Initially I wanted to write Earth week entries about each of these forces separately. Each deserves an entry this Spring, but for lack of time and the busy nature of my schedule, I am going to have to combine these elements into a single post. Much like in our own lives, we must balance and integrate forces like these daily.
Happily, the Earth is getting lots of attention this week, but we often allow our connection with Mother Earth to slide out of focus, or drop off our radar completely. As you may have noticed, my own focus, in life and blogs is on the Earth and her gifts, sustainable development and patterns that connect us with the planet, her resources and our relationship with Starship Earth, our fellow passengers on our flight around the Sun, and the island mentality that must come to light if we are to survive here without poisoning ourselves or tearing at the web of life that sustains us until it can no longer hold the weight of our species.
With gardening season upon us here in the Northern Hemisphere, many millions will be turning the soil, many for the first time. This simple act can grow within us new respect for creatures that share their space with us, as well as the life that goes on all around us on this miraculous planet. In a single tablespoon of healthy soil more organisms can live than the number of people we typically meet in a lifetime. Protecting the earth and her soils from the harsh effects of sun and rain are paramount in the gardener's world. Mulch your gardens to conserve moisture, retain fertility and protect soil life. If anyone has ever laid in the sun too long, or been stuck out in the rain with no shelter, they know that nature can be harsh. Single called critters and soil microbes are even less able to cope with sunburn or direct hits from raindrops. Protecting the Earth takes on a whole new meaning when you realize that soils are alive. Once sterilized, it is just dirt.
Air too must be integrated and available in healthy soils. when planting, be careful not to destroy soil tilth or texture. turning soils that are still wet, treading on planting beds, or killing off beneficial organisms can lead to difficult conditions for many plants. Even roots like to "breathe" and compaction rates as a number one cause of declining fertility in soils. Again, mulch can act as a shock absorber underfoot, protecting delicate structures that plants form to sustain their lives as well as our own. This invisible element swirls and flows around us all the time. The atmosphere is 1/6 as viscous as water, but has incredible power none the less.
Fire, we often forget is at the heart of all life forms that we know of. The basis of metabolism as well as the formation of stars is all about the burning of one fuel or another. When we speak of the movers and shakers in our society, we often say that they have a burning fire inside them. So too, we often say that people are consumed by desire, giving themselves completely to their wants or needs. finding a clear path toward understanding or integrating this elemental force is not as easy as one might think, but through exploration, being aware and inquisitive and recognizing aspects of fire that are often forgotten, overlooked or ignored, we can develop a relationship with this elemental force as well. I learned an interesting tidbit about fire this week and have already begun to appreciate the weight of it's meaning in my life. Trapped within each gallon of gasoline, there is equivalent energy to three hundred people working for one hour. Understanding that we are able to command such power with the squeezing of a pump handle and the pressing of the gas pedal in our vehicles helps to transform our awareness of the world around us. Now, whenever I hop in the car, I ask myself "Is this worth the energy I am about to expend?" Learning to control, or adapt our use of fire is essential, if we are to learn to respect it, appreciate it and develop a more intimate relationship with it. A good friend, David Yarrow has several videos posted to You Tube and Vimeo demonstrating how to create boi-char. This is possible through the understanding and utilization of fire in creating sustainability.
Liquid water, as you probably know, covers roughly 2/3 of our planet. The atmosphere holds a smaller percentage as vapor and all life forms have some water trapped within their cell walls. The elegant combination of two hydrogen atoms and a single oxygen atom is both the most aggressive natural cleanser and one of the greatest vehicles for moving substances. It is both required for life, yet can snuff out life just as surely if it gets into places it does not belong. I have heard the just two tablespoons (about 30ml) can kill a human if it is aspirated into the lungs. Most of us have been taught to respect the water, but few of us learn to develop an intimate relationship with this powerful element. I have not read the actual passage, and as most of my regular readers know, I do not accept the Bible as the "Word of God", but even the Bible acknowledges that the next age will be that of the Water Bearers. There walk among us on the planet today, a tribe of people dedicated to protecting the water, defending the water and sharing the wisdom that lies in this element. If you are not one already, seek those in your community who understand the essential nature of this important fluid and study with them. sustainability depends on protecting this essential fluid.
