4) This last exercise can be done anytime you are walking and we have found it to be very centering while hiking or backpacking. As you walk, again with the arms hanging and palms facing the earth, draw the earth's energy up through your soles and palms. As you exhale, allow any fatigue or negativity to be released through the soles and palms. Take a moment to than Mother Earth for accepting any feelings you wish to release and use your own strength and breath to send nurturing energy back to Her. Incidentally, you may find it interesting that the ruling archangel for the planet Earth from l879 to 2230 is Michael.

The next element is water, which represents fluidity, transparency, clarity, and a very great, though different, type of strength based on its ability to flow around any obstacle. These are some wonderful water concentrations. l) Sit by any source of moving water. A stream or waterfall is ideal, but any source will do. Imagine that from that stream or waterfall flows the infinite variety of Divine Qualities, more than any of us can possibly imagine. These qualities are limitless but include, for example, Love, Joy, Insight, Compassion, Truth, etc. Take a moment to marvel in the richness and fullness of creation. Now take the opportunity to focus specifically on those special qualities which you personally manifest and visualize yourself bringing forth each one in your daily life. Now, finally, concentrate for a few moments on those other qualities which are available but you have yet to tap fully. Hold each of those qualities in your mind so that they make a strong impression on you and then visualize yourself manifesting these "new", underdeveloped qualities in your life.

2) Sit by a lake and allow yourself to be completely filled with its stillness and peacefulness. Spend as much time as you need to learn this quality of serenity from the lake. 3) Use water, from any source, to gently and purposefully cleanse from you any impurities, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, which you would like to release. Place some water in your mouth, as they do in the TIbetan tradition, to purify your speech. Imagine the water cleansing you internally, washing away any impurities on the cell level. See your tissues bathed in renewal and vitality. The Maori people, for example, when feeling unwell in body or heart, will seek out a place with natural water to revivify them and return them to Waiora , health. A story is told of an elderly Maori woman who healed very quickly after surgery for breast cancer. All I want to do, she would say, is to go and live by our stream for a while. The water, you see...it heals me.

The next element is fire, which symbolizes illumination, transformation, and

purification. St. John the Baptist said, I baptize you with water, but one comes after me who will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Spirit . The following are prac- tices you may do to enliven and heal yourself with the fire element. l) Stand outside on a sunny day. With your eyes closed, let the sunlight shine directly on each of your chakras,or energy centers. Start at the base of your spine, then move up to the second chakra around the genitals, the third at the solar plexus, fourth at the heart center, fifth at the throat, sixth at the third eye, and ending with your seventh, or crown chakra, at the top of your head. Now draw the fire energy emitted by the sun's rays into your body, allowing every cellto be infused with light and heat. 2) As you stand in the sunlight, allow the palms of your hands to absorb the sun's energy. Now rub your palms together to magnify that energy and place you palms over any area(s) of your body which are in particular need of healing or over your solar plexus or heart center if it is your emotions or heart which need healing. 3) A very powerful exercise with a campfire or fireplace is to write on a piece of paper any emotion, memory, or resentment which you would like to release once and for all. As