Elemental Living: EARTH

From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free.  ~Jacques Cousteau

Cousteau talking about the sea, which is more appropriate to next weeks element - water. However, we don't have to dive below the ocean to sink beneath the surface – we have only to dive into our Mind.

...the Earth is our base

     ...the terra mater -mother- of our existence

     ...the terra firma -solid ground- of our beliefs

     ...the terra forma -system- of our experiences

Ever see a picture of the Earth from space....the pale blue dot?

Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there - on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.  ~Carl Sagan

But it's our mote of dust! Here's to some Earth fun facts:

1. we are the third planet from the Sun-formed 4.5+ billion yrs

2. the word comes from Anglo-Saxon word, “erda” - ground

3. we are the only planet not named after Greek/Roman deity

4. the planet orbits around the Sun in 365.256 days

5. it takes 23 hrs, 56 mins, 4 secs to rotate on its axis and, by the way, the rotation is gradually slowing at approximately 17 milliseconds per 100 yrs, which has the effect of lengthening our days ....in 140 million years, one day will equal 25 hrs

6. it was once believed to be the center of the universe, but we now know it's the youngest son in a Jewish family

7. seventy percent of surface is covered in water, 3% water is fresh and 97% is salted

In astrology, Earth signs have a tendency to have an unchangeable routine. They stick to habits that don’t always make them happy. They become convinced they have to stay at a job because of financial security, even when it is contrary to their intelligence and creativity. It is also said to be wise, stable, sensual, grounded; make great gardeners, cooks, and lovers, and are reliable, making trustworthy business people. But those are tendencies not inevitabilities. The planet keeps spinning and anything can change. Sagan again:

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.

So, where do those responsibilities begin? Well, in Mind, of course, in our consciousness, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs.
And how do we achieve those responsibilities? We get grounded!

You might ask, “Can I dream, be in wonderment, delve into my imagination, have my head in the clouds sometimes and still be grounded?” 

And my answer would be "YES!"

Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads. ~Henry David Thoreau, Walden

It's time to ground to the planet, as we reach for the cosmos. It's time to connect with Mother Earth, as we commune with the Divine.

Grounding, in electricity, is for protection from outside sources, such as lightening. Grounded in life, is also for protection from outside sources, as well as, any reflections or reactions from hate, despair, and fear. Grounding stabilizes, protects, centers, and enlivens us. Being grounded is not about being practical. It's an alignment, a communion, a firm connection to Mother Earth, the soil we were born to and attached to, simultaneously with the Divine Presence - he soil of our consciousness.

"How do I know I am not grounded right now?" 
Because you asked!

Earthing is another tool in our elemental living with the Earth. In electricity, it is similar to grounding in that it transfers an electrical charge into the planet. Earthing in life?

"How do we retain a calm center with fires, wars, etc. or when we feel challenged by finances, health, work, home, our family, or feel weakened or fearful because of life challenges?"

"How do we move forward, past the pain or hurt or embarrassment?"

We earth and/or ground!

Your life force energy is not grounded through your home, job, bank account or relationship. It is only through the Divine Matrix of Mind, Heart and Gut. Do you feel out of whack with temporary situations that are changing or maybe falling apart? Are experiences making you feel knocked off center and un-grounded, disassociated from your body, self or Divinity? Are your mind, heart, and body not feeling integrated and you feel disconnected from the world around you? GROUND!

Your spirit does not need to be grounded, rather your mind, and thus your body, does. You need a GPS fix on your here and now, to have your body and mind go from out there to in here. When grounded, you are centered within the energy, frequency and life force of the Universe and the planet; all of which are abundant and full of infinite possibilities....all of which are alive, centering and empowering.

Remain true to the earth, my brethren, with the power of your virtue! Let your bestowing love and your knowledge be devoted to be the meaning of the earth!  ... Let it not fly away from the earthly and beat against eternal walls with its wings. . . . Lead, like me, the flown-away virtue back to the earth—yes, back to body and life: that it may give to the earth its meaning, a human meaning. ~Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra

For the planet, we do what we can at home and in the voting booth, and we give our time, talent and treasure to organizations equipped to fight the good fight. For ourselves, we ground, we center, we put our bare feet on the dirt or sand (earthing). With that spiritual practice, we can keep away the fear, the trembling, the despair of the news, the climate, the idiots in government - whatever is in our way of thinking straight, taking right action, and living a fabulous life, no matter the circumstances.






Affirmation
I AM Grounded
In this state of support, balance and stability; I am open to the best decisions, the most fabulous thoughts, and the sincerest feelings of joy/peace/vitality and strength. Connected to Mother Earth and communing with Universal Presence and Intelligence, I AM electrified, fortified, beautified, and verified for a successful day.
I AM Rockin' It!

Elemental Living - AIR

We see the world, not as it is, but as we are.  ~Talmud

A hungry beggar walked up to a well-dressed plump man shopping on Rodeo Drive and said: "I haven't eaten anything for several days." Walking past him, he replied , "God, I wish I had your willpower."

We see the world, not as it is, but as we are. ~Talmud

Biases - everyone has them....
They are predispositions for or against a person, place, thing or idea. They interfere with or impair our judgment and, often times, our own success. Here's an example of that:

At 7:51 a.m. on Friday, January 12, 2007; in the middle of the morning rush hour, a youngish white man in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt and a Washington Nationals baseball cap entered the L'Enfant Plaza Metro subway station in Washington DC. From a small case, he removed a violin. He placed the open case at his feet and threw in a few dollars and pocket change as seed money. He then swiveled it to face pedestrian traffic and began to play. In the next 43 minutes, as the violinist performed six classical pieces, starting with the 14 minute quite difficult piece, the Bach Chanconne. 1,097 people passed by. Almost all of them were on their way to work, mostly government jobs. 

