Connecting with the Elements

The morning after, sat around the ashes of the previous night’s fire, I start to wonder, what is at the core of Pagan beliefs, and is this core spiritual, religious, a mixture of both of these aspects or something I have not even considered yet? The question can be answered in various different ways according the path each individual follows, yet I still feel there is some common aspect, something that is innate in each individual and the human race as a collective. This is the reliance and the affinity with the elements.

Sir James Fraser in The Golden Bough describes religion as 'a belief in a superhuman being that rules the world, and, second, an attempt to win their favour'(p 51). This type of religious practice leaves humans in a submissive position fearing certain actions and the consequences, forever looking above and beyond. Although looking forward is essential, sometimes a focus on the here and now is crucial. We all know we should ‘stop and smell the flowers’ once in a while, but how often do we? This focus on a supreme being and what is ahead and beyond often takes the focus away from what is here on Earth surrounding us. With technological advancements in the last 50 years or so, the focus has shifted from this supreme being to become very technological and media based. We may not look beyond anymore, but into a screen. There is nothing wrong with this, the internet provides us with a huge amount of resources at our fingertips, some of which can be used to further enhance spiritual practice, but, this does no favours for gaining a spiritual connection with the elements or even just getting out into nature to see how beautiful it is.

On a personal level I find the elements and nature are what hold my belief system together. I do not consider myself religious, but rather spiritual. I am sure that I am not the only one that 'floats around', gathering bits of information and ritual from a variety of paths. It can be awkward sometimes when people ask what path you follow, I tend to murmur that I most likely fall into the hedge witch category. I do not have a specific path I follow or a deity I worship and I am still unsure as to whether I ever will. What I do worship and work with are the elements and nature. I can see the changing seasons, I can feel the Earth beneath my feet, the fresh green dew-covered grass between my toes. These are things I can rely on, see, smell, touch, hear and see, yet I still feel the elements, nature and the seasonal cycles all portray something more than we can rely on with our five senses. In my own workings these are the links and symbolism between the sun, the masculine, the God, the moon, femininity and the Goddess, but are not a manifestation a deity, they are a universal language, one that many of us as Pagans tap into and work with.

Fire

Fire was once the centre of the tribe or the home, it is where people collected for warmth, nourishment, conversation and ritual. It represents our passions and our drive. With the majority of us having gas central heating, open fires in the home are becoming more and more uncommon. Although many of us light candles on a regular basis there are many that will only have access to a large fire at camps and gatherings. This in its own way makes these events even more special, yet for the rest of the year it can be easy to lose this connection with fire and forget how much this element has given to the advancement of society. The warmth and crackle of the fire remind us of all of the people that have and are sitting around the fire, past and present. The cauldron sat in the middle with the stew bubbling away, curled up in a blanket taking in the heat, dancing, chanting and raising energy in a circle round, at the centre, the flames.

Water

Our bodies are around 60% water, no wonder our moods are affected by the moon, the way it controls the tides. I find I get ‘jitters’ around the full moon and I am sure I am not the only one. The crime rates are higher, as are the birth rates. Speak to any nurse or career and they will tell you that all hell breaks loose when the moon is full. Our connection with water and the moon harks back to a before time, the amniotic womb fluid that contained us and held us. Water is not only a vital element, but the symbolism inherent makes it accessible to work with. That being said water is both a calming and a refreshing element. Wallace Nichols published a book called Blue Mind. This is a scientific study showing that we are happier and healthier when we are around or in water. We do not realise how heavily we rely on this element. I lived in Tewkesbury in the 2008 floods. We luckily were not affected by the flood waters, but we were left without water for 5 days. Until this moment I took for granted washing myself, my clothes, my hair and even flushing the toilet! Sometimes just acknowledgment of how much we rely on this element both physically and emotionally can really open our eyes.

Air

Breathing and air, we do it without even thinking, but, it has so much potential. When you are feeling anxious, be it for public speaking, a job interview or all manner of things, breath, and focus on it, can reduce the symptoms and help us to relax. Those that meditate and practice yoga will already know how powerful breathing techniques can be. I was once told by a psychologist to simply breathe deeply, breathing in for the count of 7 and exhaling for 11, focussing on pulling my breath deep down into my stomach. He told me to practice this whenever I could, when stood at the bus stop, when lying in bed or cooking dinner and within 30 days this would become a habit, one that would help to reduce anxiety. I humoured him: how can something as simple as breathing help all this frustration and the tight knot in my stomach? All that I can say is that it worked, and this simple technique also helped me to focus, so that I could expand on just breathing and ground myself by putting out imaginary roots into the ground, protecting myself and imaging a big concrete egg shape protecting my aura. For those who pick up everybody else’s day to day vibes, these techniques can be extremely helpful. Air is intellect, it helps us move from the irrational, screaming, anxious part of the brain to slow things down, stop the fight or flight mode kicking in and it helps us to think rationally.

Earth

Earth is the ground, the physical, the soil, the trees and the plants. Earth in the form of soil or salt can be used to cleanse and sanitise. We can use earth to ground ourselves, spreading roots deep down. We can meditate with trees and plants, learning to slow down and how we can use them for medicine physically and through just listening. There are even scientific theroeies such as the Gaia Hypothesis, proposed by James Lovelock, that the Earth is one large living organism (like Mother Earth), that regulates and controls itself. We can truly appreciate earth during the spring months, when plants and flowers are just starting to bud or shoot from the ground. This is a good time to start to explore which ‘weeds’ in your local area are sprouting up and what they can be used for. Chickweed is a fabulous one to start, it grows all over and once you identify it you will see it everywhere.

You can take the elements for what they are, use them physically in your workings or appreciate them day to day. You can use them as a representation or a symbol for something more. If you need passion and motivation use fire or intuition and emotion use water. I will be further exploring the elements individually, their symbolism and how they can be used in and to deepen your spiritual practice. Watch out for further posts.