Earth, Water, Fire, Air. Four elements tied together by the fifth, Ether. Though I have known most of these elements since my childhood days, it was encountering the teachings of the mystic Hazrat Inayat Khan in the late 1970’s that made them a precious part of my life. 

Known to the Inayatiyya as the Purification Breaths* (see Reference Notes below), these simple daily breathing practices, have been a part of my life for 45 years and counting. As I continue doing them, they take me deeper and deeper, create balance, and keep me healthy most of the time. Though it’s a personal practice, it is also universal. More and more, these days I feel the importance of doing these practices for the Earth and Gaia, as a Healing for Humanity. Starting by doing them for myself, the breath flows naturally to a wider world.

Love Letter to Gaia

Gaia Sweet Gaia
I taste your breath
On my lips

Gaia Sweet Gaia
I grab your power
With hands and feet

Gaia Sweet Gaia
I conjure your mind
In my heart

Gaia Sweet Gaia
I rest in your bosom
As if we are lovers

Gaia Sweet Gaia
For me there is
no other.

As a photographer and writer, a gardener and sometimes traveler, I have the good fortune to tune to the actual elements. I live in the countryside in “the other” Kamogawa on the Boso Peninsula, with a big natural garden and a view of the hills and mountains; the ocean is less than 3 kilometers away. My home is in Japan but looks much like the east coast Blue Ridge Mountains in my home birth state of Virginia. Doing these breathing attunements outdoors in the elements is a special blessing. But there are also days when I do them in a hotel room looking out the window or standing on the platform before catching an early morning train. In the 1980’s when I lived in Tokyo, I mostly did them on my morning commute to the station, walking along the Tamagawa Josui canal on a dirt path with big trees. 

Knowing Kyoto for 45 years, it’s easy to see it as conducive to attuning to the elements, whether in the pure nature of the surrounding mountains, the Kamogawa River in the middle of the city, various walks and pathways, or the myriad of shrines, temples and gardens. In fact, they are so entwined, I find it difficult to say which special spot symbolically embodies a particular element the best. Though I gave it some thought for this essay, I know readers will have their own ideas and favorite element-connecting locations.

One of my favorite places is Otagi Nenbutsu-ji on the outskirts of Arashiyama. I like to rent a bicycle at the station to make the mostly uphill journey, a healthy warming up of my elements. I’ve visited many times over the years with a variety of cameras. It’s a very earthy place with big trees hanging on the slopes and lots of stone Buddhas tucked into the mountain hillside. There is not a whole lot of sunlight except at certain hours, which makes that more precious, only trickles of water, but the air is damp and clean, and a feeling of ether-like prayer pervades. Part way into the grounds is a medium-size temple gong. Visitors are encouraged to stand under its roof and ring it, vibrating for peace or your heart’s desire, or both! I always feel refreshed on the way back to “town.”

Kyoto is blessed with so many places to connect with the elements that one can only start by stating the obvious ones like the Philosopher’s Walk, Nanzenji, Daikokuji, the Kamogawa and Takano Rivers, the small water canals here and there (I personally love the Takasegawa Canal area right in the heart of the city life — day or night). With the main area of central Kyoto being flat, it’s quite easy to see a sunrise and sunset without venturing too far. Being attuned to the sun and knowing where the warm sunshine will be on a cold day or shade in the summer, knowing where or when to go to let the wind blow on you or not. I have only experienced one fire festival in Nara, and never seen the mountains and other places in Kyoto “on fire” so I can only imagine the power of those spectacles. I would love to hear what places in Kyoto (and around the world) others find especially connect them to any or all the elements. 

Bringing it all back to earth so to speak, I have shared what I know about these Purification Breaths at writers’ conferences, poetry gatherings, photography workshops, on Nature Meditation walks, and with a variety of activists to help them tune to nature and awaken creativity. I also work as a fashion model and like to think that this attunement to the elements aids my presence before the camera and the viewers of the resulting photos. As a writer, I find that of most of my inspirations come while doing or soon after finishing these morning practices, which in addition to the Purification Breaths, includes prayers and mantras.

I am currently a member of The Japan P.E.N Club. When I heard they had an “environmental committee” I thought to join that, but friends who were on the committee told me, “All they discuss is nuclear issues” — important yes, but not necessarily my focus (though they recently sponsored a lecture on Climate Change which was excellent.) I believe it’s places like these that could be enriched by these simple breathing practices and some other Nature Meditations in addition to their “harder” activism issues. I hope to reach out more to this kind of group and other venues. In the meantime, I keep up the daily practice as much as possible, enjoying what it does to me personally, the people around me, and those far and wide who need our positive energy more than ever.

Spirit of the Elements

Spirit of Earth
deep in the dirt
a grounding flirt

Spirit of Water
for any fool
wet and cool

Spirit of Fire
burns a hole
in my ego

Spirit of Air
blows me away
but here I stay

“Spirit of Ether,”
the breath said to me,
“How can that be?”

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Reference Notes:

*Purification Breaths — Elements Breathing Practice

Earth
Breathe in and out through the nose — imagining yourself as a tree helps, breathe in roots down into the earth drawing energy up, breathe out branches up and outwards spreading, fruitful.

Water
Breathe in through the nose, breathe out through the mouth — breathe in touching the source of Water, breathe out Water falling from above.

Fire
Breathe in through mouth, breathe out through the nose — breathe in Fire, breathe out Light. “Burn the ego,” become Light.

Air
Breathe in through the mouth, breathe out though the mouth — the breath as a two-way bridge between Self and the Universe — giving, receiving.

Ether
Breathe gently in and out through nose — the Essence of Being, touch of sacredness, unity, oneness.

Usually done in the morning before eating. Four or five breaths for each element. 

Note: when inhaling and exhaling through the mouth, just open slightly, feeling the breath though the lips. Standing or sitting by an open window or outside is recommended. Each breath’s suggested images are just that, to get one started.

“Salutations” Spoken aloud (optional)

All productive Mother Earth, I humbly offer my homage to Thee**
All purifying Water, I willingly offer my homage to Thee
All consuming Fire, I wholeheartedly offer my homage to Thee
All pervading Air, I gladly offer my homage to Thee
Oh Ether, essence of All, I humbly offer my homage to Thee

(** Feel free to adapt the “old fashioned” Thee as you like.)

Optional hand movements with the salutations:

Earth: Hands by your side, palms down toward the earth
Water: hands above head fingers wiggling mimicking falling water.
Fire: hands raised above the forehead making a triangle shape with the thumb and index fingers.
Wind: hands above forehead, touching and waving gesture.
Ether: Hand clasped in prayer position.

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More WiK articles by Edward Levinson: https://writersinkyoto.com/tag/edward-levinson/
Edward’s Photo Website: https://www.edophoto.com 
Edward’s Memoir/Essay book website: https://whisperoftheland.com/