Earth Connection Ritual

This ritual was designed to help people connect their energies with the Earth. I try to connect with the Earth on a daily basis but sometimes it takes a stronger tie to feel your energy and the Earth's energy connect. We transfer energy as a way to help Mother Earth heal from her wounds, wounds that our species has made.

Here is a simple ritual that can help you have a stronger connection with our Mother as well as a way to help with the healing process which is never ending. This ritual will also keep you tied to the Earth as long as you wish for it to be so.

Here is what you'll need to begin:

• Pentacle
• Bowl of Water
• Green Candle
• Blue Candle
• Red Candle
• Bowl of Salt
• Incense (your choice)
• Sacred herbs (of your choice that reflect your impression of the Earth)
• A Planting Pot
• Soil
• Paint or Markers
• Seeds or Sprouts (your choice of plant)

Set up your altar with the Pentacle in the center, the bowl of water to the West and the bowl of Salt to the East. Place the green candle to the right and the blue candle to the left North of the Pentacle. Place the red candle to the South.

The blue and green candle represent the Earth while the red candle represents its core, the heat and magma within. Cleanse your sacred space and the materials that you are using with the water, salt and incense. Call in the Quarters and speak your devotions to Mother Gaia or any Earth Goddess that you feel a connection to. 

Take the planting pot and draw on it or color it however you wish. You may wish to charge and consecrate this pot with the powers of the elements and the power of the Earth Goddess. Take the soil and fill it three quarters of the way full. During this time you can place talismans, healing stones, or other trinkets within the soil to charge it with healing energy. Place your seeds or sprouts in the soil and cover with soil.

Place your hands over the soil with the seed or plant and speak to the Earth Goddess, infusing the soil and plant with your healing energy and the energy of the Earth. After you have finished, open your Circle. Place your plant in a spot with the right requirements (sunny or shady) and speak to your growing plant often. Whenever you speak to it, you are also speaking to the Earth Goddess within.

Book Review: The Earth Path by Starhawk

Starhawk is a very well known author in the the Wiccan tradition. She's also a very well known environmental activist and spreads her wisdom around the world through her books, her workshops, and her involvement in the Pagan community. Her book, The Earth Path, incorporates her views of the Earth, its energies, and how they connect to the Wiccan tradition.

In her book. she speaks about biodiversity in the the ecosystems and the importance of grounding and using energy to help heal Earth along with the reverence we can show toward the Earth. She speaks of environmental activism and ways for the average person to take part in energy conservation such as converting "gray water" (contaminated water) into a reusable source for gardens. Other ways include creating hydroelectricity from running streams, catching rainwater in tanks as a usable source, and by converting solar energy into electricity for the home.

Starhawk dedicates a good portion of her book to creating lasting connections with nature and the five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Spirit. She equates the Spirit to patterns such as spirals that can be seen throughout nature. She also incorporates exercises with each element and outlines of rituals that can be done with groups or alone.

I found this book to be very insightful and especially detailed when interpreting the elements and their significance to the cycle of life. I would recommend this book to people who wish to learn more about the environment and who wish to become more connected with their home in nature.

To learn more about Starhawk and this book, you may visit http://www.starhawk.org/writings/earth_path.html

The Elements

Picture from: http://integrationtraining.co.uk/blog/2011/06/types.html

I'm sure everyone has heard of the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. You've seen these 4 elements referenced in books, in myths, everywhere really. In classical thought, they are the basic foundation for life as we know it. In ancient beliefs, these elements were discovered as the basis for life through natural observation of the environment. They represent the states of matter: Earth for solids, Air for gases, Water for liquids, and Fire for plasma. In Wicca, we recognize these four elements as existing in harmony with one another but we also recognize a fifth element that is not from the material world. This fifth element is the Spirit. These elements are not unique to Wicca. They have been recognized by many faiths and peoples such as Hinduism, Buddhism, the Greeks, and Egyptians. 

So, what do these elements represent for Wicca? Well let's take a look.

Air

Air is typically associated with the direction of North or East depending on what tradition of Wicca you're from. Many Neo-Wiccan traditions associate Air in the East where the sun rises. In my tradition, we associate Air with the North for the Northern winds. Also, depending on which hemisphere you live in (I being from the Northern hemisphere) the direction will vary. Air is normally attributed the qualities of wisdom, knowledge, the mind, travelling, uplifting, communication, and a connection with the soul. Air is connected to the masculine. Its corresponding colors are yellow and white and it is connected with the suit of Swords in Tarot.

Earth

Earth can be associated with the direction of East or North depending on the Wiccan tradition. Its qualities include strength, endurance, stability, material possessions, prosperity, the home, wealth, nurture, and the cycle of life (birth, life, death, and rebirth).I consider this element to be very important as it represents our home and the womb the Goddess. Earth is connected to the feminine and is strongly connected to the Goddess. Its corresponding colors are green and brown and it is connected with the suit of Pentacles in Tarot.

Water

Water is associated with the West in most traditions. Its qualities include emotions, compassion, healing, clarity, cleansing, love, empathy, peace, serenity, and purification. Water is connected to the feminine and the Goddess. Water can also be used as a psychic medium and absorbs the psychic energy around it meaning it typically must be cleansed often.  Its corresponding color is blue and it is connected with the suit of Cups in Tarot.

Fire
Fire is typically associated with the South (or North in the Southern Hemisphere). This direction faces the equator which is home to the hottest and driest areas of the world. Fire is associated with purification, strong will, energy, passion, desire, sexuality, and fertility. Most people associate fire with destruction, however, it can also create. When a forest fire sweeps the land it leaves ashes behind. These ashes fertilize the ground and clear the land in order for new seeds to sprout and to create a new, more stable ecosystem. It is an important element in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Fire is masculine and is often associated with the fertility of the God. Its colors are red and orange and is connected to the suit of Wands in Tarot.

Spirit
The spirit is associated with the center of the Circle. It is not connected to the material world. The Spirit is where all the elements connect. Some say the Spirit represents the essence of the Divine and our Higher Power. However, it can also be associated with the intangible, paths into the unknown, of promise, the soul of life itself. It is the place of great energy. Its color is represented as black or purple.

References:

http://www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk/the_elements/spirit.asp

http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/wiccaandpaganismbasics/a/elements.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_element

Earthing

Picture from: http://www.naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/2013/04/the-health-benefits-of-walking-barefoot.html

I've known about the benefits of Earthing, or walking barefoot, for quite sometime but until recently have I been seeing these pictures pop up around the internet highlighting being barefoot. When I do outdoor rituals when the weather permits, I do them barefoot to feel the ground. To use the Earth energy around me to feed into the purpose of the ritual. I also love to dance barefoot.

Since we live in a society where being barefoot in cities and certain areas is not permitted we tend to keep our shoes on whenever possible because it's convenient. Go ahead. Take those shoes off and feel the grass and dirt beneath them. Even if you're surrounded by concrete you can still make use of the ground. Earthing, is becoming very popular. It's always been popular to me but now it's finally being recognized as healthy and energizing.

Love the Earth. Walk the Earth. Harmonize with the Earth.

Earth Song

Singer: Mary DeQuattro

Song: Earth Song