Has this water come from the realm of above as rain? Has it emerged from a spring from the depths of the underworld? It has been both, and it now carries the memory of above and below. Water flows through us, just as it flows through the world. Again, within and without are mirrors of each other—our connections hidden in plain view. You see and understand how much a part of the world you truly are. Stay with this sensation for as long as you wish, and bring the awareness back with you into everyday life.
Still
For the contemplation of still water, find a small lake or pool in a peaceful location by which you can comfortably sit undisturbed. See the surface of the water. What is reflected on the surface? At the same time, can you see the bottom of the pool through the clear water? Imagine the reflection of the world above as a world in its own right, and that you could dive through the water into the otherworld. Close your eyes and picture this world beneath…a world of truth and memory of all ages. How does this world differ from our own? What beings dwell within? Hold in your mind the thought of all the times and happenings that may have been reflected in these waters, their energy held there still.
With deep and even breath, empty your mind of interrupting thoughts. When your mind is clear, it is like the surface of the water. It may reflect the above and reveal the below. Every unfocused thought is as a stone thrown into the lake, casting ripples about it and distorting the reflection, obscuring what lies beneath. Spend time contemplating the water, its reflections, and what lies below, both in this world and the otherworld. Your mind is like the surface of the water. Stay with this connection for as long as you wish, and bring the understanding back with you into everyday life.
Contemplations of Earth
Primal
For this contemplation, simply find a peaceful outdoor space where you can lie undisturbed on the ground. The primal manifestation of the element of earth is the earth itself, the ground beneath our feet. Lying on the ground, allow yourself to completely relax…trust. Close your eyes and feel how the earth supports you. You could not be more stable than you are now, putting your trust in the earth. Send your awareness down through your body. Imagine you are melding into the earth, all tensions easing away. Let your awareness pass down into the earth beneath you. As it supports you, so it supports all life. Within it lies the fuel for all growth. Be aware of your physical body, your flesh and bones…it too is part of the earth and will become earth when your spirit no longer needs its vessel, just as all your ancestors have passed into earth. You rest upon their wisdom. When you walk, you walk upon their shoulders.
Can you sense the deep, slow heartbeat of earth beneath you? Listen for the heartbeat like a deep, deep drum coming from below. As you do so, see the image of the green inverted triangle (with the bar across the point) that is the symbol for this element. Hold this for as long as you wish, and when you are ready, bring the sense of connection back with you into your daily awareness.
Living
For this contemplation, find some woodland or simply a tree that calls to you in a private location. When you have found a particular tree that you wish to connect with, first stand at a polite distance from the tree. Look at the tree as though you were beholding it for the first time. See how its branches reach up to the light, how strong its trunk is, and picture how deep into the ground the roots grow, mirroring the branches above. Standing before the tree, perform the Faery Tree exercise and see that trees are our closest cousins in the plant world. Know that we must have strong roots in the hidden places in order to have great branches that reach up to the light. Both light and dark in balance are the path to strength in wisdom.
Once this is complete, enter into the energy field of the tree and hold up your hand in greeting. Introduce yourself according to your personal etiquette. Do you feel the tree respond? Can you sense the energy of the tree with your hand? If it feels appropriate to do so, you may sit with your back against the tree and close your eyes, or hold the tree in an embrace. Know that this tree is a living, growing being…the growth is slow and strong, ever reaching higher above and deeper below. Allow your awareness to travel down the trunk of the tree and into the roots. The roots reach down into the unseen lands beneath, untouched by the hands of man. Can you feel the strength of growth reaching down into the hard earth? Will the tree whisper any secrets to you of that land beneath? This is the realm of the gnomes, the elementals of earth. You may also commune with the dryad, the spirit of the tree. Silence can be as much of a gift as words.When you are ready, bring your awareness back up the tree and bring the connection back with you into your daily life.
Still
For this contemplation, you need either a stone that you can hold in your hand or a peaceful place where there are rocks or boulders. Be sure that you will be undisturbed. Make yourself comfortable, with your hands upon the stone. What
