Sunday, June 28, 2009

Greetings from Ireland

As I wrote before, I am currently on a tour through Ireland. Therefore, this week's post is shorter than the ones before. The topic is something that has occupied my thoughts during the last week for some reasons: Mother Earth. We often use that expression, in a variety of contexts. But what do we mean with it? Who is that creature, and what is our relationship to Her?

So, this week I suggest a contemplation with the topic of "Mother Earth".

I would be interested in what you come up with, so you are invited to post a comment.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

“Her fire is my spirit”

The flickering flame of the candle, the comforting sound of a bonfire, or the blazing rage of a destructive fire, always bringing with them the heat, and the change, that forms its nature. The state of matter is plasma, an ionized gas, a state of high energy. That is what fire mainly symbolizes: energy, lots and lots of it. Fire destroys, it causes change by consuming things, transforming them. There is a lot of potential; both for transformation and destruction.
Fire can be felt when you are truly passionate about something, feeling deeply about it. The experience of fire is one of challenge, of adventure, of danger, courage and victory, of growth, transformation and releasing. Fire is that which challenges you, confronts you and thereby leads you towards growth and change. Fire is the most challenging experience of the four elements.
The fire is her spirit. Let us go and seek that challenge.

Fire exercise

Choose a comfortable position. Take some deep breaths and relax. Close your eyes and go to your safe place. ...
Take some moments to enjoy the peace and safety you find here. ... As you look around, you see four doors, facing into four different directions.
You turn towards the red door. You open it: The handle is warm to the touch. Behind it, there is a desert of red sand. You step through the door. At first, the heat is oppressive, the sun beating down on everything in the desert mercilessly. But after a moment, you adapt to your surroundings, and the heat no longer weighs you down, but embraces you like a lover.
You turn and close the door behind you. At first glance, the desert looks featureless except for the rolling dunes visible in all directions. As you take your time so observe your surroundings, you realize that it is not empty. There are animals here, mostly hidden in the sand, but sometimes running along. In the distance, there is something raising from the dunes, clearly standing out, but of the same red colour as the sand, mixed with the orange-golden light that might be a reflection of the sun. You set out into that direction, through the heat, the glimmering air, under the sun. ...
You walk over the red sand, leaving a trail behind you, and the heat from the sand is even more intense than the heat of the desert air. You can feel the desert on the soles of your feet, but somehow, you do not burn. You walk on.
As you draw nearer to that single feature in a featureless desert, you realize that you are walking towards a wall, perhaps a huge circle of fire. You approach it, fascinated. There is nothing in that desert that could sustain a fire of that size, yet it burns. The red of the flames is mirrored in the sand, and the yellow of the flame in the light of the sun. A bright, intense blue is also visible around the flames, testifying to its heat.
You have almost reached the wall when you realize that there is someone standing in front of the ring of flames. It is a huge fierce salamander, built itself from fire and flame, and only slightly more solid than the wall.
It surveys you slowly. You feel pierced by the stare, as if a beam of even more heat is searing you. Then it speaks to you: “A sign, pointing towards the answer to your most important question, awaits you. Here is the challenge: cross the fire curtain, and it will be yours.” It watches you, but does not answer any further questions. So you go towards the curtain. The fire is burning steadily and you cannot see how thick the curtain is. The heat coming from the fire is somehow different than the heat from the desert, more active, more intense – and of course much hotter. You reach a hand towards it, and take it back quickly because the heat stings. But despite that moment, you are sure that you will be able to cross the curtain unharmed. So you take all your courage and step into it. The fire plays around you, licks at you, but does not burn you. Just the heat enters you, fills you completely, almost painful. Your next step takes you out of the curtain again, and you welcome the comparable coolness of the desert. In front of you, at the centre of a table, sits an object. Look at it. Identify it. Take it into your hands and examine it. ...
You hear the voice of the salamander again: “Here is the second challenge: do you know your most important question?” You look up, and you think there is approval in the eyes of the fire creature. It nods, and then it merges with the curtain of flame, and that curtain dissipates into the desert heat, flowing over you for a last moment.
You return to the door, and from there to your safe place. Return to your body. Welcome back.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Announcement

First of all, I want to apologize for being late with this week's post, which is an air meditation (see below). I have been occupied with preparations for my holiday. I will be leaving for Ireland tomorrow morning for two weeks of vacation. Therefore, I might not be able to put up a post fot the next two weeks. Posting will resume on July 4th at the latest.

“Her winds are my breath”

A gentle breeze, cool on a hot summer's day, a strong wind heralding the coming storm. The beautiful smell of a meadow in spring colours. The first sun ray in the morning. The state of matter of air is gaseous, and its qualities are sometimes difficult to grasp: Air stands for freedom, new beginnings, adventure, curiosity, but also for intellect, knowledge.
Air is something that surrounds us all the time, yet we only realize it when it is missing or polluted. However, we get used to pollution very quickly. It is similar with freedom: we take it for granted, yet is is restricted in a lot of ways that we have stopped to recognise long ago: habits, customs, money, laws, tabu etc. Air offers the opportunity to go with the wind, to let go of all the things that bind us, that we allow to bind us. To experience air is to meet a universe of opportunities and wonders. It is through air that we can reach for the stars.
The winds are her breath. Let us share in that breath.

