Connecting to the Natural World- 4 Elements in Balance

It’s never been more important to find our connection to the natural world than it is now. Humans, in time immemorial have been in relationship to the natural world for survival—from the early days of looking for shelter, sparking the first flame for fire, eating edibles found on the Earth, honoring animals and ways in which we find nourishment for ourselves.

Having a recent bout of illness in our household forced me to slow down and attune to the more inner rhythms of my own heartbeat. I found such a sweet remembrance in this internal message- that the natural world is calling us home.

The truth is, we are not separate from the Earth but part of it. And in order to awaken and step forward in the most balanced way through this time, our entwinement with nature’s cycles and rhythms, pulses and textures and teaching is essential.

It is part of this knowing that is guiding me to offer more nature ceremony retreats and gatherings and connections and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be deepening into these practices in the year ahead.

One of my favorite all time poets Mary Oliver wrote in her poem, Swan- “I have my way of praying, as you no doubt have yours. Besides, when I am alone I can become invisible. I can sit on the top of a dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds, until the foxes run by unconcerned. I can hear the almost unhearable sound of the roses singing…”

We all have the capacity to slow down enough to hear this inner connection to ourselves and the world around us- and as we land ourselves, we land ourselves in greater harmony with the Earth’s cycles.

Every element of nature offers us a teaching and our deepened breath offers the doorway to CONNECT to all the wisdom within and around us. All living things share in the breath- our one remarkable common thread. And when we breathe deeply, we can hear our own attunement aligning, just like a frozen lake’s ice cracks in the wind.

Whether through finding ways to attune to the element of the EARTH, the nourishment- the physicality- our grounding. Including hugging a tree.

Or connecting with the nourishing, flowing, ever teaching properties of the WATER. Whether over our bodies during a shower, drinking the droplets at the back of our tongue. Or just resting in the sanctity of a floating pond or lake.

FIRE for me is akin to community, creativity but also the incredible mystery of life- watching the flames flicker of a warming fire or by candlelight.

And finally, seeing how the AIR ever-changing, ever-moving, ever-clearing out old debris opens up our own lungs, opens up our own vitality to seeing.

These 4 elements are just a framework for how to harmonize ourselves in unison with the very basic rhythms of nature, the very cycles, the very basic of connections to ourselves and the world around us.

With this balancing of our inner temple, we grow balance on the outer temple of this Earth as well.

As we deepen into a quieter stiller place of the winter, I invite you to find a quiet place. Listen to your own heart beat, find a simple connection to your BREATH- and discover how your body’s natural inner knowing is guiding you towards balance of all the elements within and around you- guiding you towards the balance of “home”.