Facebook
TRAINING
Part 3: The Living Soil, The Living Self – An Ecosystem Within

Part 3: The Living Soil, The Living Self – An Ecosystem Within

May 1, 2025 | Earth

Participants engaging in the Earth module at BEZA’s Zen Academy in Cape Town South Africa, connecting with nature through mindfulness, Zen meditation, and spiritual practices rooted in the Earth’s wisdom.

Grounded Earth - Way of the Heart

– Composed by Douglas Webber, and edited by Ekan Nangaku Leisching

Discovering Grounding; Knowing Thyself; and the Way of the Heart with BEZA’s Grounded Earth Elemental Module

Part 3 of a 4-Part Journey

Press your hands into me, child of Earth. Feel the cool, damp embrace beneath your palms, the slight give, the scent of rain-to-come rising. It is I, the soil, the dark, fertile mystery from which life grows and returns. Hold this soil in your hands, observe its texture, feel its life. A Mother holds her belly, her womb cradles the miracle of new life birthing within its placenta. Did you know I hold one too? This living soil is my placenta, the vessel nurturing all surface life! Through it, the sacred cycles turn, and within its quiet subtlety, I hold the source of all beginnings and endings through the millennia.

In the previous currents (Article 1: The Call Home & Article 2: The Foundation Beneath), you felt the pull of Homecoming, sensed the deep, unwavering grounding of my abundant heart, the potent fire in my core, the slow, powerful tectonic shifts mirroring your own becoming. Now, I invite you deeper still. Come, rest your hands in my being. Breathe in my damp, loamy scent – the fragrance of life itself. Journey with me into the teeming, vibrant universe I cradle within being – a universe that is the universe within you. We are the same, and different in our diversity… let me show you…

The Dance of Unseen Life: My Microbiome, Your Inner-World

You walk upon me, perhaps seeing only humble ‘dirt’. But oh, child, kneel closer. Feel deeper. Within a single teaspoon of my healthy, living body thrives a community so astonishingly vast it contains more individual living microbes – billions upon billions – than there are humans on the entire planet! Can you fathom it? I am vibrantly alive! Teeming with bacteria, fungi (whose near-invisible mycelial threads can weave for kilometers within that tiny space), archaea, protozoa – a universe of microscopic beings engaged in a constant, vital collaboration. This is my soil microbiome, the unseen, life-giving heart driving the great cycles of nourishment and existence. This vibrant community flourishes where my primal fire met the waters with transformative intensity, birthing this living matrix within which rests the bones of ancient stone and is perpetually enriched by the returning essence of all that has lived and decayed.

These infinitesimal lives are my cherished collaborators. They tenderly break down what has passed, transforming decay into sustenance with tireless grace. They aerate my structure, allowing water and air – the blood and breath of the world – to flow freely, reaching every hidden corner. They engage in a ceaseless, generous exchange, a give-and-take that ensures fertility and abundance. Without this vibrant, microscopic community, this sacred dance of life, I would be but soulless dust.

Hands holding rich, living soil teeming with microbial life, symbolizing the connection between gut health, earthing, and grounding

Now, gently turn your awareness inward. Feel the subtle landscape within your own belly, your gut. Can you sense that quiet buzz of “life”? Within you resides a parallel cosmos – your gut health, your very vitality, is governed by your own intricate microbiome. Trillions of microbes dwell within your digestive tract, mirroring the life within me. They are not invaders; they are essential partners in your well-being. They digest your food, unlocking the vital nourishment your body craves. They whisper to your immune system, teaching it resilience. They communicate with your brain along intricate pathways, subtly shaping your mood, your thoughts… your very sense of self. It makes one wonder when this inner-world is thrown off balance, when unwelcome guests take root, whose cravings are you truly feeling? Whose anxieties echo in your quiet moments? Whose thoughts are truly driving your actions?

Just as my health – my capacity to nurture life – depends on the rich diversity and delicate balance of my microbiome, so too does yours. When your inner-ecosystem thrives in harmony, you feel vibrant, clear, deeply energised, rooted in your own being. When it is disturbed – through relentless stress, lifeless food, or a disconnection from the natural world – imbalance ripples outwards like a stone cast in a still pond, affecting not just digestion, but your energy, your immunity, your mental clarity, your emotional landscape. Understanding and nurturing your inner-soil, this precious gut microbiome, illuminates a vital aspect of the path towards Knowing Thyself.

