, this book offers guided visualizations, meditations, journal questions, and creative ideas that will help you find your own way in to each element. Some of the activities are perfect for groups to try together. My own life is enriched by an association with several groups; they were the seedbed of many of the ideas in this book. Here is a favorite circle song from one of them:
Earth my body
Water my blood
Air my breath and
Fire my spirit.
When I taught a week-long earth-honoring workshop recently to a large group of children who ranged in age from four to twelve, it was this song that gathered us all together. The elements were our framework: every day we explored earth, water, fire, or air-making ceremonies, singing, creating magical art from simple things we found in nature. During that week I really saw the power of the elements to create a loving community from individuals of very different ages, backgrounds, and faiths.
And so, although I set out to write a book about the elements, I found instead that in some mysterious way, the elements were writing me. The entire project has been attended by wonderful synchronicities too numerous to mention; suffice it to say that the hand of Mystery has been very present all along, dropping just what was needed into my lap, opening books to just the right pages, leading me to meet helpful people and have perfect elemental encounters, over and over again. I have emerged from the experience with an even deeper understanding of how earth, water, fire, and air inform my life, how they shape me, use me, and want to be expressed through me. It is a journey for which I am profoundly grateful. I offer it to you now. May it give us a deeper connection to one another, to our own spirits, to this beautiful and sacred planet.
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
-T. S. E LIOT
Acknowledgments
I gratefully acknowledge the following for permission to include the longer excerpts of poetry in this book:
Coleman Barks, for permission to reprint excerpts from his masterful translations of Rumi.
Wesleyan University Press for permission to reprint the excerpt from Antonio Machado s Last Night, translated by Robert Bly and published in Times Alone: Selected Poems of Antonio Machado, copyright 1983.
The Regents of the University of California for permission to reprint the excerpt from Charles Olson s These Days, from The Collected Poems of Charles Olson, edited by George Butterick and published by the University of California Press, copyright 1987.
New Directions Publishing Corporation for permission to reprint the excerpt from Kenneth Rexroth s Hojoki from Collected Shorter Poems, copyright 1966 by Kenneth Rexroth.
Irene Young, for permission to reprint her poem, A Mermaid Knows, copyright 1996 by Irene Young.
Many thanks to Maura D. Shaw for her brilliant ideas, her insightful and expert editing, and her treasured friendship which is one of the nourishing joys of my life. Loving thanks also to Joe Bartusis for sharing both his extensive library and his knowledge of Buddhism and yoga, and also for his thoughtful support and great cooking. In some mysterious way, his presence facilitated this book. Thanks to my son, Reid Hannan, for following his own path and occasionally keeping me company on mine, and to my parents, Pat and Bob Johnson, whose unfailing enthusiasm for any project of mine is greatly appreciated. My deep gratitude to Susan Millen, the good fairy of my spirit, and to Elizabeth Cunningham: valuable resource, perceptive reader, and soul-friend.
My loving and heartfelt thanks to the following people who lent books, sent informational e-mails, offered healing, information, inspiration, and support of many kinds: Darshano Alba, Ania Aldrich, Gigi Alvar , Peter Blum, David Budd, Lara Chkhetiani, Ruth Cook, Santha Cooke, Tom Cowan, Karen Holtslag, Ashling Kelly, Farah Shaw Kelsey, Jack Maguire, Kathleen Mandeville, Dennis McCarthy, Rhianna Mirabello, Lila Pague, Maggie Pickard, Johanne Renbeck, Nancy Rowe, Swami Saradananda, Gary Seigel, Sandy Sklar, Douglas Smyth, Marina Smyth, Regina-Sophia, Joe Tantillo, and Cynthia Trapanese-and to the High Valley community for dancing, singing, and sharing.
Finally, for the excellence, warmth, and heart of their entire team, to Jon Sweeney, Stuart M. Matlins, Emily Wichland, Lauren Seidman, Anna Chapman, and the designers at SkyLight Paths, many, many thanks.
E arth

Introducing Earth

whatever you have to say, leave the roots on, let them dangle
And the dirt
Just to make