Inner and Outer Healing Meditation with the Four Elements
Do each breath five times. Breathe with a slow, rhythmic, aware breath. Very REFINED breathing.
Earth Breath:
Feel your bones, the foundation of your body. Breathe slowly and rhythmically in and out through your nose. Breathe into the bones.
Feel the presence of Mother Earth within and around you. Using all of your sense, feel the unity of the minerals in your bones with Her rocks, soil and natural foundation.
Water Breath:
Visualize a fountain of water coming up your spine, bubbling out at the crown of your head and flowing down through all your muscles. The breath itself is a very refined breath in the nose and out through softly pursed lips.
Feel the water streaming through Mother Earth’s body as well as your own. The moisture and fluidity unites you with her Being.
Fire Breath:
Feel a connection with the pulse of the universe, the beat of your heart. Breathe in through the mouth (and the solar plexus). The breath circles up and you breathe out through your nose (and the heart and circulatory system).
The presence of hot fluid iron is at the core of Mother Earth. Her center is fire. Her creativity manifests in all of Nature. Feel the power in your own center birthing powerful creative forces.
Air Breath:
Feel the boundaries of your body – your skin. Sense the spaciousness within the boundaries of your skin and outside of you. Breathe a refined breath in and out through softly pursed lips.
All of nature is breathing within and around you.
Ether Breath:
This breath integrates all of the above. You can breath in and out through nose or more of a natural breath, but integrate all of the elements into this more natural breath.
Feel and know you are one with Heaven and Earth!
Sit silently for a few minutes in the space you’ve created.
This breath practice is part of the Inayati schools of Sufism, based on the teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan and this version is used by members of the Sufi Ruhaniat International.
The visualization/sensations of each element being associated with the body can be credited to Dr. Neil Douglas-Klotz, from his Lucid Voice training.
The Element Breaths were shared by Dr. Sharon Mijares in The Revelation of the Breath: A Tribute to Its Wisdom, Power and Beauty (SUNY Press, 2009).
The indented additions, which are a tribute to our relationship with the Goddess (Pachamama/Madre Tierra/Mother Earth) are an additional meditation as the elements are related to Her manifestation.