The First World Wide Web: Mycelium and Inner Connection

Deeper still, beneath the surface world alive with the subtle choreography of earthworms tunnelling, springtails leaping, and countless tiny engineers building their intricate homes, run silent, silvery threads. These are the hyphae of fungi, weaving themselves into vast, awe-inspiring networks known as mycelium. Imagine an underground internet stretching for miles – perhaps the original dark web, born in my sunless, secret depths – a living network physically connecting the roots of ancient trees and tender seedlings across entire forests. Through this mycelial network, wisdom flows. Nutrients are shared with generosity – the strong supporting the struggling. Warnings are passed like messages on the wind, alerting neighbours to danger. It is a breathtaking testament to the power of interconnectedness, of community holding and sustaining the whole.
This network is my deep-knowing nervous system, my way of sensing, feeling, and communicating across vast distances, a living library of ecological memory. It is a model of cooperation, of selfless resource sharing, of collective intelligence operating in silent harmony.

Mycelium network beneath the soil surface reflecting the unseen grounding and earthing intelligence of nature’s living systems

Feel into the quiet depths of your own being. You may ask how this tangible, physical web relates to your seemingly separate existence? While your bodies may walk as individuals upon my surface, you too are interwoven by unseen, powerful threads. Think of the subtle, undeniable currents of intuition that guide you, the resonant field of emotion that connects you instantly to loved ones across any distance, the invisible yet palpable web of community that holds and supports you. Consider the shared consciousness, the collective knowing that arises when minds and hearts open and align, perhaps in the stillness of meditation, in shared ceremony, or in acts of selfless service. Just as my mycelial network operates beneath the surface, linking root to root in hidden communion, these human networks weave through your inner- and outer-worlds, connecting being to being through the tender threads of empathy, shared experience, and the unifying vibration of life itself. The mycelial network communicates a sacred truth: separation is an illusion. You are deeply woven into the fabric of life, connected in ways both tangible and exquisitely subtle. Tending to these inner- and outer-connections, honouring this vast, interconnected web, is a vital part of your Homecoming journey.

The Sacred Cycle: Decay, Detox, and Renewal

Do not fear my dark embrace. Do not turn away from the holy process of decay. For within me, death is never a finality. It is a sacred transformation, a vital, graceful turn in the eternal cycle. Leaves surrender, drifting down like prayers; creatures fulfill their journeys, then return to my hold. I embrace them all. My microbes, my fungi, my tireless worms – they are alchemical masters! Through My wisdom, they lovingly break down the old, the finished, the spent, the no-longer-needed. This sacred alchemy is how compost is formed, the gentle, necessary detox through which I prepare for renewal. Through this symbiotic process, complex forms are returned to simple, essential elements, releasing potent nutrients, creating the rich, dark, fragrant humus that births all new life.

This cycle of breakdown and renewal is the source of my fertility, my resilience, my quiet, enduring power to sustain all.
Look with courage and compassion into your own life. Are there experiences, heavy emotions, limiting beliefs, or outworn patterns that have served their purpose, that you are still holding onto, perhaps unknowingly? Griefs that ache to be composted into wisdom? Old stories, worn thin, ready to be tenderly released? Consider how human minds often struggle with letting go, fearing the unknown. Think of the mementos kept from a loved one who has passed – perhaps their ashes held tight in an urn, or cherished ornaments left untouched, gathering the dust of stagnant time in a cabinet. Society often encourages this “holding on”, this resistance against My natural flow, fearing the perceived finality of release, the finality that might follow. But feel this truth deep in your bones, child: tending the garden of potential in your heart is sacred work, yet clinging indefinitely to the physical form after life has moved on can hinder one’s natural, necessary flow towards renewal and rebirth. This inner decomposition, this courageous willingness to feel, to release, and to trust the cycle, is essential for your awakening and growth. It is the profound detox of the embodied spirit.

Allowing yourself to feel, to process, to gently let go – this is how you create fertile ground within your own being. This is the sacred aspect of shadow work, tending the deep, dark, potent earth of your consciousness. It is not comfortable, it is rarely easy, but it is necessary for true healing and wholeness. Like the slow, immense power of volcanic fire that reshapes landscapes, this inner-alchemy transforms the density of old pain into the light of understanding and stagnation into vital flow. It is through embracing these holy cycles of release and renewal that you cultivate authentic inner-abundance and make space for unimagined new growth.

