It’s Memorial Day Weekend! The unofficial start of summer. There are parades to remember our Vets. There are barbecues that bring families together. I’ve been blessed to spend much of every summer on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. Where the living becomes easier as the sun warms the sky during the summer. I have loved Lake Life for so many reasons but they all come back to one thing: Elemental Living. Here the elements (air, water, earth, fire) have an amazing way of blending together to form a union of full-living. Here the elements (air, water, earth, fire) conspire to bring you into a place where your soul comes forward easily and effortlessly.
The elements (air, water, earth, fire) represent various aspects of our being. Our Thinking, Our emotions, Our spirit and our physical bodies are all represented within the elements. When we come into a place that celebrates each of these, we allow healing to happen and our souls to shine. It’s so important to get out into nature to do this and, for me, there is no better place than to do it than at the lake.
The cool fresh air in the mornings allows you to freshen your thoughts. Walks in the day, breathing in the lake and the cool trails around it, allow one to clear their heads.
The water refreshes our emotions. Even today, during the cool weather of May, an invigorating (albeit quick) jump in the lake allows you to soften your emotions and embrace your spirit.
The glow of the sun and the height of the pines has the element of fire surrounding us during the days. This allows us, if we dare, to embrace that inner wisdom that is housed deep inside.
The earth: the moss that grows on the trees, the bark acting as skin to the many trees, the rustle of the leaves on the shrubs, plants and trees allows us to ground ourselves and connect with our physical being. Activities abound that allows us to connect back to our bodies strength.
All of this is why I love Lake Life. The bringing together of these elements allows me to center and move forward with passion. It allowed me to do this as a child at camp, it allowed me to do this as a lifeguard during teenage years and it allows me to do it now as an adult getting the R&R that we all need.
There are many ways to connect with the elements~ (and, not all are about going outside.) How do you connect with the elements? Do you love lake life? Do you go to the seashore? Do you garden? Do you have an aquarium in your home? Do you go to a museum and connect via the art?
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Wow – that’s a great way to look at it, Laura. I love going to a Korean spa in the area – lots of water, fresh air, and warm, relaxing rooms with earth and fire elements. But I never thought of it that way until now! 🙂
Comment by Emily — May 27, 2013 @ 2:40 pm
Spas are a great way of integrating the 4 elements into your life and nurturing your soul by embracing all of them! Love me my spas but, truth be told, give me the lake or the mountains any over them 🙂
Comment by Laura Clark — May 27, 2013 @ 4:19 pm
Gardening and just taking a walk in the morning or the evening are places of joy outside for me. Guess these are my connections ~ “my lake” if you will.
Comment by Cindy — May 29, 2013 @ 4:26 am
Gardens have a lake appeal all of their own, Cindy! The ability to dream, nurture patiently and see one’s labors come alive ~ it’s elemental living at it’s finest! 🙂
Comment by Laura Clark — May 29, 2013 @ 8:22 am
I live in the country and find being outside listening to the birds, frogs, and crickets is really rejuvenating! Good reminders to enjoy and not take it for granted 🙂
Comment by Sandi — May 29, 2013 @ 11:09 am
Oh the songs of nature!!!! Love it ~~~ except when the birds start at 4:30 AM!!!!!!! 😉
Comment by Laura Clark — May 29, 2013 @ 8:32 pm
Love this Laura. I too live with easy access to nature, there is a family of hawks that live in the woods down the hill from us and they visit my backyard quite frequently. Love this time of year with all the flowers blooming. Thank you for the reminder.
Comment by Lilia Lee — May 30, 2013 @ 12:59 pm
Enjoy & In~Joy it 🙂
Comment by Laura Clark — May 30, 2013 @ 5:22 pm
Such a beautiful way to think about and be more conscious of every day. I love it. I need sun so am really happy to feel the warmth of it on my skin — I need to feel warm though not hot. I love to walk barefoot outside and feel the cool moist earth. If I could be closer to a body of water every day, I would. It really quiets me. Soothing. Reminding myself of this, I think I will add a bowl of water to the dining room table each morning. So happy it is Summer!
Comment by Candace Smyth — May 31, 2013 @ 3:10 pm
I love the idea of the bowl of water each day!!! In homes where I didn’t live on the water, I always had a water element in my back yard. Even the tiny garage apartment I lived in had a strip of ‘garden’ going to the door, in that I ‘planted’a dish washing container (that I had poked teeny holes in) I’d fill it with water when I was out there!! (It took time to drain but it would and that way the water would always stay fresh) Got to have my water element!!!! 🙂
Comment by Laura Clark — May 31, 2013 @ 3:27 pm