I have been studying, journeying, and learning about the elements this year – deepening my connection to, understanding of and experience with these amazing powerful forces of our natural world.

Sitting quietly outside in the wonder of everything growing after a night of thunder, rain and full moon energy this spring, my gaze was captured by the sunlight glowing on the garden and the plants rising up to soak in its energy. Everything they need is within them. All of the ability to transmute the energy of the sun, the energy of water, the gift of life-giving air and the energy of earth into growth is there. Just there.

The plants are not striving and straining to grow, they are absorbing and using the energy around them – they hold a lesson for us in their growth.

So often we struggle and wrestle to understand and meet life’s challenges and cares. We fear we are not learning fast enough, not becoming who we are meant to be, and we search strenuously for something to help us.

In our strivings we often forget that we are expressions of nature, nature beings, and as such, just like the plants, it is our nature to grow. Inherent in our being earth creatures is the immense and intense energy of growth with which every living organism is imbued.

When we recognize ourselves as the seed, the kernel of all possibility, limitless energy, and abundant expression, if we relax into that innate nature and allow what we cannot, as yet, see, hear, taste or feel to manifest, growth will happen. Deep roots of trust, confidence and connection will ground us in our lives and work as we tap into this true state of being with which we are endowed. That of natural beings, blessed with all we need for growth and beauty in this world.  Working consciously with the elements of fire, wind, earth, and air will enhance and empower this process for us, allowing us to tap into the immense natural energies of our world to become and express our true nature and being.

Here’s how to cultivate your soul garden using the elements:

1. Like the plants, we put down roots first; if we grow deeply and consciously into connection with the Earth, understand her integral essential elemental environment that is the perfect deep connection and nourishment we need as earth beings, we have strong beginnings from which to grow. Cultivate your earth energy through grounding and gratitude. Connect with Gaia. Offer her love and thanks. Every day.
2. Nurturing our roots enables us to absorb water. Into the very core of our being, the life-giving fluid flows effortlessly along its prescribed paths – inherent in the seed of all possibility, water hydrates, removes paths of friction and toxicity and fills us with fullness of expression. It is natural to grow when connected to the elements. Connect with your water element to cleanse and hydrate your life.  Reduce friction, bring in flow and growth happens organically. Celebrate water.  Dance with the rain.
3. Reach up toward the sun, go for the dream, the goal, the connection. As the roots deepen the nature of the seed is to reach up toward the sun – moving toward light, energy and passion – finding our flame, claiming our light. This growth is inherent in us as the beings of nature we are. All life comes from darkness into light. From tiny into growth, expansion. We grow because we are. Gaze into fire to be connected to your own passion. Do not be afraid of its powerful burning. Be respectful of its energy and celebrate the light. Allow truth and light to burn away what is not needed as you grow.
4. As we grow larger and stronger we learn to embrace and bend with the winds of change – offering up our own pollen, the seeds of our creativity, to the air and to the winged ones on the air to create abundance. We develop the resilience to bend by listening to and moving with wind. We learn to be flexible and to survive storms because our roots are strong and deep. Though we may suffer damage, we now know we have within us the capacity to regenerate and heal with the energy and cycles of nature’s birth and rebirth. We receive and give with the wind. Listen to the messages it whispers in your heart, move with direction and purpose, stay open to sudden changes in course.

Connecting with the elements will detoxify and strengthen body mind and spirit, producing spiritual growth, naturally and authentically. We connect just as the plants do, through our stillness, through trusting deeply in the nature that is within us: through being who we are and resting in our roots, growing in our awareness and blooming with our hard won passion. We grow as the elemental beings we inherently are. Be well in the garden of your life.

Does your Garden have Weeds? Having trouble growing? Contact Deborah for a Healing with the Elements session.  Like what you read? Stay connected here. Find my creative spirit at DeborahLynnBeginnings.

Deborah Lynn Strafuss is a Reiki Master Practitioner and Teacher, a Spiritual Life Coach, Shamanic Practitioner, Author and Poet.  Her healing practice was founded in 2012 as she learned Reiki to cope with the challenges of her mother’s Alzheimer’s Disease. A mother of 5 and grandmother of 12, she is a Sacred Childbirth with Reiki™ practitioner working with birth and rebirth, bringing her focus to life transitions and healing modalities to assist her clients in transforming life experiences into spiritual strengths for living with grace, beauty, strength, and purpose.

Find Deborah at Crystal Reiki.