Chapter 7

Healing with Reiki and the Elements of Nature

The concept of Five Elements perceives everything in the universe as a manifestation of five elemental building blocks. This Five Element theory was developed through observations of energy patterns and how they move in relation to our health, emotions, environment and the seasons. This theory is originally from China and came to Japan in the 5th and 6th centuries; many of us are familiar with the five elements today due to the spread of Chinese medicine and acupuncture through the West. Japanese Five Element theory differs slightly from the Chinese (it has more in common with Tibetan Five Element belief). The Five Elements are: Void/Sky/Ether, Wind/Air, Fire, Water and Earth.

Nothing that exists is perceived as being solely one element or another, but rather as a complex combination of all five elements. Each of the elements is alive within each of us and when they are in balance we experience health and harmony in our lives. We each have a unique combination of these elements within us and are able to nourish and strengthen this five-elemental energy to harness its power in our favour.

We can get a sense of these elements from the personalities and characters of the people we meet and also by looking at our own behaviours. You may know someone who has for example “a fiery temperament” (fire element) or someone who is “full of hot air” (wind and fire). Perhaps someone who often has their head in the clouds, lost in thought, might have a dominant air element; or a friend who is highly sensitive and easily bursts into tears might have a dominance of water. I’m sure you also have a friend who is grounded, like a rock, always steady and reliable, who you can rely on in a time of crisis. This person, unsurprisingly, may have a dominance of the earth element. Which elements do you feel most at home with or supported by? Which elements do you feel are dominant within your character?

Plants too are often associated with a particular element. Think of the willow, found growing by waterways or in damp ground; it is connected to the water element and our emotions. Flowers including sunflower and calendula, who can be harvested at the height of summer, seem to glow with and embody the energy of the sun and are associated with the element of fire. What about the sting of the nettle (fire element perhaps?) or the soothing quality of aloe vera (water element?).

Each element is assigned different qualities and a connection to our physiology and the cycles of the year, as this table shows.

Reiki practice encompasses these five elements and we can work with reiki to bring these elements back into balance to harness our personal power and energy. If we feel overcome with grief, for example, we may need the support of water to help soothe us or a boost of joy from the fire element to help lift our spirits and come back into balance. As well as sitting in gassho and meditating on the qualities of each of these elements, try the following short practices to help you further to connect with the energy of each element and heal any imbalances. What’s important is that you develop your own relationship and connections with each of the elements so you can embrace their flow within you in order that their power works with you rather than against you.

Earth

Living in the Scottish countryside and having a passion for plants, not to mention the fact that I am a Virgo (often considered a very earthy sign), I find connecting to the Earth easy, though that doesn’t mean to say that I am always grounded!

Walking barefoot on the grass, sand or soil, thanking the Earth or being able to plunge your hands into soil and feel the Earth are ways to connect with this element and ground. Likewise, eating wholesome food, particularly root vegetables that come from the soil like carrots, parsnips, potatoes, beetroots and daikon (mooli or Japanese radish), is a way to feel nourished by this element. Some people are also drawn to crystals, rocks, mountains or rock formations, which bring the element of the earth alive and also into the reiki space. If you have a drum, you may like to beat the drum outside to feel for the heartbeat of the Earth after experiencing the exercise below.

EXERCISE

Feeling the Heartbeat of the Earth

Go outside somewhere you will not be disturbed and lie with your back on the earth, grass, sand or whatever surface is available to you. Take three deep breaths here, allowing yourself to fully arrive here in this moment and relax into your position.

Invite reiki to flow through you and place your hands on your heart.

Stay in this position for about five minutes and sense your own heartbeat.

Broaden your awareness and sense the heartbeat of the Earth. Feel for the pulsing rhythm of creation as it resonates through the Earth, through you and through all of nature around you.

If you are trained to reiki Level 2 and above you may like to scribe the symbols and chant their mantras to assist you with connecting to the Earth as an element outside of you and as an element inside of you.

Invite your heartbeat to align with that of the Earth. Feel the solidity and physicality of this connection with the element of earth.

Keep breathing deeply, send and receive reiki and surrender to the intelligence of the Earth.

