Earth, my body,
Water, my blood.
Air, my breath,
And Fire, my Spirit.
This chant was one of the first I learned when I moved onto a path where I shared and learned magic with other practitioners. I use it frequently to build energy for spell work or as an opening to prayer. Sometimes it becomes part of a greeting or lullaby for the land spirits and elemental energies that surround my cottage proper or wherever I encounter them.
During this month of November, when my elemental studies have been earth-focused, there are times it seems the chant has become part of me. I hear the words and feel the energy in the pulsing of my blood even when I am not speaking them. Three times it has appeared as a lyrical background in my dreams. There is a comfortable, familiar energy about it that I can effortlessly slide into to ground myself when magically reaching out to other beings.
A stone wall in Linville Caverns, North Carolina [B. Rhodes]
That is why it was no surprise to me earlier this month when I realized I was humming the chant as I walked through the rich limestone tunnels of Linville Caverns in North Carolina. I have visited the caverns several times and am always awed and delighted by the elemental energy and other spirits present there, so when I was planning my study activities for earth energy I deliberately chose to journey to Linville.
The owners of the cavern are diligent in efforts to preserve the caverns and the lifeforms that occupy it, so they keep the tour groups small. It was easy to linger at the back of the pack and do my own thing while still being mindful of safety and following the rules. I must say it was an interesting exercise in connecting to an energy particularly because one cannot touch the walls or formations within the caverns. The oils present on human skin and chemicals on our clothing can damage the surfaces of the caves.
I honestly do not know what science has to say about it, but it has been my experience that certain types of stone and certain water formations lend themselves to holding, moving, and even magnifying elemental and spirit energy. The porous nature of the shady dolomite (a type of limestone) combined with the non-porous erwin quartzite of which these caverns are composed do all of that in a way that my sensitive spirit perceives as a low-key vibration. As I moved along the path I tuned into that vibration, simultaneously listening to and feeling the heavy, serious, sometimes solemn presence of earth energy.
Other elemental energies sometimes communicate with me using words, but earth most often sends images. I had wondered if sustained communication would be different half a mile deep in the body of the great Mother, but it was not. The presence seemed heavier, but that may have been a trick of perception caused by my awareness of the enormity of the physical mass that surrounded me. The images were different, but in keeping with my location: possibly unexplored caverns, stalactites and stalagmites that were whole, unlike the mostly broken columns seen on the tour, a distinctly comforting and complete darkness, tiny creature skeletons, and large rock formations. I felt that I was being reassured of the solid, steadfast, and true nature of this element, and I did my best to convey my gratitude for our deepening relationship.
At one point the tour was paused while the guide told a story and relayed some information. Still at the back of the group, I closed my eyes and started quietly humming the chant again. By the time I started the second line, the energetic earth vibe that emanates from the walls of the cavern had picked up the rhythm of the chant, and for a moment, my voice and that vibe were in sync. For a moment, my energy and elemental earth energy were in sync. Then the group started to move along, and I opened my eyes and moved along, holding the memory of a playful connection with a usually serious element.
I continued my study through the month, and eventually decided to take one more field trip to deliberately experience the elemental connection in a location other than my own land. What better place than one that elevates the human connection to earth with an iconic mixture of mystery and certainty?
The moon rises over a cemetery in North Carolina [B. Rhodes]
A late-night drive across the county took me to an old familiar place. By the time the moon was rising I was sitting on the frozen grass at the edge of small country cemetery; grounded, roots deep in the hard ground, face turned to drink in the light of the moon. This cemetery is one of those that has the feel of being holy ground – consecrated, sacred, and peaceful. I have always found it to be a good place to do spiritual work.
The moon was shining brightly enough that I could see the details of the gravestones and the valley floor below held no secrets. A family of coyotes was talking to each other in the woods behind me, their movement revealed by the direction of their yipping and barking. I hoped that they would take their hunt out into the light of the valley so I could see them, but they lingered in the shadows instead.
I stayed there between the moon and holy ground, conversing with them both about these darkling days and many other things, including the symbolism inherent in the use and existence of cemeteries, I also thought about how the act of burying an item – a piece of paper with words, a talisman, something symbolic of a spell – is one of the ways in which I interact with elemental earth, trusting it to absorb and renew as needed.
I sent out my own little feelers for elemental earth, but while I could feel its presence, it did not respond to me. Amused but respectful, I likened this non-communication to every other deep relationship I have known. Sometimes one party just does not want to talk.
On the long drive home, I thought about this month of study and the time I spent in my own quiet places, listening to land spirits and the steady whispers coming from the Earth as she continues the work of tucking in for the winter. For the dark days. For the healing, introspective, nurturing time – all the things for which I rely on elemental earth to be a supportive foundation.
My spirit home is in a place that I have always thought of as the north country, and as I continue to grow my relationship with the elemental earth I am struck anew by the correspondence between earth and north. As I continue to move into this season of introspection, I plan to tuck myself into the spaces in between that deep connection.
Earth, my body…
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