Engaging with the Elements

Advancing the self with elemental activations

Anyone remember Captain Planet? “He’s our hero, going to take pollution down to zero!” And maybe my favorite part, five individuals who each carry one of earth’s elements come together to form Captain Planet, the ultimate super-hero. Maybe there’s something to that after all. “Advancing the self with elemental activations” is quite a bold statement. It does really sound like some guru level shit. Who knows. Maybe it by the end of this article we’ll both advance a rung or two up the ladder. Let’s explore this bold claim through the lens of personal experience.

In the past few weeks here in mid-March at the end of Pisces season before Aries season fires up, I have been acknowledging the astrology of eclipses, new moons, mercury being in the microwave and witnessing the urges of my mind vs. my heart. An ageless battle between the two has plagued women and their creations for generations.

I, and you, gentle reader, are no different in that regard I assume.

Nonetheless, I have endeavored to follow my heart as much as I possibly can. In doing so, I have developed this beautiful navigating tool. You may have heard of it before. I think most people call it “feeling”. While I think some tend to discount this skill, I find myself liking it. Wild, concept eh!?

And because you asked, here’s how I do it.

USING THE HEART AS A COMPASS

First, I get an idea in my head. It doesn’t matter where the idea came from. For the sake of this example, let’s say there’s a calendar item before you that you have a choice of whether or not to attend. We all start out with two options to either 1) accept or 2) decline. The real effort here is on how you determine which option to choose. We may use our brains to logic through the choice, weighing the implications of either choice to determine some desirable outcome. And if the brain has any further say in the matter, there is certainly question as to who’s desirable outcome it’s after. Is it your own? Or would your choice impact the desired outcome of another? Without completely diving down the people pleasing wormhole, let’s instead move to the heart of the matter. That is to say, we use feeling to let the heart decide.

In my example, I would simply feel into the idea of accepting the invitation. I pay close attention to how my body feels, how my emotions feel with the idea of leaving the house, going to the thing, arriving at the thing, spending time there and the departure. I use my imagination to visualize the experience in it’s entirety, but the feeling is what I follow.

And then I do the same with not going. How does everything feel if I opt out? A large part of this example is truly feeling into these things for your own heart. How does it feel to choose something else instead?

LET’S TRY IT ON FOR SIZE

Pretend with me that this Saturday you’re invited to a baby shower of someone you barely know, but the familial social pressure to attend is very high. The shower is for your mom’s friend’s daughter. It’s her first child, and the first in your mom’s friend group. It’s a co-ed shower. Everyone will be there. It’s also an hour away from you. And your mom knows you’re free that day. The entire commitment will be at least 5 hours including travel. You truly enjoy the group of people, and you know the food will be delicious. The trip feels arduous. It’s been a long week at work and the last thing on your mind is socializing. While you’re currently single, mom says that June’s son William should be there. He’s in his 30’s like you and he’s in the textiles business. You’re in design by trade as well. You’d make a nice pair and William is a quiet smoke show who by all accounts would make the daily round much more bearable. Quickly, the thought of his hand brushing yours at the beverage table makes you think, maybe I could make an appearance after all… feeling into the idea of going seems like a lot of work to maybe run into William.

And now we feel into the idea of NOT going.

Imagine and feel into spending those 5 hours instead finding yourself in a flower filled cafe a few towns away. Your senses imbibe in the aromas, chatter, and warmth. Your favorite shop to peruse textiles and paper goods is next door. Having finished the most delightful slice of quiche, you take a hot cup to go. As you enter the store next door, the lighting is perfect. Music uplifts and the scent of gardenia wafts through your being. You’re the only customer, and you’re only on the second hour of the five. It feels like springtime and you snap a photo of a display that inspires you to get out the watercolors when you get home. The thought of William enters your mind, and you imagine he’s going to walk into the same shop that afternoon. Instead, you send him the photo you snapped of the inspiring display. He responds that he knows that shop, and planned to go there next week as it is one of his favorites. He invites you to go with him, and you accept with excitement. Later that day you do paint the scene in watercolors at home in a sun filled room on a post card as a gift to him for next week.

In this example, we can really feel into the idea of what your heart feels when you say no, for you and you alone. If we involve the hearts of others, we become ineffective (and exhausted) if we let ourselves expend our energy imagining someone else’s response to our choice. That isn’t the work of our heart, that is the work of our mind. It’s simple to fall into this by the way. If you’ve ever felt compelled to do things to make other people “happy”, or to be liked, this practice can come as a bit of a shock to the system. The brain will come in and attempt to overpower the heart. And that is why we call it practice. We don’t all get it perfect all that time and that’s ok. We just keep trying.

My heart has been this beautiful compass as of late, and for that I am so grateful. In particular I found myself led to this gathering of people at an event on a Saturday. Following my heart, I left 15 minutes later than planned, which is usually a stressor for me. I felt calm, not rushed and completely fine with showing up when I felt like I should. This, in itself is the UTMOST kindness to myself that I can offer. Showing up when I am well rested, calm, happy, and enjoying the ride is exactly the version of me that I want to be. And I am delighted to offer that version of me to the world.

HERE COMES THE ELEMENTAL MAGIC

Simply because I allowed myself to travel at a comfortable speed, even “late” to the posted start time, I created space to exist in the present moment for the drive to the event. In doing so I received SO MANY SIGNS and messages!

At one particular point I was driving through a city on the ocean over a short bridge connecting me from one point of land, over ocean to another point of land. The lyrics of the song playing suggested the lands we walk carry messages for us. In my mind I accepted that and simultaneously felt and saw the bedrock beneath the ocean, a sturdy and unbreakable foundation beneath the powerful weight of the water above it. The water showed the skillful level at which it flowed as nature and gravity would have it, all the while maintaining it’s stunning beauty. The water remained calm at depths, flowing effortlessly this way and that with changing tides. The flow remained calm and steady despite the surface meeting the wind in uncontrolled chaos. In my mind’s eye I felt the invitation from the bedrock and the water to maintain my steady foundation that I’ve built, but to also allow the path of my life to flow calmly like the water in the depths of the ocean, despite the topside storms.

This elemental message felt so strongly that later in this group event, I noticed its relevance come up again. I shared the message I received, noting it as an invitation. It’s a choice to make, just like anything else. Sometimes bending like a river is easier than trying to hold fast against a current that will eventually take you under.

These elements of earth, water, wind and fire offer activations in our conscious and subconscious. If we are paying enough attention to witness the invitation in our lives, we can incorporate these messages to further our personal growth. In the moment that we cling to the idea of being rock solid, life will hand us a storm. Do we stay topside in the wind and the waves, or do we dive deep into the calm still waters and witness the storm as it passes?

Each of these ideas is something we can go back to the heart to decide. And this application spans all aspects of life. Where do I need to be solid like the earth? Where can I breeze in and out like the wind? Where should I flow like water? And where do I need to allow fire to ignite and burn.

In a recent reading I did, I was shown two paths from one starting point ending at the same point. One path was full of light and ease. The other, not so much. Both got to the same ending, and the choice was that of the traveler. The guidance we receive on the way doesn’t simply have to come from ourselves or someone else in the culture. We can rely on the aspects of the elements of the planet we reside on to help guide our path.

And this brings me back to Captain Planet, who is only formed when all of the powers of all the elements are combined. It’s something to think about when we let our hearts decide and lean into the wisdom available from the elements. When we do that, aren’t we all just captain planet? With our hearts combined, I believe we can create worlds to aspire to.

I invite you to play with the winds of change. Sing her a song and she what she blows back. I hope whatever she sends your way lights you up and inspires your path to be that of which you’d love to talk about.

Onward,

T