Open to the flow and rhythmic pulse of all of life.

As you breathe in and out feel yourself flowing with the Earth, aligning with the heartbeat of the Earth and your own cyclical nature.

Feel this in your heart centre and sense your heart relaxing and opening more with the fullness of this connection.

Send your gratitude to the heart of the Earth.

Take a few deep breaths to finish and give your thanks to reiki when you feel the time is right. You may wish to stay longer and contemplate how the element of earth feels for you, how it supports you and shows up for you in your life.

Camping Story: Warm Kisses from the Earth

During my three-year training as a practitioner of creative shamanism with Carol day, we would spend long weekends at the Falkland Estate in Fife. one beautiful July weekend I had chosen to camp to feel more closely connected to the land that we were already deeply interacting with throughout the course.

At the end of one of our intensive training days I was wrapped up tightly under layers of clothing in my sleeping bag, lying alone in my tent, mulling over the shamanic and slightly surreal events of the day. I was lying on my back with my hands on my heart and belly (a familiar position for us reiki folk, who like to self-treat at night-time) and I became aware of an intense heat at the back of my heart.

I felt an almost burning surge of heat from the Earth, a heat that came up through my tent and camping mat, through the layers of thermal clothing, and touched my heart, sending a heat wave throughout my entire body. The surge of heat did not last very long—it may have been less than a minute—but it was intense and real. My body was filled with heat and with it a great softening, a wave that relaxed me into what I can only describe as a loving embrace with the Earth. As if the heat spread right through my heart, filling my body and up to my head. I couldn’t help but fill my face with a broad grin, a smile that was bursting with love, love that I was receiving from the Earth.

I lay like that smiling for a while until I drifted off to sleep. I can still feel the heat of that connection today. It was a warmth like golden syrup that touched the deepest core of my being and somehow left it changed.

Every so often I receive a similar warm dose of such Earth medicine. I often long for it. It is a deep blessing that still leaves me humbled today.

Water

I am fortunate to live by water, so can easily harness the cleansing support of this element, which I always link to my emotions. As I live in Scotland there is no end of opportunity to walk in the rain and feel the dampness sink into my skin. I have also experienced the destructive power of this unstoppable force when heavy rain has caused my property to flood and the sheer volume of water has torn down neighbouring eight-foot stone walls that had looked like they would stay standing for ever. Keeping your body hydrated and expressing your emotions will help this element stay balanced within you. How does this element flow through you and support you where you need it most? The following exercise is designed to work with the fluid and cleansing aspect of this element. You can add your preferred plant allies for another dimension of healing.

EXERCISE

Herbal Bathing Ritual

You will need a bathtub for this; if you don’t have one you could use a footbath instead. or if you live in a sunny climate, create a ritual outside in a natural pool or by the sea.

Create a sacred space. You may wish to light a candle, place sacred items in the room and energetically cleanse the area with reiki in the way that appeals to you.

Pause and feel into your intention for this ritual, which is to relax, connect to the element of water and cleanse away any old negative emotions, grudges, pain, anger or sadness that no longer serve you.

Call in helping spirits, guides, angels, plant allies, nature spirits, ancestors—whoever from the unseen worlds you feel you would like to be in the space—and ask reiki to flow, using the symbols if you have been taught them.

Visualize your bathroom encompassed by a ball of beautiful golden light.

Run the bath and as you do so, call to the spirit of the water to cleanse and protect you, to help you wash away stagnant or negative energies and experiences.

Add a handful of Epsom salts together with any plant allies that you wish to include. This may be a flower essence or essential oil that you are drawn to, or you may wish to simply add rose petals or lavender. As you do so, call to the spirit of the herb or plants that are present, thank them for being here and thank them for their blessings. If you are using aromatic or fragrant flowers and herbs you may already be able to smell their beautiful aroma as it infuses.

Place your hands in the water and charge the water with reiki, keeping your focus on your intention.

As you remove your clothing feel yourself removing layers of those old emotions that are weighing you down and holding you back.

Enter the bath and lie back in peace and enjoy the sensation of the water on your skin.

Play your favourite music and let the sound soothe you.