Exercise air

Choose a comfortable position. Take some deep breaths and relax. Close your eyes and go to your safe place. ...
Take some moments to enjoy the peace and safety you find here. ... As you look around, you see four doors, facing into four different directions.
You turn towards the door that is of a light grey colour, the colour of clouds in the sky. You reach for it, and it opens for you on its own accord. There is an open meadow behind, and you step through the door. There is a moment of disorientation, and you feel that all of your weight is stripped from you; you leave it behind at the door. You feel light, gravity has no hold over you. Only habit keeps you on the ground as you walk some steps into the meadow and turn around to look at the door that brought you here. ...
Then, a wind picks up, blowing into your face, almost caressing you at first. It gets stronger, and you loose your hold on the ground. The wind carries you with it, lifts you up from the ground and moves you. You turn around and face into the direction where you are flying. The wind carries you over a beautiful wild landscape, slowly at first, but soon picking up speed, growing stronger, wilder. You enjoy the ride, and the sights. ...
After some time, you begin to see the patterns of the wind, you can see where it is going, and also the surrounding air currents around your wind. It looks as if tiny glittering particles were all around you, and are moved around by the winds, thus allowing you to follow the movements of the winds. You decide you want to change directions, so you move, even as the wind moves you along, to the edge of the air current, and then across into another one that immediately carries you away into a different direction.
You have the freedom of the skies. Take time and fly with the winds, explore this world of air, and movement. ......

You have danced on the skies, now it is time to return. You choose a wind that will bring you back to your door, the one that brought you here. It carries you there swiftly, and you carefully get your feet onto the ground to avoid being swept away again. You walk through the door, back into your safe haven, and when you cross the door, you feel your weight settling on you again. You close the door behind you and take a moment to become used to gravity once more. Then you return to your body, count from 10 to 1, open your eyes.

Note: Whenever you have the feeling you cannot find your way back to the door, get the door to you: visualise it in front of you. It will always get you back home.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

“Her water is my blood”

Raindrops falling from the sky, the crystal clear water following the river bed towards the sea, grey at times, beautifully blue and green at other times. Steam rising to the skies, gathering in clouds, before the water returns to the earth again as rain. Water is liquid, both in its state of matter and in its nature: accepting, embracing, surrounding, adapting, ever changing, but always the same.
Water, more than anything else, is the gift of life. It was in the sea that life on this planet developed. The sea is the womb that gave birth to life. There are still remnants of this in the composition of our body fluids.
Water is at least a cleansing, relaxing experience that can become a powerful rebirth, a fresh start. Water can wash away the shackles and remnants that get attached to us each day, and that may allow us to find ourselves.
The water is Her blood. Let us be grateful for the gift of life.


Exercise water

Choose a comfortable position. Take some deep breaths and relax. Close your eyes and go to your safe place. ...
Take some moments to enjoy the peace and safety you find here. ... As you look around, you see four doors, facing into four different directions.
You turn towards the blue door, the colour of the sea. Open the door and walk through it. You enter into a lowland forest, beside a small, happily running river. The door behind you closes, but you can see it standing in the middle of the forest, your way back.
There is a small, inviting path winding among the trees, leading upriver. You follow it, listening to the murmur of the river beside you. ... Slowly, you become aware of a sound, a constant rush. It gets louder and louder, and finally, the trees part and you can see what is causing it: a waterfall, thundering down over some rocks and into a shallow lake from where the river springs that has accompanied you. You take in the beauty of the falling water, sparkling in the sun light. ...
It is pleasantly warm here, and the water is whispering invitingly. You walk around the lake, towards the waterfall, and look for a place to enter it. There is a perfect spot, just beneath the outer edge of the waterfall, where some stones almost look like steps. You take them, walking down into the water, and place you hand beneath the falling water. It feels wonderful, slightly cool, and you take the last step, placing yourself beneath the waterall. The water flows over you, from you head over your body, down your legs, into the pool you are standing in, and you move a bit so that it flows over your whole body.
The water washes away all the dirt you accumulated. It takes with it your anger, your fear, your worries, your annoyance, it washes away the layers of masks you put on when dealing with others, or even with yourself. It washes away attachments, everything that clings to you. Feel the water cleansing you ...

You feel clean, as if the water has washed away everything that is not you, that does not belong with you. You feel yourself, refreshed, and released of everything that did not belong to you.
Through the water, you catch a glimpse of the back side of the waterfall. There is a tiny cave, big enough for you to enter it, filled with light shining in through the filter of the waterfall that is causing reflections to dance over the barren walls. The cave is empty except for a hand mirror that lies on a ledge. You take it and clean away the drops of water. Then you look at yourself in the mirror. What do you see? The water has washed away everything else, everything from the outside, and only you are left. Look at your reflection in the mirror, and reflect about the meaning of what you see. ...
You decide you have learned enough about yourself for today, and put back the mirror. You step trough the waterfall, enjoying the cares of the water, and out of the pool, back to the path that led you here. Take a last look at the waterfall and walk back along the path...
You can see the door through which you entered. It looks just the way it did when you came here. Open it, and walk through it, returning to your safe place. Take a moment to reorient yourself....
Now, return to your body, count from 10 to 1, open your eyes.