Spirits of the Earth: Meet the Gnomes

Introduction to the Gnomes

Note: A compact overview of my experiences with all elementals (not just mermaids) has been requested many times over the last few months. I have heard you and am on it! Here is a short, but fun introduction to the realm of the earth spirits. Earth is actually one of my weakest elements in terms of being able to go deep into the spiritual vibration of the element, but in terms of social connection with gnomes, I have been able to establish wholesome and long-lasting communication. This is not comprehensive by any means, nor is it a guide to magical techniques for connecting to elementals- you can find those in many other books such as Franz Bardon’s material. This is a brief overview of the gnome essence as I experience it with poetry, personal encounters, and my thoughts on what it is like to engage with the realm on an individualized level.

 Who are they?

   The earth spirits are, perhaps, the most relatable and concrete elemental beings that humans can relate to, which makes their work incredibly potent and meaningful in our everyday. What is the use of medicine if it is not relevant to what it is treating? With earth, there are fewer gaps to bridge in our understanding in terms of contacting spiritual beings, though the earth realm is still a deep and enriching world of mysteries. Instead of explaining the ins and outs of gnomes right away, I want to share something I wrote a few years ago that communicates the gnome frequency rather well.

Conversations with a Gnome Queen (2017)

There are those who can read the hieroglyphs between trees. There is a She who can speak to seeds and grant long trails of weeds a floral heartbeat. There are those who can ask a plant why it was made and receive an answer through the tones and shades. There are those who can congregate with the fragrance of pines and feel delighted in the company of rhamnus and thyme. Who can know the species of every leaf and find repose in glandular racemes? Who awakens the grasses and unfurls the fronds; who has a presence so fertile that all must respond? Who cares for the health of each petal and stone and knows the path of every acorn and cone? Who is unconcerned by time- long or short – and sees that each drop of dew is absorbed? There is a He that remembers the testimonies of fallen trunks and who lives for centuries in altars of moss. There are those who can feel the bodies of fountains and gardens, bark and stones… shady groves, and sun-drenched slopes as if they are their own. Whose topography is diphenyl sulfone? ‘Tis the gnomes. Kings and Queens.

A gnome queen enters my dream. I enter her heart with my empathy. Here, I am sheltered and protected by weathered wisdom and embodied Mystery… It is as if my entire being is held in the shaded nook of a tree. The forest is in my bloodstream- igneous and metamorphic rock create a womb where illusion dissolves. The nervous system is a responsive lover- each touch is like the sensitive brush of sweet winds on petals. There is no sorrow or hurrying. There is She: Patiently cradling a forgotten bundle of leaves until the wind is ready to carry them on to new seasons. Her Soul is flowers unfolding, and I am a newborn bird in her nest.

How do you Become a Gnome and know the journey of each leaf and stone? Shift your awareness into a rock. Become granite, peridot, amethyst, and Precambrian Gabbro. Feel the branches of a tree as if they are your own limbs. Make the fruit of its veins the essence of your soul. The trees that sway in the breeze are endless dancers that stir this cauldron of energy... move with them. Embrace the ages. Let go of confusion and the human need for reassurance. Imbue your cooking with a sheltered nurturing that will supply your diners with otherworldly confidence and satisfaction. Taste each moment as if it is the nectar of Eden, found in all seasons. Walk in the forest and know the plants by name. Lie vein to vein. Discern all sensations that occur from foot-soul to brain. Who among us can decipher these formulas? My advice to the woodland traveler, the stoic scholar, the fervent master: Find the Soul in each stone, plant, and mineral and contemplate this World of Mysteries.

Traits of Astral Gnomes

Like the other elementals, astral gnomes have many spiritual gifts. Psychometry, which is the ability to understand unspoken or unobvious things about an object or person just by touching them, is something many of the gnomes are very good at. Ley lines are like veins that carry consciousness, and the many facets of earthen nature give this realm incredible dimension to learn about. The vibration of trees is very different from the vibrations of metamorphic rock. Grass and low-growing greenery feel very different from the peak of a mountaintop. Just because gnomes are the closest in frequency to humans does not mean that they are boring or rote. Quite the opposite!

