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Elemental Circulation
Elemental Circulation
I've successfully used this method as part of a yoga "Sun Salutation," a qigong "Eight Brocades," and taekwondo taegeuk practice. The effects slightly differ with each form of practice, with taegeuk feeling more "solar," qigong feeling more "lunar,", and yoga falling somewhere in between. The point of this practice is to spur my mind and body into awareness of the four elements of creation, restore my personal elemental balance, increase my sensitivity to elemental forces, and enhance general magical capacity. I have found this method of daily practice preferable to other methods of daily "cleansing" which often feel like the energetic equivalent of dousing oneself in bleach. I suspect this method will work with any system of forms involving synchronization of movement with breath.
The entire flow involves 5 steps each with an inhalation and an exhalation synchronized with yoga, qigong, or pumsae. I've also performed the flow as a sitting meditation with natural breathing before bed or if I was injured. The flow is circular from Earth to Water to Air to Fire and back to Earth as noted in this post about Earthbound Astrology. When I first started experimenting with this practice, I had trouble "pushing" through Fire to get back to Earth. In this case, I adopted a cyclical pattern where once I got to Fire I backtracked "down" through Air then Water then back to Earth. For daily practice, I always start and end with Earth, though "resting" in one of the active elements can be a source of power or fuel for spells.
Flow
I begin in Earth. I'm barefoot with my feet in contact with the forest floor. As I inhale, I feel myself calm and my body relax. I take note of my senses, the light filtering in through the canopy, the cool dew forming on my skin, and the earthy smell of peat and tree bark. As I exhale, the sensations bleed away and become transparent, revealing a crystalline structure under the forest. It's as if the world and everything in it is supported by a thin mesh or scaffolding. This stable structure is Earth.
As I inhale, the stable structure melts away, once again covered by forest. I see a doe tending to her fawn. A warmth swells in my chest. I surrender to the doe's emotions and partake in love, joy, and contentment. As I exhale, I continue to ride the turbulent currents of emotion as the doe grows old and dies. I wallow in the sadness, anger, hatred, and loneliness of the fawn. I am swept away by Water.
As I inhale, more time passes, I heal, and detach from the fawn's emotions. The scene plays out over and over again with each new generation bearing young and dying. My awareness expands. I see the Earth spin on its axis and circle the Sun which orbits the galactic center. Clusters of galaxies expand to cosmic filaments. As I exhale, the filaments pulse and creep like blood through my veins. My red blood cells die, regenerate, and recycle. My lungs carry Air to my cells and return Air to the environment. I am Air.
A sensible heat warms my lungs as I inhale. I see the world in infrared. This heat came from the Sun. The Sun was born from a nebula, a circling cloud of dust and gas first set into motion by heat and light at the conception of the Universe. As I exhale, I follow that initial burst of light as it cascades across time and space. This burst of light solidifies into matter. The matter forms a nebula where our Sun is born and through it that original primordial light heats the Earth. I radiate that Fire still.
As I inhale, the forest come back into focus. I feel the Earth between my toes. As before, I attend to my senses. As I exhale, I feel the primordial Fire emanating from my body cool to embers. A gentle breeze caresses my dewy skin. I am calm and relaxed.
Ianvs
Inspiration
Agrippa, C., & Purdue, E. (2021). Three books of occult philosophy. Inner Traditions.
Bardon, F. (2009). Initiation into hermetics : the path of the true adept. Merkur.
Miller, K. (2019). Subtle Energy. Turtles & Crows.
Wu, Z., (2011). Chinese shamanic cosmic orbit qigong : esoteric talismans, mantras, and mudras in healing and inner cultivation. Singing Dragon/Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
I've successfully used this method as part of a yoga "Sun Salutation," a qigong "Eight Brocades," and taekwondo taegeuk practice. The effects slightly differ with each form of practice, with taegeuk feeling more "solar," qigong feeling more "lunar,", and yoga falling somewhere in between. The point of this practice is to spur my mind and body into awareness of the four elements of creation, restore my personal elemental balance, increase my sensitivity to elemental forces, and enhance general magical capacity. I have found this method of daily practice preferable to other methods of daily "cleansing" which often feel like the energetic equivalent of dousing oneself in bleach. I suspect this method will work with any system of forms involving synchronization of movement with breath.
The entire flow involves 5 steps each with an inhalation and an exhalation synchronized with yoga, qigong, or pumsae. I've also performed the flow as a sitting meditation with natural breathing before bed or if I was injured. The flow is circular from Earth to Water to Air to Fire and back to Earth as noted in this post about Earthbound Astrology. When I first started experimenting with this practice, I had trouble "pushing" through Fire to get back to Earth. In this case, I adopted a cyclical pattern where once I got to Fire I backtracked "down" through Air then Water then back to Earth. For daily practice, I always start and end with Earth, though "resting" in one of the active elements can be a source of power or fuel for spells.
Flow
I begin in Earth. I'm barefoot with my feet in contact with the forest floor. As I inhale, I feel myself calm and my body relax. I take note of my senses, the light filtering in through the canopy, the cool dew forming on my skin, and the earthy smell of peat and tree bark. As I exhale, the sensations bleed away and become transparent, revealing a crystalline structure under the forest. It's as if the world and everything in it is supported by a thin mesh or scaffolding. This stable structure is Earth.
As I inhale, the stable structure melts away, once again covered by forest. I see a doe tending to her fawn. A warmth swells in my chest. I surrender to the doe's emotions and partake in love, joy, and contentment. As I exhale, I continue to ride the turbulent currents of emotion as the doe grows old and dies. I wallow in the sadness, anger, hatred, and loneliness of the fawn. I am swept away by Water.
As I inhale, more time passes, I heal, and detach from the fawn's emotions. The scene plays out over and over again with each new generation bearing young and dying. My awareness expands. I see the Earth spin on its axis and circle the Sun which orbits the galactic center. Clusters of galaxies expand to cosmic filaments. As I exhale, the filaments pulse and creep like blood through my veins. My red blood cells die, regenerate, and recycle. My lungs carry Air to my cells and return Air to the environment. I am Air.
A sensible heat warms my lungs as I inhale. I see the world in infrared. This heat came from the Sun. The Sun was born from a nebula, a circling cloud of dust and gas first set into motion by heat and light at the conception of the Universe. As I exhale, I follow that initial burst of light as it cascades across time and space. This burst of light solidifies into matter. The matter forms a nebula where our Sun is born and through it that original primordial light heats the Earth. I radiate that Fire still.
As I inhale, the forest come back into focus. I feel the Earth between my toes. As before, I attend to my senses. As I exhale, I feel the primordial Fire emanating from my body cool to embers. A gentle breeze caresses my dewy skin. I am calm and relaxed.
Ianvs
Inspiration
Agrippa, C., & Purdue, E. (2021). Three books of occult philosophy. Inner Traditions.
Bardon, F. (2009). Initiation into hermetics : the path of the true adept. Merkur.
Miller, K. (2019). Subtle Energy. Turtles & Crows.
Wu, Z., (2011). Chinese shamanic cosmic orbit qigong : esoteric talismans, mantras, and mudras in healing and inner cultivation. Singing Dragon/Jessica Kingsley Publishers.