Tasmania is renowned for its natural beauty, fine food and wine and its vibrant arts scene. This elemental island has inspired artists for tens of thousands of years, the story beginning with Aboriginal Tasmanians. Contemporary artists continue to be inspired by the elements, with a growing trend to immerse materials in the elements themselves – earth, water, fire and air. As an elemental place, Tasmania speaks to me of fire and water. Others respond to the elements in the island State in their own way. Photographs are used as the story-teller in this post. The perfect medium when capturing the artistry of elemental Tasmania.
Learning the “Ah” of air
Breathing is a wonder we take for granted. This is the first sentence of the essay titled AIR by Alan P Tory in his book ‘WONDER. Learning the “Ah” of things‘. I was struck by the poetic language that Alan uses and by the wise words of a Zen Master he shares, that we must learn to understand the “Ah” of things. To admire the works of art that surround us in everyday life. Through images, sound and excerpts of Alan’s text it is my turn to share the “Ah” of Air.
Om (Aum) & the five elements
Recently I came across four representations of the Om/Aum symbol in a period of 10 days. As all of the sightings were in rural Tasmania in Australia, I felt that it must be more than coincidence. This encouraged me to explore the relationship between the five elements and the universal and universally known symbol and sound of Om. I would not have done so if I hadn’t seen multiple sightings of this sacred symbol. Here is what I have discovered so far.
Searching for the elements
Today marks the third year anniversary of my exploration of the elements across the globe through my blog FireupWaterdown (https://fireupwaterdown.com). Seventy six posts later, it is timely to review the topics explored so far, which ones have been widely viewed and which less so, the connections I have made over the last three years, and to reflect on the question ‘when people want to learn about the elements, what do they search for?
2017, the Year of The Elements
The Occidental (western) New Year and the Oriental Year of the Rooster fall 28 days apart in 2017. Now two weeks into January, we sit nicely between them. The United Nations has adopted this year as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. Adding to these titles, I proclaim 2017 as the Year of The Elements. Please spread the word. It is time to raise our connection to nature to another level. To delight in its beauty and respect the powerful forces that nature can express. To better appreciate and care for our amazing planet. This post shares a selection of my personal experiences of the elements in the first 14 days of 2017. Fire and water predominate. Around the world people have engaged with the elements in their own way over the same period. In the year ahead I will continue my two blogs on the elements, fireupwaterdown.com and elementaljapan.com. I will also be experimenting with new ways to share the wonders of the elements that shape our world and our responses to it. I wish everyone a wonderful new year and look forward to others joining me on the elemental journey.
The five elements of the Dagara, West Africa
In early November 2016 I received an email from Rych Somdah, a gentleman living in the US who had traced his ancestry to the Dagara people of Burkina Faso in West Africa. Rych reminded me that in my first post on Africa I wrote that at some later time I would explore the shamanistic practices of the Dagara tribe in relation to the elements. Now is that time. I am grateful that Malidoma Patrice Somé has devoted his life to sharing the teachings and practices of the Dagara with the English speaking world. The five elements of fire, water, earth, minerals and nature are an essential part of his, and their, story.
Catching up on the elements
It dawned on me today that it has been three months since I wrote a post on FireupWaterdown, my blog that explores the elements across the globe. Where has the time gone! Over that period I have written some posts on my ‘sister’ blog ‘Elemental Japan’ (elementaljapan.com), which I’d recommend visiting. Whether or not you have a specific interest in the elements in Japan, I like to think that you will find something to captivate you. Elsewhere in the world there are many elemental topics and events to catch up on. Like the upcoming extreme ice marathon in Siberia in January 2017. It builds perfectly on my most recent post ‘The cool dude on the bike‘. Then there was the spectacular sunrise over Hobart this morning and the sunset over kunanyi/Mt Wellington the other night. What glorious reminders of the elemental nature of our lives. Plus I’ve come across some stimulating ideas about representing and connecting with the elements through art. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Continue reading
The cool dude on the bike
For my 72nd blog, I bring to you an element of the elements that hadn’t crossed my mind before – the ins and outs of winter cycling on a bicycle. The book ‘Frostbike‘ starts with the question ‘is happy winter cycling possible?’ This means serious cycling in snow and freezing temperatures, not the relatively mild winters we have in coastal Australia and elsewhere. Even here the number of cyclists in winter declines markedly. So, thanks to Tom Babin, there is now information available on what bikes are suitable for winter cycling, how cities can be designed to accommodate it, and the importance of people’s attitudes towards winter and, with it, winter cycling. The book also provides a fine example of how our attitudes towards the elements can have an impact on our behaviour and wellbeing.
Fire up, Water down
On July 7th, 2016 I had the great fortune to experience the name of my blog, ‘Fire up, Water down’ in real life. It came as a pleasant surprise. The location was at Kinpusen-ji Temple in Yoshino, Japan (near Nara). The occasion, a Shugendo festival that included a remarkable fire ceremony where flames and purifying smoke reached for the sky. Fire up. Down a flight of several hundred steps from the main Temple hall there is a small shrine called Noten-o-kami, where one can drink from a small spring said to promote health. Water down. I have written about fire and water being complementary and opposite. Here, they are part of a long and shared history of respect of and engagement with the elements to gain spiritual power. I will let the pictures tell the story.
Visualising the elements
Each of us brings a unique perspective to the elements based on our personal experiences, upbringing and interests. Recently I have met Corinne Costello, an artist who has opened my eyes to new ways of seeing, feeling and interpreting these fundamental building blocks of nature. I have been intending to write a post on how artists see, express and work with the elements for some time. That time has come. It has been greatly enriched with Corinne’s input.
Fire up Water down 