Honouring Natures' Four Elements

This simple 16 minute guided mindfulness meditation is a meditative prayer to the 4 elements of the natural world. I guide you through each element, connecting to it within nature, and finding it within yourself. A practice that can be done anywhere, anytime, on its own, or as a preparation for a deeper ceremonial practice.

Transcript

Hey, I'm Sarah. This is your Earth Connection practice through the four elements of nature. You don't have to be sitting out in nature to be doing this practice. You can be anywhere, In a high-rise building, At work, In bed. And you don't need to be feeling super Zen to do this practice. You can be here in any way that you are, However you have arrived. So as you arrive here into this practice, Just beginning to notice everything around you. I'm using this sense of sight, Just taking in your surrounds, Beginning to place yourself in this space, In this present moment. And then slowly, Gently, Maybe beginning to close down the eyes, Or keeping them open, And just holding a soft and steady gaze somewhere in the room. And beginning to lengthen and deepen the breath a little more than before. And slowly beginning to focus on a nice long exhale, Releasing anything you've been holding onto up until now. Every exhale letting go, Softening, Maybe even making a few long loud sighs to really let go. Really allowing yourself to arrive here as this open vessel, An empty vessel ready to receive and to connect. And slowly bringing yourself back into a balanced, Easeful breath. Inhale and exhale is steady. Just slowly beginning to notice the weight of your body against the earth beneath you. The connection between each sit bone, Maybe each side of the pelvis, Whether you're sitting or laying down. The connection between both sides of your body and the ground. This solid, Supportive earth that we have beneath us. This beautiful earth, This beautiful home that we have every single day, And we can return to at any time. All we have to do is be present and feel ourselves grounded here, Wherever we are. This beautiful earth that nourishes us, That feeds us. I'm taking a moment here to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land, The land that you sit upon. Those custodians who have cared for this earth, The waterways, The oceans. I'm thanking the earth for this nourishment and support that she provides every day, Every single day, Without fail. Thank you earth. Thank you, Thank you. I'm just taking a nice long inhale and a long exhale. I'm beginning now to notice the mind. Maybe the thoughts circling through the mind, Flowing through the mind. These thoughts that come in and then flow out. This flow of thought, Or this train of thought, Just like water. Flowing in and flowing out. By tapping into this flowing quality of water, This cleansing and nourishing quality of water, And connecting that with our thoughts and our mind. We can allow those ruminating thoughts, Those anxious thoughts, The worries, The thoughts that circle around and around. Allow them to flow. Allow them to leave just as they entered. Flowing as though they are flowing past on a river. Thoughts flow in and the thoughts flow out. Imagining yourself at the shore of the ocean, Watching the waves roll in, Crashing on the shore. Scooping up any thoughts that no longer serve you. Allowing the waves to wash them back out to the ocean. Cleansing the mind, Nourishing the mind. Thank you, Water. Thank you, Thank you. Now as you sit here, Begin to notice the breath. Noticing the breath as the wind, The air around you, Flowing in and flowing out. This element of wind that is all around us all the time. Whether it's still and like the air. Still and just taking up space, Feeling space. Maybe it's like the breath just whispering by. Or it can be wild and ferocious. Shifting energy around the landscape. This element of wind assisting with pollination of the plants. Notice the wind around you as the breath moving through you. This life moving through you on the inhale and the exhale. Taking a nice deep inhale. A long exhale. Another inhale, Soften the belly. And a long exhale. Inhale. Feeling the lungs. Exhale, Letting go. Thinking the air and the wind around you. Thank you, Wind. Thank you, Thank you. And finally as we sit here, Beginning to notice. Bringing your awareness down into your core. Your belly. This place of power. Of life force, Of passion. This place where your energy resides. Your fire. This energetic fire here burns what we no longer need. Physically like in the digestive system. But also mentally and spiritually. And transforming, Alchemizing. This element of fire that exists within you. Just as it exists in nature around us. What's needing to be burned and released right now? This could be emotions, Beliefs, Thoughts, Feelings. Stories. Just as fire in a forest burns through. Burning down the old. It transforms the landscape into new life. New shoots grow. Everything becomes green again. This fire brings death but also births new life. What is this fire burning but also nourishing for you? I'm thanking this fire, Thanking the heat, The transformation. Thank you fire. Thank you, Thank you. I'm taking one final moment here. One final act of gratitude and presence for the elements. The elements that are all around us. Always there. And these aspects of nature that are mirrored within us too. The elements within us just as they are outside of us. Whenever we want to tap in and connect to the earth and nature around us we can always find them within ourselves. Or within the world around us. And how will you thank the elements of the earth today? How will you allow the elements of the earth to nourish you? I'm taking a moment to acknowledge yourself for caring. Caring for yourself, Your practice. But also for caring for the earth and all of her elements. Taking a vow to continue to care. And to nourish her too. And thank you for practicing with me here today. I hope to practice with you again soon.