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The Five Elements
Most of the world’s great religions begin with, ‘In the beginning…’ In Taoism, this beginning was ‘original unity,’ the dark void of being-ness. The Taoists view this as an overarching super intelligence (of which we are a co-creative part) rather than a ‘punitive old man in the sky keeping score!’ From
this Tao came the five creative forces governing our lives on
earth. Following is a brief overview of these natural forces.
FIRE
Imagine you have the power to switch off the
sun – not for minutes, but for months. What kind of world
would it be? No sun, no life. Fire is the power to illuminate,
and by its nature creates warmth and heat, and therefore the
conditions of life. It is the element in charge of communication
through leadership and relationship. All of the loves, play,
celebration and laughter are under the domain of fire. Our joy
for life and all of its aspects are governed by fire. Learn more
about the officials associated with Fire.
EARTH
Imagine the hungry child at the mother's
breast. This is our relationship to mother earth. All of the
first nation cultures around the world think of earth as the
mother. Female is earth. Therefore the archetypal positive
gifts of womanhood apply to this element: nourishment, compassion,
caretaking and empathy. Earth is the creation and growth of
life. Earth provides the "ground" for our very existence
and represents the hearth and circle of life. It is a baby
growing in the womb, or a seed growing in the ground to become
food. It is our loaminess and fecundity. It is our coming back
to center. Learn more about the officials associated
with Earth.
METAL
Imagine with each breath we take, we are
literally breathing the breath of the divine and the deepest
reaches of space. And with each exhale, our feet anchor to
the sacred matrix of minerals that make up earth. Metal is
the skeleton of the earth. Metal is masculine; in our patriarchal
society, it expresses the manifestations of the modern world.
As archetyped by the mineral kingdom, all rocks, ores, minerals,
human-created metals, jewels and the precious metals we lust
after, fight wars for and get down on our bended knees to offer
to our beloved, come under its domain. It represents structure,
hard edges, boundaries, tradition, the seeking of the material,
religious, spiritual comforts, enlightenment and all modern
day communication. Learn more about the officials associated
with Metal.
WATER
Imagine a long journey through a desert
with no water and then suddenly discovering a crystal clear
spring. Without water, the combination of the earth’s
soil, the awesome sun and the seeds of flora could not come
to fruition. Water is life! Water allows us to flourish and
flow. We call this “flourishment.” Its nature is
deep and unfathomable like the ocean, yet it is fluid, adaptable
and malleable, like a greater mountain stream. Water is will
and willingness. It is the great cleanser and purifier of life.
In Taoist tradition, it is the softest substance that can wear
down the hardest object over time. When it meets resistance,
it simply flows around it. Water is the image used most to
describe the movements of martial arts. Learn
more about the officials associated with Water.
WOOD (Flora)
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This a preview of the slides used in the 5 Element workshops, and also on the upcoming DVD. Contact us about registering for a workshop or on purchasing the DVD.
This slideshow requires Apple Quicktime in order to view it properly.
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Imagine walking through a treeless desert in contrast
to temperate rain forest, sheltered and protected from the elements.
Wood's true name is flora. Flora is fecund, relentless and expansive
force of benevolence. It represents all green living growing things
on the planet. It is the network of root systems, the striving toward
heaven: the great mother trees, the most delicate fragile orchids and
everything in between. Flora is fibrous and flexible. It nourishes
and cleanses us through the food we eat. Wood is the benevolence of
the shade of a favorite tree on sunny day. It uplifts our tired and
hurt souls with its beautiful fragrances, myriad eye-pleasing, mind-calming
flowers, while providing home and shelter for the birds that sing us
awake and asleep at dawn and dusk. Throughout history, flora has provided
us with shelter and home. Flora's mandate is the archetype for all
human legal endeavors. Flora is in command and control of the DNA/RNA
matrix in all living beings. Learn more about the officials associated
with Water.
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