May 22, 2010

Homage to the Element of Earth


The Earth is our mother…  We must take care of Her…

Earth is what holds, nurtures and sustains us.  Earth is our body.  Earth is our wealth, our healing, our stability.  Earth is what grounds our excess energy and keeps us well-rooted.  Earth is our tangible, stable support system.

When: Full Moon

Where: Outdoors in comfortable weather

Dress:  Appropriate to outdoor work

Items Required:

1 jar/vase of pure oil (olive, safflower, sunflower)

A powdered incense that makes you feel aligned with the element of air

An incense burner appropriate for burning powdered incense

A self-igniting charcoal disk

4 large stones arranged in a circle to represent the directions.

Appropriate color quarter candles (shielded), to place at each stone (not on the stone)

Wooden matches

A bowl or saucer

Your athame or wand

What to do:

Light the candles and draw a circle around the stones with your athame or wand.  Place the incense burner in the North and light the self-igniting charcoal disk.  Starting at the east, pour a quantity of oil on the stone.  Raise your arms to the sky and call the element of Air and Wise Ones of the East to you.  Continue on around the circle, calling each quarter energy into the circle ending in the North.  Do not invoke the energies to the North yet.  Kneel or sit comfortably in the North Quarter, making sure your body is in contact with the Earth.  Place some of the powdered incense on the charcoal.  While sitting, run your hands through the grass and Earth around you.  Feel the texture of the Earth.  Feel how cool the Earth feels.  Rub the Earth between your hands.  Bring the Earth to your nose and inhale its scent.  Put a touch of the Earth on your tongue and taste it.

Once you have spent several minutes communing with the Earth, stand and call the element of Earth and the Wise Ones of the North.  What do you feel when they come in?  Call in the little gnomes, who are the elementals of the North.  Picture them as they dance into the circle.

Once you have invoked all of the above energies into your circle, lay flat on your stomach, head pointed to the North, left arm to the West, right arm to the East and both feet to the South.  Feel the connection to the Earth and let the energies of the Earth flow up through your body.  As you lay there, tell the Mother Earth what you need.

Whisper your request to the earth.  Feel the energy move through your body and know that you will be provided for.  Thank the Mother Earth for listening and caring for you.  Thank Her for giving you a place to live, food to eat, Her healing powers and for providing a place to ground  energies.  Give your love and appreciation back to Her.

Arise to a sitting position.  Pour some of the remaining oil into the bowl or saucer.  Add a handful of dirt to the oil and mix it with your fingers until it forms a thin paste.  Using the dirt/oil mixture, bless your hands, feet, heart and head.

Take a few more minutes to commune with Earth and North if you desire. When you have finished, stand and thank the Ancient Ones of the North  for their presence and energies.  Send the gnomes along their way, saying “harming none on your journey”. Extinguish the North candle.  Pinch out the candles in reverse order, West, South and East. Depart the circle taking the candles with you.

Wait fifteen minutes, then record your impressions in your Book of Shadows.

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