Feel the water infused with plants holding you and connecting with your energy body.

With your hands in gassho, close your eyes and take three deep breaths to centre yourself. Ask for healing and divine light to flow through you into your hands.

Scoop up handfuls of water and place your hands over each of your chakras, allowing the water to cleanse them. Start at the crown, then begin to self-treat with reiki by letting your hands explore your body. Start at your toes, running your hands over them and looking at how beautiful and fascinating they are. Feel and visualize the love of the universe flowing from your hands and heart into each area of your body as you move your hands over your body, exploring and loving every inch. Invite reiki and the water to wash away anything that you are ready to release.

If it helps, add a mantra for each part of the body, e.g., “Hello toes, you are amazing, thank you, I love you, I am cleansing you and filling you with love and light. Hello ankles, you are amazing, thank you, I love you...”.

Keep going over your whole body, noticing which parts are easy and which feel more difficult.

Then as before, cleanse each of your chakras with water, starting at the crown. Feel the water cleansing you. Finish with your hands back in gassho, turning your attention inwards and feeling the strength of your inner spirit and sensing the connection with the flow of water through you. Notice how you are feeling.

Finally, give thanks to reiki for all the healing that you are being sent and to the element of water. As you are pulling the plug, visualize the bathwater carrying away everything that you are ready to release and no longer need.

Give thanks again to close your sacred space, and blow out the candle to end the ritual. You may wish to journal or write automatically to the spirit of the water and see what guidance comes. Make sure you drink a glass of water and rest to allow the healing to integrate.

Fire

Fire is often considered one of the most destructive elements, but is also a powerful agent of transformation, creativity, passion and drive. Many of us yearn for the warm sun and long for our passions to come alive. How does fire burn within you—is it so fierce it needs containment, or is your inner fire in need of a vital spark to make you come alive? Each time we light a candle, heat our food, see the sun rise or set, warm ourselves by the fire, we are connecting to this element. The following exercise will help you harness the transformative aspect of fire and heal a core attitude or belief.

EXERCISE

Fire Ceremony

Tune in to your intention for this ceremony; this might be “To connect with the element of fire and release the stories and burdens that I am carrying that no longer serve me.”

Next, create your sacred space, invite reiki to flow, call in guides and spirit helpers (if this works for you). As you build the fire, have the intention for it to take away what you no longer need to carry. Visualize your space surrounded by a bright light of love and energy from the heavens.

Consider what you are willing to release. Mindfully create a bundle or talisman to burn for the fire. You may want to collect different items from nature like twigs, bark, flowers, leaves; letters you have written forgiving people and yourself, or names of events that you are linked to (write these down on pieces of paper). You may want to even write a letter of prayer to the fire itself.

However your choose, create your bundle; you may want to wrap it up in gift wrapping like a present or simply tie it with ribbon or string as if winding on all of your beliefs/struggles/pain together.

Hold the finished bundle in your hands, filling it with reiki and whispering your intent into the bundle, saying goodbye to your stories and releasing your pain and suffering into the package. This talisman or power object holds the power of what is ready to be released.

Light the fire by calling in the spirit of the fire and asking it to bring its healing gift of transformation to your ceremony. Talk to the fire and tell it of your intention. Ask for guidance to be shown to you in a way that you will understand. Make sure you have wood to feed the fire until you are ready to give it your bundle.

Sit for 10 minutes to ground yourself and soak up the energy of the sacred space. Feel the heat of the fire as it warms your skin and enters into your body. Focus on your intention and beam reiki from yourself to the fire.

When you feel ready approach the fire and talk to it, telling it what you have in your bundle and how you desire to let go of it and its contents and all the attachments. Feel what you wish to release in your body. Ask the fire to take these away so that you can be free to move forward.

Place the bundle on the fire and watch it burn. Beam reiki to the fire as you do this.

Spend some time in contemplation with the fire. Remember that spirit will be reading your heart and not your words or your mind.

Feel the heat of the fire on your skin and imagine this warmth filling you up with light, restoring the light to your soul.

When you are ready, sit back from the fire and give thanks to it.

