The Elements

The Elements

by Rhiannon

Before doing any meditation from here on, be sure to do the grounding and centering exercise. You will be starting each meditation from your center. When you finish, you will find yourself in your center again. Spend a few moments noticing any changes in your center, let yourself become balanced and connected with the energies of Earth and Sky again, and then take some deep breaths and return to awareness of the physical.

You will be working with one element each week. Start with Earth, then move to Water, then Fire, then Air. For the first few days of the week, use the guided meditation (you can record it if you wish), and also become more aware of the physical element and how it manifests around you. When working with Earth, for example, become more aware of the feel of the ground beneath your feet, the feel of stones, the solidity of the material world around you. Work, if possible, at activities associated with that element: gardening, dealing with mundane matters, working with aspects of your own personality you associate with Earth. If you find yourself getting too far out of balance, balance it out with a short meditation on the element opposite it in the Circle (Earth and Fire balance, Water and Air balance). Always be certain to reconnect with the physical world fully. If you find yourself "not quite together", feel dizzy, can't concentrate, etcetera, do a grounding and centering again, and then involve yourself with something very attached to the mundane world.

One difference between Wicca and some other spiritual paths is that Wicca demands a balance between spiritual and mundane. You must not allow yourself to get so involved in one that the other gets neglected. The path of the Wicca is a narrow balance between the two, allowing you to influence one through the other. If you get too involved in the mundane and ignore the spiritual, you lose the magic and the power, to say nothing of the connection with the Gods. However, if you get too involved in the spiritual and no longer function in the mundane, you lose touch with reality, may lose your health and your sanity, and cannot bring any of the spiritual aspects to reality. You are then expending much energy with no results, and falling further backwards on your path. REMEMBER - BALANCE IN ALL THINGS!

EARTH

Ground and center. Within your center, you notice a path leading up a hill. You begin to follow it, noticing you are barefoot. You become conscious of the feel of the earth beneath your feet. In places it is soft, like the covering of the ground in an old forest. In places it is hard, like the packed clay of the dry plains. You pass through an area where the soil is sandy, and you spend a moment feeling the sand sifting between your toes. You move on, and the path becomes gently rocky, feeling your feet slip over the smooth stones.

You find yourself at a great stone, and climb up on it. On top, there is a spot that feels like it was made just for you, and you find yourself relaxing comfortably. You become aware of the feel of the stone. Notice its temperature, whether it is smooth or rough. You feel the breeze gently flowing past you, and the warmth of the sun. You notice a small pool of water in a depression on the rock, reflecting the sky around you. You relax even more, and find yourself gently moving into the stone. It is a comfortable, secure feeling, becoming part of the rock. You discover that you are able to easily move through the stone, and begin exploring within it. Notice what it is like to be part of the rock; feel its slow consciousness. You move toward the center of the rock, and find you can understand the spirit of the stone. See what it has to show you or teach you...

You find yourself moving deeper down, to where the roots of the stone meet the earth. You move through these roots, into the surrounding soil. Notice the difference between the rock and the soil. Again, you find it easy to move through the soil, and explore underground. Notice changes in the ways areas feel. Notice the emotions and feelings that move through you as you are part of the earth...

You find yourself touching the roots of a plant, and are drawn up through the roots, up into the plant. Experience the consciousness of the plant, the feelings, the connection with the earth and the sun. You feel yourself drawn toward the surface of a leaf, and pause just beneath the surface, noticing the flows of energies here. You emerge into the sunlight on the surface of the leaf, and find yourself gently sliding down onto the rock where you began, taking your human form again. Spend a few moments communing with the rock, thanking it and the Earth for sharing with you. When you are ready, return to your center. Spend a few moments exploring it again, and re-centering and balancing, then return to the physical and open your eyes.

As soon as you finish any meditation, write a few notes in your journal. The longer you wait, the more you will forget, so make it a part of your meditation routine.

WATER

Ground and center. Let yourself explore your center, seeing what it is like today. You notice a path before you, and begin to follow it. You realize it is running beside a brook, and you pause, watching the flow of the water, listening to the sound as it trips over the stones. The path leads down past a small waterfall, where the water forms a deep reflecting pool. Sit by the pool for a few moments, noticing the reflections and the movement in the depths of the water...

You slip into the water, finding it supports you easily. You dive down deep, and realize you can breathe easily under the water. Feel the motion of the tides within the pool, the difference of light and temperature in the water; become aware of the creatures living here, and the way their environment influences them...