Much of the earth element mimics the structure of the nervous system… Roots look like dendrites, stems and trunks like axons. It is amiable and communicative, interconnected and supportive. There is a pulse here in this realm that is unlike any other! Every speck is alive and humming with a consciousness that can be easy to notice with practice. It is not like the mermaid realm where you have to wait for a minute to feel something more than a general sense of peace or like the fire realm that is best met when interfacing with one of its beings. This realm speaks so clearly all on its own with or without an emissary. It is visceral and palpable. It can be felt by the body deeply. India Ame’ye, a wonderful author, once said, “Instead of studying spirituality, study anatomy, biology, and physiology. Because everything you seek to know is already encoded inside your body.” The history here has a great feeling of timelessness, but currency as well. It is shared with our physical earth realm… the element we are most often in contact with in our earthly vessels.

Even though I get ill when I meditate on the dense inner core of the earth, there are so many choices to engage with here that I do not feel like I am missing out on anything. I can feel the lives of plants unfurling, the bodies of crystals refining their fine-tuned frequencies, and feel the cycles rolling through me. Seasons, leaves shedding, millenniums passing, footprints embedding themselves into the soft mud, bodies being returned to me so that I can grow some more are all within my reach. I am aware of each point on my body… some healers call them meridians… awakening and tingling as I absorb all this medicine. This is what it feels like to be a gnome. When I summarize the gnome realm I think, “This is how humans are meant to live.”

Spine to Spine with the Earth Meditation

The following is best done while in nature, on the ground, in the grass, or on a rock face, but if you want to use your mind instead, you can still receive many benefits. Lie down in a peaceful spot in nature where you are not likely to be disturbed. If you have allergies to grass or plants like I sometimes do, you can put a blanket or sheet down. It won’t inhibit the energy. If you are able to do so, lie on your back with your spine flat on the earth. I like to have my knees bent so that the soles of my feet are also on the earth, but you can be flat if you wish. Imagine that the earth against your back is an extension of your nervous system. The leaves and trees are parts of your own limbs, the ground the stabilizing force that connects you to everything around.

You do not have to go far into the earth. We are making nature a part of our bodies for a few minutes, not melting into it or dissolving our consciousness. In fact, it is quite the opposite! Become more aware of your body… every sensation that drifts across. Maybe an ant takes a trip across your leg or the ground under your feet or legs is squishy and soft. Feel it all as if it were your own skin. This meditation has scientific health benefits if you are actually outdoors. We are attuning our bodies, often victims of the breakneck pace in daily life, to a more natural rhythm. Here, we eat when we are hungry, we drink when our body asks. Our spines align with something that doesn’t give when we put our full weight on it, and we wake and sleep without disruptors or prompters. We let our body become the guide to a greater awareness of Self, letting nature extend this process outward, so we can get whatever vibrational nutrient we need in the Moment. Stay here as long as you can and make it a part of your routine whenever possible. Humans were meant to be closely linked to the land that sustains them… Invite the symbiosis back and watch the miracles that happen.

A Gnome Being Leans In

A gnome being shows up when I ask how we can start to connect to their realm more deeply. Since we know I cannot handle great density, she keeps her distance energetically for now but is happy to help me. I feel her over my shoulder like a grandmother or old friend, approving of the tradition I am uncovering and hoping to move into my practice. I am in the kitchen slicing up vegetables, onions hissing in a pan while steam fogs the windows.

“There are many ways for us to draw near,” she croons. “Consider that sensation of living an entire life in a moment… From planting season to harvest alive in your soul. The cycle follows the pattern of your breath as you feel it. There is no hurry, but you are aware of every moment of unfolding in the span of a breath. You pull it out and make it into yourself, just like you eat a sprout that you pull from the ground. Swallow it down and digest it. You can do the same with water of course, making it a part of your life force. But here you can find nature at its source… the roots, the seeds, the soil mixing with your cells, as you prepare vitality translated into dinner. We are there with you when you commune with our spirits and harvest our love for the good of your family. We love to be present and nourish your body, allowing it to align with our pace. Be in your body… This is the landscape in which you will exist until it is returned to us. You mirror our magnificence… what a joy it must be to be human.”

Crystal Consciousness

Since crystals are so popular right now in spiritual circles, there are a few things I want to note that may facilitate one’s connection to the gnome kingdom. Most of us will display attraction to some crystals while feeling repelled by others… and those proclivities can change based on where we are in our personal experience and what earth “medicine” we need. We get a little bit formulaic when we reduce the function of a crystal to just a few adjectives, and there is a much better approach to utilizing their potions.

