E is for Earth

(Source: http://www.elfwood.com/~pleiades/Element-Earth-Dance.3123838.html)

I struggled with getting this post done, I am not entirely sure why - other than school work and life keeping me insanely busy.  Maybe it was because I wasn't quite sure how to incorporate earth into my life over the next month like air.  Yes, I talked of doing a painting board for each element - and I will still do that - but I didn't connect enough with that last time so I wanted to come up with something that really brought the element into my life a little more.

I feel somewhat disconnected with earth lately.  You see I live in a townhouse, we have no yard and our balcony gets full sun all day and is not conducive to anything I attempt to grow surviving - including Rosemary and a Mediterranean Lavender.  So I've given up trying to get anything to grow out there which depresses me because I love gardening and I love having plants around me.  I have some indoor plants but I have to be cautious with those because I also have a fairly young and mischievous cat who like to play with the plants and knock them over.  I'm not even game to try some hanging pot plants, I have visions of coming home to see my cat swinging from them.

I have crystals throughout  my house which helps somewhat, and my bedroom is very earthy toned but it isn't enough.  When we were living in New Zealand we would go to the beach very regularly, we would go hiking on weekends and basically get out in nature and explore.  Now that doesn't really happen.  One, there aren't a lot of easy access hiking places.  Two, I'm working full time and doing school and my husband and I are on opposing schedules (he is also working full time and doing school) so there is little time to explore.  Maybe I'm making excuses, I definitely don't feel the connection I did back in Australia or New Zealand.

So what did this lead me to as a solution?  I still don't have one - so I'll take any suggestions.

So this post isn't totally a personal reflection here are some details about the element Earth.

(Source: http://enlightenyourday.com/2011/04/21/earth-day-quotes-mother-earth-quotations/#.T1jgocAgeeY)

Earth: A feminine element earth is associated with ideas of stability and nurturing, strength and endurance.  Earth is what holds us firm, it is what gives us our foundations.

Direction: North
Colors: Green, Brown, Black
Tarot: Pentacles or Coins
Zodiac: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Elementals: Gnomes (King Ghob), Dwarfs, Trolls
Plants: Red Poppy, Roots, Mosses, Lichens, Ivy, Comfrey, Patchouli, Sage, Vervain, Barley, Corn, Wheat, Rice
Symbols: Mountains, Caves, Gems, Fields, Rocks, Salt, Wheat, Clay
Stones: Dense & Opaque stones, Obsidian, Coal, Emerald, Malachite, Agate, Jet, Onyx, Jasper, Azurite, Amethyst, Quartz
Animals: Burrowing animals, Buffalo, Wolves, Horses, Sheep, Earthworms, Turtles, Cows, Horse, Ants, Bears