Using the Five Elements as a Creative Writing Prompt Pt. 5: Ether
***Ether Element***
The Energy of Ether
Perhaps the most familiar of all the elements to anyone who spends time creating - whether they know it or not - ether is the element we connect with when we put pen to paper, brush to canvas, needle to thread, and begin the process of creation in earnest. Kahlil Gibran said of this element, ‘And that which sings and contemplates in you is still dwelling within the bounds of that first moment which scattered the stars into space.’ Ether is connected with the energy centre at the throat, known as the Vishuddha chakra. It is the centres of all directions, including the above and below, and as such is the element we can connect to no matter where we are.
This element is often seen as ‘out there,’ as if it’s located in some ‘other’ realm that we humans can’t access, but that’s just not true in my eyes. The moment we take that first breath with the intention of creating, we connect with it. When we close our eyes to visualise what we wish to see in front of us, it’s there. It’s the liminality of the wild edges in us and as us in nature.
In Celtic traditions, birds are seen as a link between this world and the Otherworld - the mundus imaginalis or imaginal world - and, as such, they can teach us so much about seeing this liminal space as a playground for our creativity, darting and dancing between one and the other. It’s a space in which we can experiment without limit, without feeling judged or constrained. What emerges from this space is magic in its purest form. Stardust embodied.
Connecting with the Ether Element
Doing anything to connect with the natural world and seeking out those peaceful spaces will encourage and grow this connection
Re-ignite your meditation practice, especially if it has lagged recently. Perhaps be mindful about how you spend you time and the pockets of time you have in which you can find stillness in order to connect with the etheric realm
Express gratitude
Stream of consciousness writing (see below)
Pay attention to the seasons, the phases of the moon and the wheel of the year
Create seasonal rituals that help to connect you with all that is invisible to the eye
A Meditation on Ether
Find yourself in a comfortable seated position in a quiet space and close your eyes. Connect with the sound of your breath: slow, steady, gentle. When you are ready, visualise a thread of silver light extending from the base of your spine down into the earth beneath you. See a light moving down this thread, anchoring you to all that is beneath you. Now visualise this light moving back up the thread, through the spine and to the top of the head where it becomes a golden thread, extending up through the space above you and into the what is beyond the sky. Feel this connecting you with the element of ether and everything that resides above your head. Now visualise this light moving back down the golden thread and into the solar plexus where it extends in front of and behind you, connecting you with the past, the future and, in the centre of the body, the present. Feel this light moving through all directions at once, concentrating at the centre of the body, perhaps moving into a space in your body that you feel needs the ether element the most. Don’t judge it, just let it be. Mentally repeat to yourself as you sit in the calm, safe space, ‘I am connected with the element of Ether and all that is beyond the beyond.’ When you are ready, visualise each thread moving back into the body and into the heart centre. When here, start to come back to the breath and the physical body.
Using Ether as a Writing Prompt
Write a piece inspired by the meditation above
Put the word Ether at the top of your sheet and begin a piece of stream of consciousness writing: just close your eyes, take a breath, and write. Whatever comes through, allow it to come through without judgement or expectation
Create a piece from the perspective of Ether. Perhaps it is a character. What are they like? How do they move? When they speak, what does their voice sound like?
If Ether is connected to each element, spend some time going deeper into this idea. Maybe they converse with each other. Perhaps find the etheric in each of the other elements.
Go on a mindful walk and set the intention to connect with Ether as you do so. What comes through. Make notes as you walk and then either continue writing when you get home or find a ‘sit spot’ and write whilst out in nature.
I’d love to know if you use this or any of my other prompt - please let me know how you get on if you do.
Happy writing!
Helen x