If you were there, what choice do you think you'd make:  Do you stop and listen? Do you hurry past with a blend of guilt and irritation, fascinated by the music yet annoyed by another demand on your time and wallet? Do you throw in a buck, just to be polite? Does your decision change if the performer is bad? And what if they are really talented? Do you have time for beauty in your daily commute? Shouldn’t you?

This gentleman made about $40 for the time he played. Unbeknownst to all but one of those 1100, it was a performer who it has been said, “plays like God.” He was playing on a $3.5M Gibson ex Huberman violin, handcrafted in 1713 by Antonio Stradivari, and can usually command $1000 per minute for his internationally known talent. He was Joshua Bell. 

How many Joshua Bell's have you missed in life?

People see what they want to see and what people want to see never has anything to do with the truth.  ~Roberto Bolano, Chilean novelist

Our theme of year is Perception. We will explore what they that is, what perspectives are, how they got there and what to do with them. Perception flavors our belief and thus our experience. Our January theme is ELEMENTAL LIVING, the basics of life. 

Aristotle believe that all the matter in the universe was made up of four basic elements, earth, air, fire, and water. These elements were acted on by two forces: gravity – the tendency for earth and water to sink, and levity – the tendency for air and fire to rise. This division of the contents of the universe into matter and forces is still used today.   ~Stephen Hawking, A Brief History of Time

And this week we are exploring the AIR. There are five aspects to explore.

At this moment, you are breathing some of the same molecules once breathed by Leonardo da Vinci, William Shakespeare, Anne Backstreet, or Colette. Inhale deeply.   ~Diane Ackerman, The Natural History of the Senses

1) It can be enjoyed by all the senses
The air is all around us, can't exist without it. And I am not just talking about oxygen.

The air is always vibrant and aglow, full of volatile gases, staggering spores, dust, viruses, fungi, and animals all stirred by a skirling and relentless wind.          ~Diane Ackerman, The Natural History of the Senses

I am also talking about things like thoughts, they exist in the air, whether from the consciousness of the human race in general, the news, your history, or your community and like-minded friends. Some are clean and fresh, and some are tainted and polluted. We get to choose which to keep and which to lose.

When we say our distant ancestors crawled out of onto the land, we forget to ad that they really moved from one ocean to another, from the upper fathoms of water to the deepest fathoms of air.  ~Diane Ackerman, The Natural History of the Senses

By the way, that book I just quoted from three times is a fabulous  and delicious poetic treatise on our senses. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!



2) Breath
We use our lungs to inhale/exhale life. I frequently use the affirmation, "God Is" on the inhale and "I Am" on the exhale to help center and ground myself. Breath is a spiritual practice unto itself when we intentionally sit aware of its movement in our bodies and its effects on our inner environment. We use mind, heart, and intuition to breathe in the air of prosperity or lack, love or hate, faith or fear. The choice is ours.

3) Lightness of Being
Quick story:
Former aerospace engineer Marion Franklin Rudy introduced the air innovation to Phil Knight in 1977 of  placing tiny air bags in the soles of shoes to soften impact. The first shoe to incorporate Air cushioning was the 1978 Nike Tailwind runner, which grew in popularity as researchers at the University of Tennessee discovered that athletes used less energy when running in the Nike Tailwind compared to other conventional running shoes.

What do you do to use less energy, but stay energized? Like the Nike shoe, we too have tools inserted in our very selves to do that; to feel free and peaceful, like surrender control, trust our intuition, show compassion and kindness to our self and others, and believing the simple truth:  I am enough.

4) Air is also the word for a song or aria
Air is also a French music duo from Versailles, consisting of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel. Air's critically acclaimed debut album, Moon Safari, including the track "Sexy Boy," was an international success in 1998. Its follow-up, "The Virgin Suicides," was the score to Sofia Coppola's first movie. A little fun fact.

What song do you sing? How do you express/voice your self and your Self (the Divine within)? What words are you using a lot? The words you say to your self, your self-talk, says a lot about your perspective and perception of you and the world. For what you can perceive, you can achieve!

5)  Your air is the general impression, manner, look, aspect, atmosphere (perception theme) you convey; what you take flight from, through and as.
Truth is universal. Perception of Truth is not. Just like you want clean air in your lungs, so too do you want it in your heart, mind, intuition, thoughts, feelings and beliefs. We must ventilate the negative and circulate the good in mind and action. But...

Let's not ventilate by concentrating on removing
...ventilate by approving the Truth in all
...ventilate by behooving the Truth into our daily thoughts, feelings and beliefs
...ventilate by improving our consistent, intentional spiritual practice
...prayer, chanting, rituals, vision boarding, visualizing, meditation, quiet walks on the beach, reading with contemplation, affirmations, morning routines

Let us do our ventilation through revelation. Clear the air. Breathe the air of Truth. Put on your best air of the Divine You. And dive into the air of joy, success, vitality and opulence.

That is the way of elemental living in air.



Affirmation
HELLO 2020
I know who I AM and the Power I embody. I use it to create my abundant prosperity, creativity, vitality, relationships....EVERYTHING! Anything that thinks it can get in the way of that is nulled and voided. I say bye-bye to mental  junk, gunk and muck.
I declare, soar, zoom, sing, transcend, transform and generally do the success dance for this opulent year.