I fell asleep last night to the sound of a late autumn wind rushing through the treetops. Even in its fierceness, the wind calmed me, eventually lulling me into a state of peaceful slumber. Perhaps it was the kindred spirit I feel with nature that calmed me. Mimicking the fierceness of my own soul, I felt understood and comforted by the companionship of Nature’s lullaby. It is in moments such as this when I am reminded of how deeply connected I am to the earth and the natural elements of the world.
Air…rushing through the treetops, in and out with my own breath. In frenzied winds, I inhale and my own shallow breathing is brought to awareness. In stillness, I stop for a moment and rest, my breathing slowed by Nature’s solace. On mornings when the air is brisk and cold, I feel the sensations against me skin. My soul awakens and I feel invigorated, alive, full of passion. Spirited energy runs through my veins as the air kisses my eyelids, and I open my eyes to a world of vibrant dimensions.
Water…forceful waves ripping at the shoreline or the gentle flow of the river I pass above. Undulating currents capture individual moments, swirling them into forms defined by emotion and depth. Awestruck, I watch the river changing with the season’s passing and alterations in the atmosphere. I feel the same flow within me, of constant change and unknown depths. I stand at the edge of the world and feel the intensity of cyclical tidal patterns that know no beginning or end.
Earth…always present in various forms, sometimes crumbling between my fingers and other times strong and steady, holding the weight of me, and the world. The desert, open in its vast expanse, barren and yet so full of possibility. Mountains rising up, silhouettes framed on the horizon, obstacles to surpass, or maybe just climb to the top. Green and fertile, birthing and rebirthing life and ideas, dreams held in the balance when the ground has frozen over. But the freeze will inevitably end and life will be renewed with passion and vitality.
Fire…the very essence of heat, passion, burning beyond the orange flames tinged in blue halos. Seeking warmth yet fearing heat’s power, I become mesmerized by the sight of the dancing flames. Their dance, wild and uninhibited, full of glory and desire, blind and deaf to the warnings and expectations of the world. I struggle against the notions of “good” versus “bad” and leap forward to dance with the simultaneous wildness and purity of the flames.
There are moments throughout life’s journey when I feel I have lost my way, when confusion or doubt or worry invade the corners of my existence and I become stuck, paralyzed in an analysis of my next step. If only I could remember, each day, the parallels that exist between Nature’s elements and my own footsteps. To relinquish that need for control and order and knowledge and simply allow myself to embrace each element, in each moment… of life, of Nature, of myself.
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