You move deeper into the water, feeling yourself drawn by the current. As you move deeper, notice the changes in feelings and emotions. Notice what types of emotions are evoked, and how they are experienced...

The current pulls you gently further, and you find yourself in the ocean. Feel the waters of the Great Mother surrounding you... Notice the difference between the feel of the waters of the pool and the sea... Go deeper, through the darkness of the deep ocean, where creatures carry their own light. Feel your own inner light emerging... Notice your inner vision awakening, as you view the waters through this inner vision..

The current pulls you again, and you find yourself moving slowly back up through the water, still carrying the awakened inner light and vision with you. As you move, you become aware of knowledge about yourself that you had forgotten or pushed aside. As you become aware of it, you may grasp it and carry it back, or leave it for another time. You need not take anything at this time you do not feel comfortable with. The awareness flows by or through you. You feel the nurturing waters of the Mother surrounding and protecting you, and helping you carry the knowledge you wish to take back with you...

You reach the surface and gently float upon it, supported by the water. You feel the gentle breeze flowing over the water, causing ripples in the surface, and the warmth of the light on you and the water. You float to the shore, and emerge onto a rock, feeling its solidity, and the connection between its roots and the water... You follow the path back to your center.

Notice any changes here, and spend a few moments balancing and again feeling your connection with the energies of Earth and Sky. Take your time, and when you are ready, take a few deep breaths and return to the physical.

FIRE

Ground and center. Spend a few moments in your center, noticing any changes since you were last here. You notice a path before you, leading out to a sunlit field. It is warm, like noon on a summer's day. You feel the warm breeze, and see it bending the ripening grasses. Nearby, you hear a rushing waterfall. You walk over the sun-warmed earth, feeling the solid warmth beneath your feet, moving toward a small fire in a circle of stones. You sit for a few minutes, feeling the warmth of the fire, still comfortable, and watching the play of the flames...

You find yourself drawn toward the fire. As you approach it, you realize here you can enter the flames safely. You see the flames rising taller than you are, and move forward into them, safe and secure...

Feel the energy of the fire flowing around you... Notice the changes in the light and energy, and the feelings and emotions the fire evokes...

You move deeper into the fire, feeling the roots of it, where matter transforms to energy. Reach out, without forcing it, and gently and briefly touch the consciousness of the fire...

Feel yourself moving up with the energy of the fire, rising up above the flames to the sunlit air, and feel the touch of a sunbeam. Feel yourself dissolving into the sunbeam and briefly becoming pure light...

You feel yourself touching the earth, and regaining your physical form. You realize you are beside the fire, and see the fire shrinking back to its normal size. You watch the flames for a few moments with new awareness, and then move back from the flames to a large rock. As you sit upon the rock, you feel yourself becoming as solid as it is, still feeling energized, but relaxed. You become aware again of the physical sensations of the air moving over your skin, and the sound of the waterfall...

You follow the path back to your center. Spend a few moments balancing and centering, feeling the energy of Earth and Sky again flowing through you, before you take some deep breaths and return to physical awareness.

AIR

Ground and center. Spend a few moments exploring your center...

You notice a path before you, leading uphill. You begin following it, feeling the solidity of the earth beneath your feet, and the warmth of the sun. A small stream wanders across the path, and you feel the coolness of the water running over your feet as you cross it. A gentle breeze wafts the scent of flowers to you.

You follow the path to a meadow at the top of the hill. It is filled with flowers, and your senses are filled with the scent of them. You notice the sound of a bird singing, and pause to listen to the sounds around you...

You move through the field to a high cliff. Looking out, the valley below is shrouded in fog. Your attention is drawn to the blue sky, and you watch the light clouds drifting by... High above, a large bird is flying. You realize it is a hawk, and you find yourself wishing you, too, could fly on the winds. With this thought, you find yourself drawn upward, and become one with the hawk...

Feel the strength of your wings, the feel of the wind along your feathers. Feel yourself banking into the wind, rising higher, and your wings moving strongly... Feel the freedom of flight...

With your hawk's vision, see the land below you, the movement and the perspective... Feel this vision expanding into other realms, opening doors of creativity and inspiration within you... Feel yourself opening to the movement of ideas and knowledge... Let your flight become as free as the wind itself...

Far below you notice a large stone, and dive down to land. As you land, feel yourself regaining human form. Feel the solidity of the stone beneath you. Spend a few moments again viewing the sky and the field...

When you are ready, follow the path back to your center. Spend a few moments balancing and centering, and again becoming aware of the energy of Earth and Sky flowing through you. Take a few deep breaths, and return to the physical and open your eyes.

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