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Five Elements
Introduction | Through Artists' Eyes | Contemplation
Introduction to the Five Elements
by Eve Soldinger
Behold the picture behind these words of Lake Lagunitas in Marin County, California. For three years I walked daily several miles around the lake. It wasn’t a lazy walk. I would watch everything. I would see the water level on the lake. I would notice how beautiful the redwoods and madrone trees were. I would listen for the rustle in the bushes of the birds and the dance of the deer higher up the hill. I would pause to be in relationship with the Earth, often saying prayers in my heart and prayers for the Earth. And when I did, I would notice the hummingbirds coming closer and the dragonflies all around. I would notice the smells of the woods after a rain, or during a draught. It became a part of my spiritual practice to honor the Earth and myself by tending a sacred relationship with her.
I always say that I studied acupuncture as most Westerners do, attending seminars and enrolling in various learning programs. But in essence I learned acupuncture by tending to myself and my relationship with nature. Knowing the five elements, Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal, is a lifelong journey of understanding our world. Nature provides one path toward true authenticity and balance.
As we delve into the force of the Water, the surging of the Wood, the consuming of the Fire, the support of the Earth, and the structure of the Metal, we cannot help but be inspired by the elements both outside of our bodies and in our inner worlds.
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The Elements Through Artists' Eyes
To facilitate a journey with the elements, I invite you to be inspired by artistic and spiritual renderings of the elements. I include here the works of traditional artists, writers, and ecoartists. The works presented are meant to be evocative, bringing the preciousness that connects us all to the essence of the elements. The reasons for including the works are many; mostly they speak to the transformative aspect of the elements. I bow to these artists on their journeys and for sharing their works with us.
Also available from Sacred Intuitive Healing: audio recorded Journeys to the Five Elements, led by Eve Soldinger.
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Contemplation of the Elements
by Susy Murphy
I gaze at the pale mystery of my wrist, delicately tracked with the blue-green of veins. My unskilled fingers feel only one pulse. Wood, metal, water, fire and earth also invisibly ebb and flow.
Wood comes from trees which are generous things. They feed and they shade and they shelter creatures of all sizes. They worship the sun god and lift their branches up in glory. In the hands of man, wood is carved into furniture, built into structures and sculpted to delight the eye. Wood is for hope chests and chests made of cedar. Wood doesn’t willingly bend but it breaks and it burns. And it is in boxes of wood that we return to the earth.
Metal is that last nail that seals the coffin. It is precious, the scarcest of all of the elements. It is secretive, locked deep in the earth and not easily found. Add fire and metal will bend to your will. The bonds of marriage are symbolized by metal bands (although it must also be noted that prisons and dungeons make use of this element as well). Where other elements are changeable, metal endures.
Water is movement, of waves and of tides. Water has currents and generates power. Water is rarely still and is changeable—too hot and it boils, too cold and it freezes. Water is life—we begin our journey swimming in the darkness of our mother’s womb, and, at the end of life, we are gently bathed to prepare us for the mystery that follows.
Fire is hungry and devours at will. It transforms the elements it touches. It warms us and comforts us with heat and the scent of apple pie or bread baking. Fire demands respect, but can be contained within the careful boundaries of a fireplace.
Earth is the mother of us all. In late winter she is the first pale green shoot that pokes optimistically through the snow, reaching for the warmth from the still distant sun. She is the riot of color that is spring—she inspires us to find names for all of her colors. In summer she is abundance and the sweet taste of sun-warmed strawberry on your tongue. Earth nurtures us and wills us to grow and grow. In autumn, earth gifts her bounty to us and prepares for winter’s barren sorrow. Her tears fall crimson gold and gild the leaves of her trees. Earth retreats in winter to slumber patiently, waiting, waiting. Spring will come again and earth will be reborn.
Copyright by Susy Murphy
Holy Cross, October 2006
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