Spirit is perhaps the most difficult element to speak of and in spite of this, or possibly because of it, there is little that can be said to explain it to the uninitiated. As with many important things in our lives, it is easier to say what it is not rather than what it is. When one allows themselves to be still and become aware of spirit, there is an undeniable force that accompanies all the elements, the trees, rocks and creatures that surround us. There is a spirit in our food, in fodder, even in the different sorts of weather that surround us. Specifying exactly what it is can be most difficult, but in the classic musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, the character of Jesus sings that "If every voice were still, the noise would still continue, the rocks and stones themselves would start to sing." The true irony is that they sing always and but for our distraction with so many other things, we often forget to listen. Spirit is, as yet, unmeasurable with any device, except for the organisms and entities that share space with it. The hippies used to say, "I got bad vibes from that guy." or "I dug her aura." Just because it is hard to describe, we know it when we "see", or feel it. Learning to understand and work with spirit can take a lifetime, but as with so many of the other elemental forces, there are some who are deftly attuned to it and like savants are able to see, feel and interact spiritually with everyone and everything they come in contact with. some of these folks are, as yet, unaware that they are shamen. Validating the powerful interactions of spirit within and among us and the physical reality we all create is a tall order for those who are unaware of this element is probably one of the greatest challenges we will face on our way to sustainability.
Learning to live a life that honors these elemental forces, developing an affinity for each in turn and the combined powers that express themselves through all of these elements simultaneously can only develop if we allow ourselves to listen to subtle cues that come from the elements themselves. Each and every one of us comes from a line of ancestors that did respect and honor these forces. It has not been that many generations since we were all in tune with the messages that each of these elements had to teach us. The old ways are coming back, not because they are tools of oppression, but rather because they are tools of liberation. In this season that many call the Equinox, Ostara, Easter or Spring, the male and female energies are in balance and at this time it is well to reflect on our relationships without the contaminating influence of power and control. Living our lives to the fullest require a deep understanding of the forces that allow us to grow in health and happiness. I always like to offer guidance to those who may not be as far along their path to enlightenment as they might want to be. My herbal wisdom and experience can help lead others to healthier lives, free from illness and disease. What I have learned about the environment guides me to living a full life that is blessed with abundance. The true value of which comes from finding new ways to practice giving it away. If you have read my posts about the Give-away, you will know that frequently, as we learn the true nature of our blessings, we often begin to understand the importance of providing whatever we can to others so that their lives can be as blessed as our own.
Blessings to you this fine day and may you find it in your heart to open yourself to what really is all around us. It is the love for what truly surrounds us that has protected me in my own travels. I want to share this understanding with others so that their lives can demonstrate the same rich balance that has come to me simply by sharing what I have learned and living lives of quality that invite reciprocation. In the East, the feng-shui masters provide their clients a red envelope, into which they are encouraged to offer compensation for the master's time and insights. In our modern world, Paypal is the world-wide equivalent of a red envelope. If anything that I offer here has value, please consider making a donation. whatever money I raise through these writings is earmarked for planting more trees. Tens of thousands of trees have been planted already, but in my experience, there are many more acres that need to be protected and reforested. Peace.
Happily, the Earth is getting lots of attention this week, but we often allow our connection with Mother Earth to slide out of focus, or drop off our radar completely. As you may have noticed, my own focus, in life and blogs is on the Earth and her gifts, sustainable development and patterns that connect us with the planet, her resources and our relationship with Starship Earth, our fellow passengers on our flight around the Sun, and the island mentality that must come to light if we are to survive here without poisoning ourselves or tearing at the web of life that sustains us until it can no longer hold the weight of our species.
With gardening season upon us here in the Northern Hemisphere, many millions will be turning the soil, many for the first time. This simple act can grow within us new respect for creatures that share their space with us, as well as the life that goes on all around us on this miraculous planet. In a single tablespoon of healthy soil more organisms can live than the number of people we typically meet in a lifetime. Protecting the earth and her soils from the harsh effects of sun and rain are paramount in the gardener's world. Mulch your gardens to conserve moisture, retain fertility and protect soil life. If anyone has ever laid in the sun too long, or been stuck out in the rain with no shelter, they know that nature can be harsh. Single called critters and soil microbes are even less able to cope with sunburn or direct hits from raindrops. Protecting the Earth takes on a whole new meaning when you realize that soils are alive. Once sterilized, it is just dirt.
Air too must be integrated and available in healthy soils. when planting, be careful not to destroy soil tilth or texture. turning soils that are still wet, treading on planting beds, or killing off beneficial organisms can lead to difficult conditions for many plants. Even roots like to "breathe" and compaction rates as a number one cause of declining fertility in soils. Again, mulch can act as a shock absorber underfoot, protecting delicate structures that plants form to sustain their lives as well as our own. This invisible element swirls and flows around us all the time. The atmosphere is 1/6 as viscous as water, but has incredible power none the less.
