Fire and Earth : Wands and Pentacles Through An Esoteric Lens

The theme for this came to me as we drove through the beautiful area of sacred Mount Shasta on our way home from a large Sufi gathering. My husband and I had just finished up teaching a week-long retreat on Tarot and the Soma of the Elements and I was still feeling the grace and richness of our experience. Sharon’s invitation to those of us on Instagram spoke to me and within an hour of reaching out to her the title and focus for this Fall Tarot Blog Hop emerged asking for a voice. I've chosen to use Kat Black's Golden Tarot with its rich rusts, browns and golds, perfect for this time of the year.

We've each been asked to write about something related to the Fall season. For me so much of it is about the shifting elemental energy and color--reds and oranges, yellows and burnished golds along with the rich dark loam of an earth that is preparing for a long sleep. I love how these how these elements, fire and earth, merge with each other in such a visually stunning way. 

I grew up in central Canada and the rolling hills and surrounding woods were always a blaze of color at this time of year. As though Fall had stored up all of summer's Fire and embodied it through the Earth of leaves and bushes, grasses and hills, an awe to be honored and reveled in.

In ascribing seasons to the Tarot suits there are differing opinions but mine is such that Winter correlates with Swords, Spring with Cups with all that water starting to flow again, Summer with Wands with the Sun being at its strongest, and Fall with Pentacles, a time when the harvests come in and the bounty of the earth is appreciated and celebrated with nourishing feasts for body and soul. 

With that paradigm as my rubric I want to explore the synergistic relationship between the two suits and the elements they represent, Wands and Pentacles as Fire and Earth respectively by drawing on some of the Tibetan and Sufi teachings on these two elements.

Where Water always finds its level Fire rises, it leaps and jumps, it wants more. It is movement, actively and relentlessly seeking out material to sustain it. Envision logs on a bonfire, the devastation of a forest fire, a match or even a candle, the flame consuming the wick to stay alive. In this sense fire needs the earth to survive and thrive. Positive Fire energy manifests as the capacity to create, to initiate projects and to complete what creativity sets in motion. It's related to enthusiasm, to inspiration.

In the suit of Wands we see cards in which burden or conflict is pronounced.  This could be considered an afflicted fire energy.The burden however is often the earth element inert. What is needed psychologically is fire to inspire and spur on. Earth plods, it's static, Fire moves. Those Wands could be put in a bonfire and used for fuel. The figure could breathe deeply into the hara center for strength and endurance. S/he could get angry at the load and use that anger as fuel to either leave the situation or continue with renewed strength and purpose. Each of these responses draws on the fire element. 

We also see success that is directional and we see movement and potential. The movement is always going "somewhere". In the Eight the movement is often directed upwards across the sky. In the Six it is active success that is either returning from 'battle' or heading out on another adventure crowned with the potential for victory. In the Five we see a dance or a joust depending on the mood. And the Seven shows us a use of fire that stabilizes and grounds while at the same time being active. Here Fire and Earth are complementing each other naturally. The movement and energy in these cards is dynamic. 

The two cards where there is less movement are also the two cards where the Water element is present. Water, of course, dampens Fire's energy with the potential to put it out completely. These two cards for me show a tempering of the Fire element through receptivity rather than reactivity or activity. 

A good way to explore whether you've got an imbalance of Fire is to look to the strength of your digestion, to notice whether you've got interests that spark your soul, to see what your temper is like behind the wheel, to watch yourself in heated situations. Those of us with too much fire are easily agitated, lack the stability of the earth and move from idea to idea. These will all tell you something about your own relationship to this element

In Earth we see almost the opposite. It is the ground of our ordinary life. Earth is stable to the point of being static. Heavy, solid, connected, secure, these are all qualities associated with the earth element. This element is represented by the suit of Pentacles.  People with a lot of earth are steady, reliable, methodical. They are confident and rooted and are able to stay the course. 

We see a lot of this in the suit of Pentacles. The Two shows us how to balance our earth energies by adding the Water element, movement and flow. The figure is shown dancing while juggling two large Pentacles encircled by a lemniscate. The water behind the figure is that tempering influence to call upon, the way to recalibrate. I love the inclusion of the lemniscate as it reminds that our earthly actions are always operating within the larger realm of Spirit. And the three speaks to that quality of staying the course, of keeping the ideal grounded in the physical plane. 

The Four and Five speak to an imbalance of earth. Too much earth produces stasis, hoarding, withholding, either or resources or emotions. No movement here. And the Five is the result of that kind of scarcity mentality, that sense of generosity begetting itself, and how a body at rest tends to stay at rest. The Pentacles teach us this, teach us how to move with the static of elements, how to let it work its magnetism within us. We see this in the Six, the quality of titration inherent in the offering of the nobleman/teacher. The scales here for me speak not to parsimony but balance and knowing just how much the student or receiver is able to receive at a given time.

In the Seven and Eight we see the beginnings of mastery, of real service and finding our place within it. Here's we're learning how to make the earth element work for us, learning how to dance with it. The Seven speaks to a kind of soul regeneration, the pause that takes in what has been done, allows it a place in the body with patience and affirmation. The pace of the earth moves slowly, the earth itself is patient, is humble and these qualities are present in both of these cards.

What is the gardener but a cultivator of the soul, someone who knows just when to water, to nourish, to leave be, to allow light or darkness when needed. This is mastery.

