Lesson 1
Elemental Earth
In the natural world, the essence of earth is illustrated by the sheer abundance of life. Elemental earth is the inevitable trajectory that allows one acorn to grow into a towering oak, capable of dropping 10,000 new seeds every year. Earth gives us mountains and valleys, lush vegetation and barren desert, and then everything in between. It’s the densest, most fixed natural element, and therefore the most tangible of them all. Elemental earth is about more than just fertility and reproduction; it’s the power of sustained manifestation. We experience elemental earth as the resultant inertia of our attitudes, habits, beliefs, and choices, and their consequent manifestation as our reality.
When we work with elemental earth, we work with the energies of stability, of tolerance, of acceptance, of patience. We grow like trees, and sometimes it takes a while to change our inertia and for change to manifest in our lives. Spending time in the natural world helps us remember that organic growth is beautiful and that nature accomplishes everything without rushing or worrying.
**Earth Journal Prompt:
What is an area of my life that really tests my patience and acceptance? It can be a specific situation (like your drive to work in traffic) or a more encompassing experience (like your relationship with a family member). Write about a way (or ways) you can bring the energy of Earth into that area of your life, and the effect it could have on you and others involved.
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Lesson 2
Elemental Fire
Of all the elements, nothing has captured the attention of humankind like fire. For millennia it has been associated with purification, sacrifice, and healing, all of which link fire with the embodied sense of transformation. Fire is typically associated with our sense of sight because it’s one of the only natural sources of light on earth. This element also serves as our biological fire—our inner light—that manifests as both the energy flowing through our subtle bodies, as well as the nerve signals traveling through our physical bodies and brains. When we learn to balance our sense of fire, we realize that the only change that really matters is within ourselves.
Working with fire means working with trust: trust in the universe, trust in the wisdom within us all, trust that living and giving of our authentic selves is the key to abundance for us all. The warm, life-giving glow of Fire rests within us all, radiating and broadcasting the energies of our individual being.
**Fire Journal Prompt: When do you feel most comfortable being your true, authentic self, expressing your desires and ideas with ease? When do you feel like this is most challenging? What are the thoughts, beliefs, and judgments that move through your mind as you explore this? Shine the light of your attention upon these judgments/beliefs you have about yourself by saying them out loud, as sometimes just hearing your self-judgment can show you how crazy the ego can sound. If you still believe it about yourself after hearing yourself say it (and even if you don’t), say out loud a positive statement that feels more authentic and true. (For example, you can replace the negative belief I’m stupid and nobody wants to hear what I have to say with an affirmation like I am valuable just because I am, and giving my true self is the most valuable thing I have to offer anyone!
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Lesson 3
Elemental Water
Life on our planet, as well as myriad processes within our bodies, is sustained through the balancing properties of elemental water. This equilibrium-energy can be observed and felt in both our bodies and in the world around us, from the ph of our cells and blood to the climate-cooling effects of rain and snow. We can experience water energy as reflection and the formation of ideas, while emotionally, water finds its home in flow and yielding. Aligning with this element is a process of reflecting and allowing, so that we flow through life in a balanced, centered way. Our sense of water is also connected to our experience of non-striving. When we allow divine timing to unfold as it will, we let the easing capacity of water cool and temper the fires of desire. When we let go of striving, we let go of tension, and when we relax we let flow happen. In flow, we find balance.
**Water Journal Prompt: Identify an area of your life in which you often feel a sense of balance and flow. How has practicing allowing and non-striving helped to contribute to this sense of balance? How can you bring this understanding to an area of your life that feels blocked or imbalanced?
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Lesson 4
Elemental Air
The word spirit has Latin roots over 800 years old, meaning “breath” or “to breathe.” Elemental air is directly linked to not only your breath but also to your sense of movement and motivation within your life as a whole. Elemental air is also closely linked with mental energy, thinking, and choice. The alchemical symbol for air resembles the expansive nature of the triangle, combined with a sense of “rising upward” (like new seeds emerging in Spring). In Tibetan Buddhism, elemental air is symbolized by the bright clarity of the sun within the open space of a blue sky. At its core, elemental air is the energy that inspires clarity and mobility.