Fire, we often forget is at the heart of all life forms that we know of. The basis of metabolism as well as the formation of stars is all about the burning of one fuel or another. When we speak of the movers and shakers in our society, we often say that they have a burning fire inside them. So too, we often say that people are consumed by desire, giving themselves completely to their wants or needs. finding a clear path toward understanding or integrating this elemental force is not as easy as one might think, but through exploration, being aware and inquisitive and recognizing aspects of fire that are often forgotten, overlooked or ignored, we can develop a relationship with this elemental force as well. I learned an interesting tidbit about fire this week and have already begun to appreciate the weight of it's meaning in my life. Trapped within each gallon of gasoline, there is equivalent energy to three hundred people working for one hour. Understanding that we are able to command such power with the squeezing of a pump handle and the pressing of the gas pedal in our vehicles helps to transform our awareness of the world around us. Now, whenever I hop in the car, I ask myself "Is this worth the energy I am about to expend?" Learning to control, or adapt our use of fire is essential, if we are to learn to respect it, appreciate it and develop a more intimate relationship with it. A good friend, David Yarrow has several videos posted to You Tube and Vimeo demonstrating how to create boi-char. This is possible through the understanding and utilization of fire in creating sustainability.
Liquid water, as you probably know, covers roughly 2/3 of our planet. The atmosphere holds a smaller percentage as vapor and all life forms have some water trapped within their cell walls. The elegant combination of two hydrogen atoms and a single oxygen atom is both the most aggressive natural cleanser and one of the greatest vehicles for moving substances. It is both required for life, yet can snuff out life just as surely if it gets into places it does not belong. I have heard the just two tablespoons (about 30ml) can kill a human if it is aspirated into the lungs. Most of us have been taught to respect the water, but few of us learn to develop an intimate relationship with this powerful element. I have not read the actual passage, and as most of my regular readers know, I do not accept the Bible as the "Word of God", but even the Bible acknowledges that the next age will be that of the Water Bearers. There walk among us on the planet today, a tribe of people dedicated to protecting the water, defending the water and sharing the wisdom that lies in this element. If you are not one already, seek those in your community who understand the essential nature of this important fluid and study with them. sustainability depends on protecting this essential fluid.
Spirit is perhaps the most difficult element to speak of and in spite of this, or possibly because of it, there is little that can be said to explain it to the uninitiated. As with many important things in our lives, it is easier to say what it is not rather than what it is. When one allows themselves to be still and become aware of spirit, there is an undeniable force that accompanies all the elements, the trees, rocks and creatures that surround us. There is a spirit in our food, in fodder, even in the different sorts of weather that surround us. Specifying exactly what it is can be most difficult, but in the classic musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, the character of Jesus sings that "If every voice were still, the noise would still continue, the rocks and stones themselves would start to sing." The true irony is that they sing always and but for our distraction with so many other things, we often forget to listen. Spirit is, as yet, unmeasurable with any device, except for the organisms and entities that share space with it. The hippies used to say, "I got bad vibes from that guy." or "I dug her aura." Just because it is hard to describe, we know it when we "see", or feel it. Learning to understand and work with spirit can take a lifetime, but as with so many of the other elemental forces, there are some who are deftly attuned to it and like savants are able to see, feel and interact spiritually with everyone and everything they come in contact with. some of these folks are, as yet, unaware that they are shamen. Validating the powerful interactions of spirit within and among us and the physical reality we all create is a tall order for those who are unaware of this element is probably one of the greatest challenges we will face on our way to sustainability.
Learning to live a life that honors these elemental forces, developing an affinity for each in turn and the combined powers that express themselves through all of these elements simultaneously can only develop if we allow ourselves to listen to subtle cues that come from the elements themselves. Each and every one of us comes from a line of ancestors that did respect and honor these forces. It has not been that many generations since we were all in tune with the messages that each of these elements had to teach us. The old ways are coming back, not because they are tools of oppression, but rather because they are tools of liberation. In this season that many call the Equinox, Ostara, Easter or Spring, the male and female energies are in balance and at this time it is well to reflect on our relationships without the contaminating influence of power and control. Living our lives to the fullest require a deep understanding of the forces that allow us to grow in health and happiness. I always like to offer guidance to those who may not be as far along their path to enlightenment as they might want to be. My herbal wisdom and experience can help lead others to healthier lives, free from illness and disease. What I have learned about the environment guides me to living a full life that is blessed with abundance. The true value of which comes from finding new ways to practice giving it away. If you have read my posts about the Give-away, you will know that frequently, as we learn the true nature of our blessings, we often begin to understand the importance of providing whatever we can to others so that their lives can be as blessed as our own.
Blessings to you this fine day and may you find it in your heart to open yourself to what really is all around us. It is the love for what truly surrounds us that has protected me in my own travels. I want to share this understanding with others so that their lives can demonstrate the same rich balance that has come to me simply by sharing what I have learned and living lives of quality that invite reciprocation. In the East, the feng-shui masters provide their clients a red envelope, into which they are encouraged to offer compensation for the master's time and insights. In our modern world, Paypal is the world-wide equivalent of a red envelope. If anything that I offer here has value, please consider making a donation. whatever money I raise through these writings is earmarked for planting more trees. Tens of thousands of trees have been planted already, but in my experience, there are many more acres that need to be protected and reforested. Peace.
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