You may wish to do a self-treatment of reiki or just sit still and absorb the process.

Listen and remain open to any guidance; have your journal ready.

When the time feels right close the sacred space by thanking reiki and the fire and extinguishing the fire.

Birds of the Beltane Fire

One year, at Beltane on 1 May, we had a huge bonfire to clear up all the physical rubbish that had built up over time in the barns and also to clear out the stagnant energy that had accumulated over the winter. It was the start of our growing season, so we wanted a clean slate. We built the fire and as it blazed we just kept finding more and more physical junk to put on—it seemed to go on for ever. We added our prayers and blessings to the fire and asked the fire to take away anything that we no longer needed and which might be holding us back. The fire was huge and exhausting; we poured ourselves (and our physical and energetic junk) into it.

It felt epic and significant—not just an ordinary fire; this one was truly alive. As it started dying down I went for a walk and found a pair of robins lying perfectly still, side by side outside the greenhouse as if someone had neatly placed them there. They must have flown into the wall together and died. I was humbled. This somehow felt like an offering from nature, a token to acknowledge our actions and show us that we had been seen. I took the birds and gave them to the fire. The following day I gathered some of the ash—it felt sacred somehow—and placed it into my medicine bag for safe keeping. I still have it and every so often I notice it scattering itself out of my medicine bag, going to wherever it is needed.

Wind

Wind is a dynamic element of movement and mind. Each breath that we take is a reminder of this connection and this element that flows through us, giving us the breath of life. Remember how good it feels to breathe! We can connect to this element by simply meditating in gassho and sensing the breath flow through our body. Even when we speak, sing or read, these are all connected to the wind that runs through us. This element is really helpful at preventing us from reacting in defence; in the moment it takes us to pause and breathe we can shift our mindset, find our centre and act from a more compassionate and grounded place. Wind may bring perspective and focus, it may get us thinking and intellectually inspired and absorbed. Or it may run through us unleashed as we run, shout and scream to upturn everything and put an end to stagnation. I always look to the birds, bees and butterflies to connect with the sense of freedom that this element brings. Sending reiki to our winged friends as you contemplate them in nature is always well received.

EXERCISE

Wind in Your Hair

This is an exercise to help you shift your energy. Sometimes we can feel stuck or down, when things do not seem to be going as we had planned or we can’t think of a solution no matter how hard we try. In these instances, what we need is to lift ourselves out of this into a higher vibration. Wind is the perfect element to bring in a fresh perspective.

On a windy day, get outside, find a windy spot and feel that wind on your skin. It doesn’t have to be a windswept isolated hilltop or beach—I know that the city of Edinburgh has its fair share of windy streets and park benches! Please make sure you are safe, i.e., not in danger of being hit by falling branches.

Tune in to reiki and ask that reiki flows through you to help you connect with the wind. Place your hands in gassho, or you may like to allow them to be jostled by the wind as you beam reiki to the wind.

You will feel the wind on your skin, in your hair, running through your clothing.

You will hear the wind as it sweeps through the environment that surrounds you, perhaps rustling leaves or making signposts flap and sway.

You may also see evidence of the wind as it affects the landscape around you.

Notice further—what fragrances are being carried to you on the wind? What stories is the wind carrying with it today? What direction is it coming from? What gifts is this wind carrying?

As you breathe, feel this connection to wind as it flows through you. Pay attention to your out-breath and allow yourself to breathe out anything that feels stuck and stagnant. You may wish to make a sound as you do this. or even start to sing or speak to the wind, creating a sound to release your frustration and inertia.

Allow yourself to be windblown for as long as feels right. It may feel uncomfortable! It is disconcerting to be jostled around physically, with everything in motion, creating a commotion around you.

When you have experienced enough, speak your thanks to the wind (and to reiki). Take yourself back inside, out of the wind, and allow yourself to settle. Notice how different this space is and tune in to how you are feeling. You may like to take out your journal and ask reiki to flow to write automatically, asking what the wind has to teach you today.