To integrate the earth element fully is to live with each element on the periodic table as if it is part of your own body. If this is too intense, you can start with a conceptual understanding as you feel drawn to each thing. To understand the fundamental constructs that make concepts like “land” or “ground” into living entities, we need to be able to sense all of the parts that make them into a union. Something the gnomes (and human crystal enthusiasts!) have suggested to me is to go into crystals with discernment of their individual properties. Sometimes, in the human world, we believe that things carry specific vibrations because a new age shop tells us so. “This crystal” or “that crystal” is good at healing in our minds just because a new age store had it listed on an index card… There is not really any thought or logic behind some of these practices. The intention is rarely to mislead, but definitions are reflections of someone else’s pathway. It does not mean there are no new applications or functions for us to find ourselves.

The gnomes encourage us to engage with what the crystal beings feel like in conjunction with our personal bodies. We all have different constitutions, health histories, spiritual interests, and needs, so each crystal’s effects will vary from person to person. Although some may have an overarching vibration, these are only meant to be taken generally and not to serve as limitations. Many of us live in a world of someone else’s imagination. We do not touch, taste, see, feel, or sense for ourselves. We wait for someone else to give us the answers. We wait for accidents. Carrots may seem objectively “good” to most people, but if you have an allergy, that makes a world of difference. Take your time to get to know each crystal you engage with on a personal level. Think of them as friends with inner spheres, potentials, and lives you can come to know over time. Not every crystal will be right for you and that is completely normal- we all have many different co-constitutions and those deserve to be respected.

For example, I have a polarized experience with amethyst. Of course, it is pretty, but I have to identify what feels good about it and what does not and why. The chemical makeup of this crystal is SiO2 (Silicon dioxide). The silicon and oxygen vibrations usually feel right to me… I am trying to figure out why this rock that is so highly recommended for astral travel just isn’t working though. So, I do a little research. Turns out, amethyst isn’t just purple because it’s purple or represents the crown chakra! There are certain metals and plenty of iron that donate to its colorful nature. I am one of those people who struggles with high iron content in some of my crystals when I am moving from world to world (some of my friends jokingly call me a faerie for this). I can use amethyst for other things, but it will mess me up in new-age circles where people place them all around us before we go on a nonphysical journey together.

Learning how specific crystals form can also be helpful and give us greater insight into their abilities. Gnomes love to discern histories because they can contribute to purposes sometimes. Amethyst is a type of quartz, so it forms inside igneous rocks (basalts) which are forged in lava and very hot environments. Since amethyst is a quartz which is usually an amplifier, it can also retain some of that fiery constitution from its making. Not all crystals form this way. Some form from groundwater deposits in a host rock, which would make those (like celestite) more suited to my watery purposes. It took me so long to figure this out, but it is a wisdom that the gnomes want me to share. Do not take anything at face value… Go into each being’s (or crystal’s) body and let it be a part of yours for a minute. See how it feels, read about its history and timelines… Feel the millenniums and epochs it has lived through. The gnomes can do this just with psychic senses, but for our purposes, we can start with the internet and geology books and go from there!

Land and Cultural Connections

Sometimes land takes on cultural meanings, absorbing the medicinal celebrations, life cycles, and pursuits of its Indigenous people. Gnomes are more likely than any other elemental to understand and engage viscerally with human happenings. They love it when our rituals or community festivities give earth space more meaning for us. What is this if not alchemy? Taking an object or space and making it sacred in our hearts with temples of energy, ceremony, and ancestral history is how this phenomenon can translate. As the gnomes say, “Follow the family tree back a little way. Walk where they walked. Feel the lifeblood of energy coursing in the grass from blade to blade. Let the mud sink into your toes… Find echoes of your soul in this land of stone and memory.”

Gnome Invitations

Even though the earth is not my strongest element, I still engage with it as deeply as my nebulous aura will let me. I can go pretty far with it, barring intense meditations on extreme densities or neurological meldings with the deepest core. Most people will not have this challenge at all. The following invitations and celebrations are for everyone. We all share this planet in common and call it our home for this life. The gnomes as a collective sent me the following transmissions. Rather than meditating individually with gnomes regularly, I engage with the outer atmosphere of their consciousness which is highly conductive and nutritious. The following poem is a channeled invitation to connect more deeply with the wonder and whimsy of our intriguing planet.

