Earth, Water, Fire & Air

"This is a beautifully written book that weaves together the wisdom of many traditions with unique and creative practices to deepen our connections with the elements. Cait Johnson is a marvelous guide through the elements that make up our world, our bodies and our souls."
Tom Cowan, author of Fire in the Head: Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit and The Shaman's Quest: Journeys in an Ancient Spiritual Practice

"Drawing from the diverse and yet profoundly similar teachings of the world's faith traditions, this is a must-have book for both the beginning spiritual journeyer and the seasoned traveler. Through guided meditations, simple activities and thoughtful questions, one is gently led to understand the basic elements of all human existence."
Carole Ann Camp, coauthor of Labyrinths from the Outside In: Walking to Spiritual InsightA Beginner's Guide

"Opens up the deep, rich possibility to transform your relationship to these basic elements with fascinating facts and stories and simple, yet profound visualizations, meditations and exercises. It is a book to savor."
Kay Lindahl, author of The Sacred Art of Listening: Forty Reflections for Cultivating a Spiritual Practice

Autorentext

Cait Johnson is the author of five spirituality-based books, including Cooking Like a Goddess and, with Maura Shaw, Celebrating the Great Mother. She trained at the Institute for Transpersonal Psychology and has been a counselor for more than twenty years. She holds an MFA in theater arts and teaches workshops on connecting to Spirit, seasonal elemental approaches to self-healing, poetry-writing and conscious eating.

Klappentext

An inspiring guidebook to the role of the elements in different faith traditions and religious practices and ceremonies. Includes engaging activities, meditations, poems and prayers for exploring your own spiritual connection to the elements.

Zusammenfassung

Discover the elemental approach to spiritualitykeys to self-healing and re-connection to the earth.

"When we explore and savor and interact with these elements, we are both remembering a primal connection and forging it anew. Welcome, then, to this travel guide for a journey with a particular purpose: connecting with the elements that are so basic and universal to all of us. We will look at the many ways that different faiths have danced with earth, water, fire, and air throughout history, coming to a deeper appreciation of each way's uniqueness and a greater respect for one another's paths, at the same time remembering the commonality of our human beginnings."
from the Preface

The root of human spirituality is grounded in four elementsearth, water, fire and air. They are common to all people and almost every spiritual path; they are the keys to our understanding of Spirit; and they can help you achieve personal fulfillment and re-connection with others.

This inspiring guidebook explains the role of the elements in different faith traditions and how they've been incorporated into religious practices and ceremonies. You will be encouraged to explore your own spiritual connection to the elements through engaging activities, enlightening meditations and evocative poems and prayers.

Earth, Water, Fire & Air is a celebration of how all people are connected by the elements. You will come away with a deeper relationship to others, your own spirit, and this sacred planet.

You can't help but be drawn into the elemental approach to spirituality detailed in these pages. Identifying the four basic elements as humanity's first ways of knowing Spirit and reminding us of their value for spiritual nourishment, Earth, Water, Fire & Air reveals our human interconnectedness and offers a fascinating look at element-based symbols, traditions and ceremonies.

Explore the spiritual traditions that have incorporated the elements into their practices, including:

Buddhism • Christianity • Earth-honoring paths • Hinduism • Islam • Judaism

Creative activity suggestions serve to enrich our spiritual relationship with each elementboth individually and in community with othersand to help us discover how deeply nourishing it can be to live in an elemental way.

Inhalt

Preface xi
Acknowledgments xv

**Earth 1
Introducing Earth 3
Earth Prayer 7

1. The Nurturing Ground 9
   Being with the Earth 15
   Growing Earth-Love 16
   Seed-Thoughts on Earth as Great Nourisher 17
2. The Underworld 21
   Underground Journey to the Roots 26
   Seed-Thoughts on Earth as Underworld 28
3. The Sacred Stone 31
   Rock-Prayer 40
   Cave of Safety 41
   Seed-Thoughts on Earth as Sacred Stone 42
4. The Holy Garden Grove 45
   Spirit-Garden 50
   Tree of Your Inner Spirit 51
   Seed-Thoughts on Earth as Holy Garden Grove 53

**Water 57
Introducing Water 59
Water Prayer 61

5. The Great Maternal Sea 63
   Bath of Form and Formlessness 67
   Grieving with Water 68
   Reflections on Water as the Mystery of Life/Death/Life 69
6. The Universal Solvent 71
   The Well of Releasing 79
   Washing Away Fear 79
   Reflections on Water as Purifier 80
7. The Compassionate Healer 83
   Drinking Sacred Waters 90
   Journey to the Undersea Chamber of the Heart 92
   Reflections on Water as Compassionate Healer 94
8. The Deep Creative 97
   Creative Water Play 104
   The Nature of Rain 105
   Reflections on Water as Creative Source
   and That Which Is 107

**Fire 109
Introducing Fire 111
Fire Prayer 113

9. The Destroyer/Liberator 115
   Liberating Fire 122
   Illuminating the Face of Fire as Destroyer/Liberator 123
10. The Flame of Life and Spirit 127
    Flame Song and Visualization 135
    Guided Journey to the Spirit of Fire 136
    Sacred Fire Shrine 138
    Illuminating the Face of Fire as the Flame of
    Life and Spirit 139

**Air 143
Introducing Air 145
Air Prayer 149

11. The Inspirer 151
    Incense Meditation 157
    Breaths of Fresh Air as the Inspirer 159
12. The Breath-Bridge 163
    Journey to the Breath 169
    Breaths of Fresh Air as the Breath-Bridge 171
13. The Power of Sound 175
    Sound Prayer 185
    Breaths of Fresh Air as the Power of Sound 186

Notes 191
Further Reading 197