Void/sky/ether

When I think of this elusive element I automatically think of the connection to the divine source that we experience through our crown and heart chakras when we experience reiki. For me this element of void or ether is the mystery, the inspiration and insight that come through when our higher selves are connecting with divine consciousness in the field of potentiality. I particularly like to use the reiki symbols to help strengthen this connection. The distance symbol, Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen, acts like a bridge to join the physical and the higher realms and the use of the Master symbol (DKM) creates a strong channel between our physical self and our higher self, leads to universal consciousness and brings guidance from higher dimensions. However, symbols are not necessary; the flow of reiki is enough to beautifully carry us into the mystery and help us access and open to the magic of who we are.

EXERCISE

Insight from the Void

Lie down on your back in a quiet space where you will not be disturbed. Start to slow down your breath and relax into this space. Invite reiki to flow through you with the intention of helping you connect to the void and send healing to strengthen this connection with this element, both inside of you and outside of you. You may wish to also scribe and chant the symbols as you have been taught.

Place your hands on your body where they will be comfortable and self-treat with reiki.

As you breathe in and out contemplate the space that exists around you. Notice where your physical body ends and where the space outside of you begins. What is there in the space that surrounds you?

Then as you start to relax a little more, turn your attention inside. Where is the space inside of you? What is there in between the cells, the bones, the muscles and the organs?

Feel the flow of reiki gently pulse through you and visualize reiki flowing to all the space inside of you. See the spaces lighting up and glowing with love and pure potentiality.

See and feel this light flowing out of the spaces inside of you to connect with the space that surrounds you. Visualize reiki flowing to the space that surrounds you.

Feel yourself supported by and connected to the space that surrounds you, that holds you.

Turn your attention to your crown and visualize a pillar of light shining down from the heavens and filling your crown. Feel this and sense a connection to your higher self, to something so much greater than yourself.

Breathe and receive here and open to this loving connection. Be open to whatever guidance may flow to you, as a resonance, a feeling, a sensation, a vision or a knowing, rather than words.

When you feel ready bring your hands to your heart and breathe three deep breaths here to ground the experience into your physical being. Give thanks to the element of the void or ether and thanks to reiki.

Allow yourself five minutes or so to come back to this reality before you sit up. Have a glass of water. You may also like to note down your experiences of the void inside you and outside of you and any guidance you may have received.

The Elements in your Reiki Space

You can easily introduce physical representations of each of the elements into your reiki space to honour each of these elements and call on their qualities in your healing treatments. This can be as simple as placing a bowl of water, crystals, candle and a feather in your space and filling your space with reiki energy. As you connect with each of the elements and deepen your experience of them both inside and outside of you, you will be drawn to different objects from the natural world.

The Elements and the Reiki Symbols

If you are trained to reiki Level 2 or above it can be powerful and great fun to physically create the symbols from the elements of nature. Start with the simplest symbol to draw first (the power symbol) and then add the others. The power symbol is a simple symbol to scribe in the air or with your hands or feet in the sand, the mud, the grass, on a rock or the bark of a tree. You can even collect pebbles, seashells, leaves, pine cones, flowers, twigs, berries, seeds or whatever you can find and create the shape of the symbol with them.

To connect with water, for example, draw the symbol in the water and feel the whirlpool of ripples that it creates. To connect with fire, build a fire with sticks that are laid out in the shape of the symbol. Working with the symbols like this is a meditative practice that not only helps you embody and experience the energy of the symbol but also reconnects you to the building blocks of nature and feel the support that they offer.

Learnings and Blessings

Working with the Japanese Five Element theory as part of our reiki practice is simple and reminds us that the basic building blocks of the natural world are present within us, as well as outside of us in nature. Recognizing ourselves as different amounts of earth, water, fire, wind and ether brings us a sense of wholeness, compassion and acceptance. As we get to know these elements and how they move through us, the barriers between ourselves, our environment and each other begin to fall away and our sense of compassion and connection increases. These elements feel fundamentally entwined within the practice of reiki and our sense of harmony and peace; it feels like reiki is the love, like a glue that both flows through the elements (each of us) and binds them (us) together. As you open more to the support from the natural world with the flow of reiki, the next step is to share intuitive plant medicine and healing with others. Adding plants into the reiki space with clients, friends or family is what follows.