Elemental air brings us the mindful experience of letting go. Just as death is an experience of us releasing this lifetime’s body, we allow for transformation when we let go of what pulls us from presence. With elemental air and the breath, we can learn to release what keeps us stuck with grace and ease. Sometimes we have to give up who we think we should be in order for the inner compass to take control.
**Air Journal Prompt:
Examine your flexibility in the following areas:
1. Physical flexibility (What is your general range of motion and physical fitness? How often does the space around you change?); 2. Emotional flexibility (How diverse is your expression? Can you identify and express more than sad, mad, and glad?); 3. Mental flexibility (your ability to receive new ideas, consider new beliefs, or adapt to change); 4. Moral flexibility (where are your boundaries, and why?). Exploring these areas (and any others that come to mind) can be an interesting and enlightening journey for us, because there are often lines of relativity connecting each area (i.e. you may see a connection between something in your experience mentally with something emotionally and/or physically as well).
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Lesson 5
Elemental Ether
Akasha is a Sanskrit word meaning “upper sky” or “space,” though it’s been traditionally used to represent the underlying, connecting substance of the universe (called ether). Rather than associating akasha-ether with a sense of heaven, you can associate this element with the essence of all matter, as well as what exists in between: space. Perhaps the most profound quality of elemental ether only reveals itself when we practice mindfully sustaining space. As we cultivate a relationship with inner being (an inevitability with consistent meditation, a paradox occurs: we both dissolve into the emptiness of non-identity, while we simultaneously realizing our interconnectedness with all creation. In this place of open awareness we come to realize that the essence of ether—of space—is oneness. When we remember that the core of our being, both physically and metaphysically, is space, we unlock the confidence to be curious about limitless possibilities. We drop our fears and jump into experience with the abandon and wonder of an infant hearing music for the first time. In this spacious presence, it’s easy to practice non-judgment, but it’s important to keep it in mind along the journey. Just as space supports all elements, we support our practice every step of the way when we practice non-judgment in ourselves, in others, in our environment, and more. We’re all connected, working at our own pace to remember our wholeness.
**Ether Journal Prompt: Examine your experience and feelings about space and openness:
When you consider "spaciousness" what comes to mind? Does it bring up feelings of isolation or being alone?
How do you respond (inside and out) to periods of silence in conversation with someone?
How often do you spend time in silence and/or contemplation, vs. on your phone/watching TV (filling space)?
Continue to examine and reflect on how you create, utilize, and experience space in your life and your relationships. There's no end to the depth of realization in this exercise because this element is layered and deeply interwoven into our minds and lives (even if we don't realize it!). With meditation and contemplation, you'll come to understand how elemental ether both supports and also is supported by the other elements.
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Lesson 6
Integration And Practice
When we expand our senses elementally, they become more encompassing than the comfortable five we typically utilize. Despite the receptive mechanisms of their physiology, we tend to aggressively employ our senses of sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. As you learn to relax into your elemental self, you’ll discover that elemental senses demand an awareness that is both expansive and centering, permeating and yet deeply personal. In the days and weeks to come, consciously invite nature and the elements into your being so that they heal and balance, and offer your gratitude in return. Remember, this elemental energy is alway available and we draw upon it with our attention and awareness. We focus upon the sky because it reminds us of the vast foundation of openness and space within us. When we consciously bring that sky into our minds, hearts, and bodies, we activate our elemental sense of space. There is no limit to the ways we can draw upon the energy and presence of the elements. Your journey has only just begun, so trust yourself and your insights as you dive into this incredible world of awareness, both within and around you. As you take this elemental awareness into your meditation, the secrets of mind and consciousness will bloom before you like flowers. The universe is inside you! May you be happy, healthy, and and at peace, as you journey inside.
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