A powerful way of learning about the elements is to merge with each one individually. To do this you must enter a deep meditative state — for you want to lose yourself and become one with element you are merging with. This is an allowing process; you cannot do it with your mind, you must sink into the experience.

As water, you might become a drop of rain, or a tear running down a face, or you might become the ocean itself, or a drop from a river going down a waterfall, or you might become fine mist bringing life to plants, or a dew drop on a leaf, or a snowflake.

As air, you might become the mighty wind, or you might be the quiet stillness of the air on a perfect summer day, or you might be a gentle breeze moving through the grass or trees, or the great gusts surfing through the landscape.

As earth, you might be a grain of sand that drifts through eternity, or a plot of earth being fed nutrients from the other elements. You might become the earth of a desert, a tropical island, or a rain forest.

As fire, you might become a raging fire, or the small bright flame of a birthday candle, or a flame of a candle burning at a romantic dinner, or the fire in a volcano, or the fire of a beautiful sunrise or sunset.

Do this exercise over time. Don't attempt to merge with all the elements in one day. You will not have the time to process the material and receive the learning you need. You might choose to work with one element for a month or in one particular season.

Sandra Ingerman in Medicine for the Earth