Earth and Money

East and Earth, North and Air

Two elements to despair

When I was trying to come up with a topic for this week’s blog this quick little rhyme came to me.  I had already written about my experiences with East, and how folks can from time to time lose that special connection with one of the elements.  Did I feel like I was experiencing the same thing with Earth?

I could visualize myself in ritual, standing in the North with arms outstretched.  My mind quickly made a checklist of those characteristics that are often contributed to Earth.  Stength.  Stability.  Endurance.  I could sense the quietness of midnight or snow falling steadily on a winter’s morning.  All I had to do was open the door and head outside to touch earth.  Plant my feet firmly on the ground or better yet, pick up some dirt, get a whiff of that musty aroma and run it through my fingers.  I hummed a few bars of Paul Simon’s “I Am a Rock” for good measure.  I felt connected, what was going on?

As often happens when one tries to concentrate or meditate, the mind wanders.  We all have an internal check list of projects and decisions that are pending.  We learn quickly to recognize those thoughts that creep in and then just let them go.  Or at least try to.  I was no different.  Internal conversation:

Me:  So I’m going to write about despair and Earth?

Mind:  Did you mail in the payment for the car insurance?

Me:  I can smell freshly mown grass as if it’s right here outside the window.

Mind:  Did you figure out a way to budget for taxes due next month?

Me:  Green.  I love the color green.

Mind:  How much do you think the hotel is going to cost?  We’re leaving in six weeks!   Where is that coming from?

Me:  I like brown too…

Mind:  Do you know how many expenses are coming up?  I think the family will be feasting on peanut butter and jelly for a long, long time.

Money.  From its color to the pentacles/coins of a Tarot deck.  It is the one elemental correspondence that seems so, can I use the word, mundane.  Many pagans try to pretend it’s not necessary to have money.  For years pagans have balked at the idea of having to pay someone to teach or counsel, even if that teacher had out of pocket expenses to do so.   Only recently has that attitude seemed to change – that folks realize that everyone needs to make a living.  As long as you’re not taking advantage of anyone, it’s okay to be compensated. 

But I digress.  I realized that my concern about my own financial situation had subconsciously changed my connection with the element Earth.  I thought about the term “The Power of Money”.  How appropriate – look at what it had done to me!  It wasn’t obvious either.  Just a silly rhyme that had played in my head made me pause.  Despair?  Earth?  What the heck?  I had to admit though that I was stressed about money lately. 

The things that happen in our everyday lives can greatly influence our relationships with everything on the magickal plane.  The elements, our totems, Deity.  You can’t separate the two.  It’s all part of the whole.  Just pay attention.  Work with the appropriate element to solve the problem.  Earth and I will be spending some quality time together.  Find the element that can help you.