“Sylvan Souls”

Come with me Low

To the Mosses and Loam

To lilting Brambles and Curling Vines

Caressing the feet of Cedar and Pine

Call up the flowers with me

And Unburden your Soul

Let us do what the Winds do with the Scent of Rain

And Invite floral Veins to Breathe here Again

Take your Measure of Garlic and Thyme

Set aglow by the smile in your Eyes

And Speak the Perfume of a new World into Being.

The Sumac leans close…

Closer than the stars…

Straining to hear your Verdant Whispers.

The Blooms inside you dream in colors of Champagne…

Plant your Hands firmly on their new resting Place

Now Breathe.

Let the Fragrance of your Breath take Root

Dip the tip of your mind-Pen in amethyst Hues.

Water the Earth with a Fertile Memory

Now watch.

A rosy spine uncurls;

A fern unfurls

Peppermint takes its first step

And baby Marigolds flex,

Rocking in their windy Cradles next to Sage

Cherry blushes for the first time as our lips meet…

And Juniper wiggles her Emerald feet

Willow-spun designs come into View:

And in Sylvan folds, are me and You.

Communication and Oneness with the Earth Element

Sometimes the connection with the earth is simple. It can take the form of a psychic dialogue while we stay present in our physical bodies... It does not always have to be an earth-shattering astral journey. The following interaction came sweetly and simply with the feeling of physical well-being and arriving Home that vibrates at the gnome frequency.

“Evergreen”

An evergreen takes me under its wing

Casting Her needles around my shoulders

Sewing me to the land

She sorts through crunchy Leaves

Skating around musing Lakes

Patting my face gently and weeding my Thoughts

She finds a few chickadees hibernating there

A little Frosty

But content in their beds.

She sings them back to sleep

Crooning through a Satiny web

Still wet with dew

She wants to know where my Home is

With my nose in her neck

Breathing in the Scent of a Forgotten World

Porcupine brushes against our feet

Grinning like a ghost who knows

That even Winter sheds His sharp quills in the presence of our Love.

A Question 

Once, I asked a gnome being with a more masculine presence, “What if someone is far from a natural landscape? How do they find you?” This was his reply.

“The Moment”

Listen when it speaks to you through the cracks in the sidewalk

Thrusting its chest out and making its existence known

Listen when you’re standing in the kitchen and the onions in the pan snap and pop

Arching their spines toward you

Like little lovers

Listen when Summer curls around your legs

Purring and licking at creamy periwinkle twilights

Listen when it is winter and you’re warm in bed eating waffles

Sticky with syrup

The sap tickling your blood with Maple lullabies and frosted runes

Listen when the old ghosts snatch the evening right out of your hands

And incline on the pillow making eyes at the spaces between your fingers

Listen when the blossoms appear in dazzling recitals

The Mint and Jasmine shaking their hips, holding space for Poppy’s arrival

Listen when your thoughts connect the dots

Between the trails the stars blazed

And name the tidal waves poking holes in the morning hours

Mewling like the cries of a healthy Babe

Listen when your joints creak, and age creeps

Its weathered arms around you

Knitting its body around your neck warmly like a scarf.

Listen when the Corn and Cotton

Teach you the parables braided through their past lives

With histories lying quietly next to your own

Listen to the Lore in the carpeted floor

Of your 4x4 lawn in the heart of the city

Reaching its fingers toward the front door and tapping lightly on the sill.

Listen.

The Moment stands before you, leaning against the picket fence

Peeling an apple to its core

And passing the juicy pieces to your clenched fists.

The Significance of Earth Element Integration

Gnomes make themselves part of the land, trees, rocks, and plants. This can create vortices and deep pools of healing for humans who live spine to spine with cities and synthetic technologies. Sometimes we have to play peek-a-boo with nature and actively look for its presence. Most of us feel better in nature because its many properties are like minerals and nutrients to our inner and outer selves. The earth is the meeting of the sacred and the mundane… The everyday and the balanced body. It has the power to rejuvenate and replenish our spiritual and (sometimes) physical selves. It gets to the root and heart of everything, understanding the building blocks that make what we understand to be “vibration.” There are hundreds of iterations of metals, minerals, rocks, stones, woods, soils, plants, and natural pavements. Each contains many gifts if we can discern the multitude of their components. The final invitation is this: Hear their voices and close the distance between desire and contentment.