In this ‘stack’ you’ll find practice notes on 5 of my current go to’s for nourishing mind / body / soul / spirit through relationship with the Element’s of Space, Air, Fire, Water & Earth.
For any who prefer video to type (generally or currently) skip to the end for a cinematic resting place.
As I write:
The oaks that reside alongside me are signaling spring. The squirrels are becoming less thick, less bushy, more sleek, more shiny. The Pedicularis is profuse & I came across the first Mugwort shoots of the year.
The joy I’ve been experiencing with the increased sunlight (& subsequent blooming) is tempered by continuous grief. My prayer; may we hold ourselves (& leadership) to higher standards of humanity & command our will(s) in ways that serve the children (living, dead & yet to be birthed).
Here in the northern hemisphere the call to rise, to grow, to break through the barriers is alive (for myself & many others).
We recently experienced a lunar eclipse in the sign of Libra.
“The ways in which we are relating that are not clean are being cleared out… There’s a way in which balance has existed with what we’ve had on the scales, some of what we were using to create balance is getting cleared off.” Ayla Rose
Hidden relational imbalances have come up for tending & weight-shifting for me, what about you?).
The moon is also preparing to eclipse the sun in the sign of Aries. Something is about to begin….
“If not now, then when.” Mariam Arcana
“The beginning is never the beginning.” Udide, The Great Weaver.
May the practices that follow here support the cultivation of the nutritive substance needed to align with the ever (r)evolving cycle of “Living & Dying” with reverence for all people (human & otherwise).
Here’s (some of) what I’m practicing & observing at present:
PRACTICE: Tracking Posture
Notice posture.
Notice & track states, emotions & thoughts that accompany posture.
Create & notice postural change.
Notice & track states, emotions & thoughts that accompany postural change.
Track noticing’s across temporal & spacial variants.
NOTES: this one…. whoa.
It’s been years since I first learned of the relationship between posture & state, state & emotion, emotion & thought (a cyclical relationship that revolves both directions). There’s a simple elegance to the dynamic.
When I am slouched / shortened / closed.
My chest caves.
My breath tends to be more shallows.
I tend toward slower, more depressive thoughts, lowness & trending into lethargy / sedentariness.
I tend to withdraw from relational connection & sink into my own depths alone feeling pulled in & at times isolated.
None of this is inherently “bad”. I find value in the inward, in the slow. Within my slump time I discover inner spaces to visit, aspects to connect with & love. It’s a place of resting & recharging when approached well. But getting stuck there…. not so good for me.
When I am upright / tall / open.
My chest opens.
My breath deepens.
I tend toward more expansive thoughts, more connectivity & more abundant capacity for the “doing” side(s) of living.
I tend to welcome relational connection & feel more capable of holding both myself & those around me.
None of this is inherently “good”. Expansion can become “too much”, I can be too big, too loud, too strong, too sharp, etc. I can do too much & burn myself out. There are benefits to softening, relaxing & remembering to modulate my expansion.
The above notes represent only a miniaturized polar example of the multi-dimensional variables that influence & emerge from posture.
PRACTICE: Cultivating Oracular Consciousness
Form a question.
Let it be deep.
Let its answer be mysterious.
Connect with some form of divining technology (tarot, oracle cards, runes, shells, bones, tea leaves, dreamtime, etc.)
If you don’t have a relationship with any such technology I recommend cultivating one.
I also recommend connecting with someone who does such as:
Myself or one of the other readers at Mystic Flora Apothecary.
Drop into an open, meditative state.
Reveal & ask the question(s).
Open yourself to answers, remain willing to be surprised, avoid assuming that they will show up in a particular form.
Notice & track what happens next (days/weeks/months/years)
NOTES: My initial expose into the oracular was working with dreams.
I would meditate & connect with a question (or series of questions) daily.
Just before bed I would connect with that question & request to have answers emerge during my sleep cycle.
The dreams that rose from this cycle of practice were reliably vibrant, vivid, filled with meaning.
Following the answers provided in the dreamspace led me into a series of experiences that deeply changed the foundational state of my life & opened me into a way of living that previously was unimaginable (we’ll leave that vague for now…).
