Lower Puna District Coastline
For the most part, the elements – Earth, Air, Fire and Water – are silent. Earth provides a still, solid foundation. Air, in the form of wind, moves silently toward the Earth. Fire, in the form of sunlight, shines its rays calmly yet directly on all and water, flowing freely without noise, is rarely satisfied with a destination.
It all exists in meditative silence only finding a voice when they merge. Wind blows in silence. Ponder that for a moment. It seems quite loud when a storm rages and the wind howls around us. We close up our windows and stay sheltered until it passes. However, the wind only howls when it moves around stationary objects attached to the Earth.
What else gives the wind its voice? I’ve noticed on my morning walks that the trees give air a variety of tones. The ironwoods allow the wind to whisper, the palm fronds give the wind it’s clacking chatter, a large rainbow bark tree nearby gives the wind a crackling voice, and wide leafed plants provide us with a lulling song.
I’ve written in the past that the lava tubes give air a most unusual outlet to express itself. Similar to the wind’s howl during a storm, a lava tube gives the wind its howling whistle. Earth is air’s larynx.
Water, in its ninja-like movement, flows silently as it moves. When it collides with Earth, it releases its energy in the form of sound. It’s voice can come as a soothing soprano when a trickling stream moves over the earth or a booming bass as it clashes suddenly against a rocky cliff. The spray created from the clash is carried by the wind in a light, harmonic tone, like cymbals in a symphony orchestra.
Fire is more subtle with its creative force. Sunlight, in silent beauty, paints rain in brilliant colors as it forms a rainbow. It crackles the earth as it burns branches and trees in a forest fire. It has its place there, creating necessary nourishment for Earth to regenerate. Fire is a catalyst as it heats water in air creating storms. Fire drives the ocean with the Sun’s heat, giving it power of movement. Pure sunlight reminds us there is beauty, strength and wisdom in silence.
Earth’s own voice is created by its movement, its growth. Lava, or inner earth, moves and flows silently creating outer land growth. Its plates collide, creating great electromagnetic fields which sound like a boom as it is emitted from Earths’ crevices and openings. It shakes the four corners of earth with it’s power as it shifts. It spreads out and touches the air. The air reacts by rearranging into weather systems. And air, in the form of a weather system, speaks to the earth in conversation as it showers its water back down to earth. Earth responds with movement and so the dance of the elements continues.
Elemental conversations exist, yet we don’t hear. Most times, we don’t see either and we shrug it of as: Nature is a force to be reckoned with. I believe that nature is a teacher, a friend, a lover. One can’t deny the lessons learned from it. One can’t deny the friendly feel of it; be it a breezy, sunny day or a gentle rain. One can’t deny the beauty of the interactive dance of it. It can teach us how to live and how to love. Wind, like Spirit, moves silently through us. We can learn to feel it. And, the best way to learn to feel it and appreciate it is in silent observation.
Anna Webb
©Copyright 2009