The Nine and the Ten are, in some ways, the apotheosis of this element. An understanding of how to channel the earth's riches, which is to say how to channel the earth element itself, in a way that is positive, beneficial for more than just oneself and seeds things for future generations. There is an understanding, here, of the sensual qualities of the earth, its beauty and fullness. Resources, be they money, harvest, services or are not in question. There is true stability and the opportunity to enjoy that stability and from the experience acquired through the suit there is now insight available for use. This is a somatic truth.

Purification of the Elements through Breath

Though I have only focused on two elements here both the Sufis and the Tibetans have breaths for purifying all the elements in the body. I'm sharing the Sufi approach here. Once you're familiar with the visualization these breaths are practiced one after the other and can be added to any meditation practice as a way to bring alignment to the inner elements in your own body at the beginning or end of your practice. They're also great practiced outdoors immersed in the actual elements. I've cut and pasted the basics from a friend's site. And I've added a bit to round things out. I hope you've enjoyed this little trip through two of the elements and that the meditation below will be of practical benefit.
 

Earth

Feel the healing power of the earth. You may have felt this in your feet while walking barefoot outdoors or in your hands when working in a garden. 

Try to sense a subtle reality, a crystalline lattice-like structure, behind the denser aspects of the physical plane. Sense that, at this subtle level, the earth is not only a singular organism but is also connected to the solar system and part of a galaxy. In your connection to the earth, you are also connected to the moon, neighboring planets, the sun and distant stars. 

Water

The breath of the water element brings a sense of flow, of vitality and purity, and helps unleash creativity. It is also useful in breaking free from habitual thinking patterns, encouraging feelings of moving forward through life and flowing around obstacles rather than hitting them head on. 

Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. You can imagine exhaling a fine stream of water through the mouth. You might imagine yourself immersed in a mountain stream. Feel the drops of water penetrating your cells, dripping off of your fingertips. Feel water reaching your chest and heart, helping to loosen any tightness and obstruction there. Feel energized and renewed, again focussing on those parts of the body that are in need of healing, and those that lack life energy and vibrancy. 

Concentrate on the purity of a crystal clear lake or stream, high up in the mountains. Let yourself become the water, and let the qualities of purity, life energy and power flow into your immediate environment.

Fire

The breath of the fire element is quickening. It sparks inspiration and is very useful when you feel drowsy and dull after a period of intense practice. Breath in through the mouth, hold the breath momentarily and then breathe out through the nose. On the inhalation, imagine fanning a fire in the solar plexus, the area in the center of your rib cage, with a bellows. Purse your lips and draw in a thin stream of air. As you draw in, visualize the embers of the fire glowing. Then hold the breath momentarily, and bring your attention up to the center of the heart chakra, a sensitive point found a few inches above the solar plexus. Exhale through the heart chakra, imagining that you are radiating golden sunlight.

On the inhalation, come in touch with your soul's desire; your aspirations for spiritual awareness and understanding; your desire to be authentic; to make your life meaningful and worthwhile; to stand up for what you believe in. On the exhalation, radiate light as if from a miniature sun in your heart. Feel the light to be intense and golden.

Use the fire breath as a place of offering up the parts of yourself you would like to transform. Subject your self-doubt, cynicism, addictive patterns or resentments to the fire. Avoid making pledges you won't keep. Simply clarify your intention and open yourself to the purification process.

Instead of using will power to change, the concentration on the fire element represents the action of life as a teacher, who activates and burns up what needs to be burned, a natural force of change and growth, by which your deeper nature emerges.

Air 

Breathe in through the mouth and out through the mouth. The breath of the air element relates to freedom, ecstasy and transcendence. Imagine yourself to be like a great eagle perched high on a mountain. Feel the wind ruffling your feathers, blowing through all your pores. Feel the coolness and freshness of the air. Soar upwards on the currents of air. On the inhalation, feel yourself buoyant and free, like a zephyr crossing a lake and lifting upwards. On the exhalation, allow yourself to reach out beyond the boundaries of the body. Let your being disperse with the wind, and let your consciousness reach out into the cosmos. Enjoy a sense of vastness and, if it helps, visualize vast landscapes, such as a mountain, canyon, or the starry night sky.

Ether

Very refined breath inhaling and exhaling through the nose.

After you have completed the purification breaths, reflect upon the effect of all the elements taken together. While separately each of the breaths emphasizes different forces and qualities in one's being, together the breaths bring about a sense of wholeness. Each element complements and moderates each other. According to your own makeup, you may feel the need to place more emphasis on one or another in order to attain greater balance.

To sum up :: 

Earth Breath: In the nose and out the nose 
Water Breath: In the nose and out the mouth 
Fire Breath : In the mouth and out the nose 
Air Breath: In the mouth and out the mouth 
Ether Breath : In the nose and out the nose, very refined, whole body is breathing

~

The Autumn Equinox marks the balance between light and dark and is also known as Mabon by Pagans and Wiccans. To celebrate Autumn, several of us have banded together to support your own Equinox Journey, offering tarot and oracle card spreads; information on how to work with the Colours of Autumn; tips on working with your Inner Cauldron; new additions for your Art Journal; creative writing tips; working with Lilith; the journey of Persephone, Demeter and Hades, and much much more. To read the next article in the Fall Tarot Blog Hop, click here.