Re: [BardonPraxis] Soul Mirrors and the Elements - FIRE

["Rawn Clark" <rawnclark@...>]

Dear Amberlyn and Maximiliano,

>> Your questions are very clear to me, because I have often wondered
about this too. This is one reason I am posting these thoughts; I am
seeking clarity. I am not an authority on which traits go with which
elements, and those listed here are commonly seen in several resources
with these attributions. <<

The relationship between your character traits and the Elements cannot
be perceived with the rational intellect alone. This is why Bardon
suggests that the student meditate deeply upon each of the Elements and
upon the character traits. Meditation taps into *more than* just the
rational intellect and reveals an understanding of the Elements
unattainable by just thinking. I suggest that you apply the Step One
mental techniques of one-pointedness and emptiness of mind meditation to
delve deeper into the Elements instead of focusing just upon lists of
character trait and Element associations.

>> That said, I *think* the strong emotions full of energy belong to
Fire
because of the projective or electrical energy they contain. Anger is
often
depicted with lightning bolts, red rays, etc. Confidence is seen
cartoons
with a puffed-up chest, or like determination, with a certain set to the
jaw-line. All these examples depict some form of energy expenditure to
me,
and so belong to Fire. Feelings like shyness are felt inwardly - drawn
there magnetically IMO, and so belong to Water and emotions. At least
that's how I see it, and hope that Rawn or someone else will correct me
if
I am wrong, and whether I am right or wrong, add some illumination to
this
subject. <<

In general, you've got the right idea. The problem though, is that the
items you've listed are the *results of* character traits. Anger, for
example, is a Fiery *symptom* or *effect*, it is not a *root trait*.
With the Soul Mirror work, you must find the root itself. The root of
anger *might* be Fiery in nature but it can also be Airy or Watery or
Earthy. This is why I say that these broad terms *must* be broken down
situationally and examined until you've recognized their root cause.

The Elemental attribution of your own character traits is a VERY
personal matter, so lists of correspondences only serve a limited
usefulness in this regard. What exists as a Fiery trait for one person
may well be Watery for you, so even if you do find your trait in a list,
you must still examine it and decide *for yourself* which Element it
truly belongs to for *you*.

It's inevitable that *at Step One* you will make some errors in your
attributions because, at this stage, your comprehension of the Elements
is fairly under-developed. But that changes as you progress and deepen
your work with the Elements. Your understanding improves and so you
later re-assign your character traits as needed. Your Step One Soul
Mirror should be as good as you are capable of doing, but it is also an
evolving work that you add items to as you discover them and cross items
off as you transform them, etc. It does not need to be *perfect*. :)

My counsel is that you do your absolute best at this point, based upon
your current understanding of the Elements. Accept its imperfection and
promise yourself that you will make corrections to it as your
understanding deepens. Striving for absolute perfection in these
attributions, at this stage, often leads to folks spending months and
months on this phase of the work alone and getting themselves so
frustrated that they quit mid-stream.

My best to you,
:) Rawn Clark
22 Jan 2003
rawnclark@...
rawn@...
http://www.ABardonCompanion.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BardonPraxis