I’ve learned that there is deep (often ancestrally relevant) wisdom to be connected to through the oracular. The more I’ve learned the more it has become apparent that oracular consciousness has long (always?) had a place within the fabric of tranasglobal humaning.
In studying history (ancient & current) I’ve noticed that where oracular connection has been severed, other (often less humble / benevolent) expressions of divining have a tendency to emerge AND in many instances wreak ecological havoc (ie. scientific materialism, dogmatic clergies, algorithmic social manipulation, etc.).
For any inspired to tap into & cultivate a deeper relationship with the oracular I deeply & highly recommend the work of Ayla Rose & her mentorship containers.
(Full transparency: Ayla is my life partner. She’s also one of the most transformative forces in my journey to date).
PRACTICE: Kapalabhati (Breath of Fire)
Complete the following breath cycle for 3 rounds. After each round of breath hold empty lungs for as long as is safely possible.
Round 1: 25 breaths
Round 2: 50 breaths
Round 3: 108 breaths
Sit Upright in an accessible, open posture.
Contract the diaphragm forcefully & quickly to exhale
Pull bellybutton toward spine.
Compress ribcage
Contract the muscles of the waist.
Relax for a quick, passive inhale.
Repeat Rapidly for the duration of the set.
After the final exhale in each set hold empty lungs until the NEED to breathe returns/. At that point initiate the next set.
This specific format for Kapalabhati was introduced to me by Alika Medeiros & is intended to purify the lungs. It is especially supportive for those who are looking to remediate some of the side effects of smoking.
NOTES: I’ve been working with breath of fire for over a decade now. It’s become a staple in my practice & has taken many different forms.
It has supported me in:
Clearing emotional charge when feeling overwhelmed.
Finding center when feeling anxious.
Building heat when cold.
Purging negative thought-forms.
more.
Recently I’ve been enjoying working with this breath in group formats. There’s something special about clearing out the “inners” together. One of the men in our monthly Mens Group shared a YouTube channel that offers guided breathwork to music. They often incorporate breath of fire, this ones on of my favs:
(I have no affiliation with this channel)
PRACTICE: Listening
Stop whatever is being done for a moment.
Pause.
Focus attention on whatever sounds are happening in surrounding space.
Expand the sphere of listening.
Become aware of as many different sounds as is (safely) possible.
Notice any thoughts, associations, physical & emotional sensations that accompany what is heard.
NOTES: My ears are incredibly sensitive. Funny to write given how tone deaf I also know myself to be…. Still, it’s true.
It’s amazing to me how much my ears pick up on & how much attention they can (with & without choice) place on soundscapes.
Certain sounds resound “loudly” despite being quiet. Others are easily “tuned out” despite being loud.
What’s most fascinating to me is to notice how much influence sound has on my nervous system. As I write this I’m lodged in a corner eddy at a busy mall (not a typical ecosystem for me). I took a moment to play with this practice from my seat here.
I noticed my attention attempting to drift away from the chaotic waves of sound to my left, seeking to “escape” to the relative quiet to my right.
Something metallic dropped close by. My chest tightened, my focus constricted, my whole body tensed for a moment.
I zoomed out further.
Vaguely in the background of the human noises surrounding me I made out a gentle brushing, wind in trees. Finding this brought me into a more relaxed space.
I was (am) happy to put my headphones back on & tune into self-chosen vibrations of music….
It feels important to me to play with this practice in many different soundscapes. To notice in the variables of sound how they impact my internal state(s).
Admittedly I prefer the terrain of less (human created) chaos that my ears find in forests, isolated beaches, etc. I prefer it because I feel more at ease there, my ears search for danger less, my nervous system relaxes.
The irony that a 200lbs white dude with plenty of martial arts experience (me) feels more threatened & on edge surrounded by children, families, shoppers than in the hunting lands of Mountain Lions & Coyotes is not lost on me. There’re things to work with there…..
PRACTICE: Honor Water with movement.
Find a body of water (or imagine one).
Emulate it’s movement.
Play with allowing different joints to lead the motion.
Allow the movement to be as slow or fast as is appropriate & safe.
Notice sensations.
Honor restrictions.
Offer gratitude to the waters (within &/or without) in a way that feels natural.
NOTES: This video is a version of this practice created as part of my initiation as Priest of the Elements within The Order of The Stag & The Rose.