Earth is the Alchemist making the aether that is YOU!
by Sammy Castonguay, M.Sc. Geological Science
© 2019 VIACOM INTERNATIONAL INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NICK AND ALL RELATED TITLES, LOGOS AND CHARACTERS ARE TRADEMARKS OF VIACOM INTERNATIONAL INC
Equinox is upon
us! Balance returns after the cold, long, dark winter. The Earth’s soil is
fertile to seed and our soil-brains are fertile to idea-seeds. Spring is a
great time of year to become attuned to the interaction of the classical elements of Earth Systems.
Many ancient and modern cultures refer
to the Four Classical Elements: Fire, Air, Water, Earth, or some manifestation
of these. Hinduism (tantra), Egyptian (Maat), Greek (roots), and today's Dagarain West Africa or Navaho Voices of North America (Medicine Wheel). Held sacred
for all time, but undoubtedly modern neopaganism and New Age spirituality are doing
a part to revive the presence. Even pop-cultural uses it as source material. One
of my personal favorites is the kid-oriented cartoon Avatar: The LastAirbender series. It is surprisingly philosophical: focused on harmony
between the elements, if one prevails then balance is lost. There are many
references, ancient and modern, to the Fifth
Element: in Alchemy it is known as quintessence, aether, or spirit; in the sci-fi film it is love; and in some neopagan traditions it
is life.
In the Earth System Sciences, we
think a lot about the integration between systems of Earth: Heliosphere,
Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Geosphere, and Biosphere.
·
Helio- The Solar System and central
thermonuclear furnace
light, heat, and energy -----------------------------------------> [Fire]
·
Atmo - gaseous phase of the Earth, the
sky
Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, and
Carbon Dioxide ------------> [Air]
·
Hydro – all water of earth, the trinity
of phases:
vapor gas, liquid, and
solid ice -------------------------------> [Water]
·
Geo - mineral earth*, this big gravitational
mass.
silicate crust, ultramafic mantle, metal
core ----------------> [Earth]
The Fifth
‘sphere’ of Earth Systems Sciences is the Bio or Ecosphere. --------> [LIFE]
The Living-Community system: growing,
carbon-based Kingdom of Life that absorb fire, air, water, and earth. This
sphere is only and essentially a combination of the above. We are
a product of that system. This Equinox,
find balance in mixing the systems of Earth inside of you, creating
your life.
In
your next self-meditation session, for a simple two minutes:
- Move wildly: thinking
about the energy blasted here by the Sun Fire.
- Breathe deeply: thinking
of the gases that fill you Air.
- Drink fully: thinking of
the liquid-vapor-ice trinity molecule
Water.
- Lick a salt: thinking of
the solid crystalline crust Earth.
- Eat a fruit: thinking of
the nourishment in the combination Life.
This Magickal Earth is forging the classical element aether
inside of you.
WE are a product of the systems of Earth… not the other way
around.
ThisMagickalEarth.com
Science. Spirit. Practice.
Reproduced from HedraNews March 2019, with permission. Originally titled "Earth Systems and the Classical Elements".
Other articles archived at thismagickalearth.com/writing
More dialog on this subject (Classical Elements and Earth Systems) can be found on that website under Five Sacred Things.
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