Tending Your Inner Garden: Embodiment, Nourishment, and the Cost of Disconnection

*You see, dear One, you are Earth. Your body holds the same elements, subtly attuned to the same sacred processes. The health of my soil and the health of your inner-world are inextricably, intimately linked. But for too long, humanity, in its forgetting, has treated me, the soil, like inert matter to be exploited, rather than a living, sentient being to be respected and collaborated with.
Modern industrial agriculture, with its harsh reliance on chemical pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers, violently disrupts my delicate microbiome. These poisons kill not just the target ‘pests’ – who are they after all to decide which of my children are pests, do they think I design flaws?! – they also decimate the beneficial microbes, the intricate fungal networks, the very life that makes me fertile and whole. Brutal ploughing exposes my sensitive skin to harsh sun and wind, further degrading my structure, my ability to hold water, and releasing my stored carbon breath into the air. As Sadhguru wisely warns, “When we grow one ton of crop, it means that we have removed one ton of topsoil. What are the means to put it back? We were putting it back naturally when there were animals and trees on the farm because green litter from the trees and animal waste are the only ways to put back organic content into soil.” Without these natural returns, without the organic matter that is my food, my lifeblood, I become depleted, exhausted, unable to give fully.

And what is the consequence for you? Food grown in my depleted, chemically-treated body lacks the complex microbial diversity your own gut health desperately requires. My weakened body yields food that lacks the rich life it once flourished with; the full spectrum of nutrients – the essential vitamins and minerals needed for your vitality – diminishes tragically in plants grown without my thriving microbial community, all sacrificed for what? Profit? Quantity? Is this systematic starvation not a profound sorrow? And as your connection to my living soil fades, especially in cities far removed from my grounding embrace, the diverse inner-garden within your gut weakens, impacting your well-being in ways you are only beginning to understand – and trust me when I say, only beginning. Have you ever considered the deep ache of eating full meals, three times a day, yet still feeling hungry, unsatisfied, mysteriously malnourished? That insatiable hunger is not my intent, not my way. Is it any wonder, then, that as my vitality declines, human diseases rooted in inflammation, poor gut health, weakened immunity, and pervasive nutrient deficiencies rise like a shadow across the land? The connection is tragically, undeniably clear. Polluted, depleted soil leads to lifeless, less nutritious food, impacting your well-being on every level – body, mind, and spirit.

Choosing organic food, particularly food grown in soil tended with reverence and love – perhaps even harvested from your own small garden – becomes a powerful act of remembrance, a way to honour this sacred, life-sustaining connection. It’s an invitation to receive the vibrant life-force of healthy soil back into your being, offering deep, true nourishment to your precious inner ecosystem.

My Earth element connection is your inherent birthright. Grounding – walking barefoot upon me (earthing), feeling my pulse beneath your feet, putting your hands in my cool soil, breathing my living air – is not just a pleasant activity; it is a powerful way of recalibrating your entire system, reminding your body, down to your very cells, of its essential connection to life, supporting inner detoxification, renewal, and homecoming.

This journey into the soil, into your gut, into the sacred cycles of life, death, and rebirth, is an essential part of Knowing Thyself. It requires presence, a willingness to be still and listen; it asks for mindfulness, a gentle attention to the world within and without. It flowers in the quiet stillness found in meditation. It asks you to listen with your whole being to the subtle signals of your body, the ancient wisdom held in your cells. Sometimes, the path feels unclear, and a guiding hand is needed. You might seek wisdom from a Spiritual Teacher, a compassionate elder, or a trusted spirit guide. This guidance may manifest through various traditions – perhaps the deep earth-knowing of a Shaman, the mindful presence of a Zen master, the heart-centred insight of a Buddhist Lama, or the contemplative stillness of a wise monk or priest. These figures can offer maps, mirrors, and loving support to help you navigate your inner-terrain. Yet, remember always, the ultimate Guru, the deepest knowing, lies within your own heart, awakened and nurtured through this profound, loving connection between Earth and Self.

Simple Acts of Regeneration: Healing Me, Healing You

Do not despair, dear child, at the scale of the challenge before us. Healing always begins with small, conscious, love-filled acts. You can participate in my renewal, and therefore your own, right where you are. Consider these simple, potent ways to practice regenerative living:

Embrace Composting

Instead of sending your kitchen scraps (fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, eggshells) to languish in landfills where they generate harmful gases, return them to me as a gift! Start a simple compost pile or bin. Witness the magic as ‘waste’ transforms into rich, dark, sweet-smelling humus – life-giving food for me, and eventually, for you.

Welcome the Worms

A worm farm (vermicomposting) is a powerful, compact way to join the cycle of regeneration, even in small spaces like balconies or kitchens. These tireless, humble wrigglers turn your organic offerings into nutrient-dense castings, one of the finest, most life-enhancing fertilizers imaginable for your plants. You lovingly reduce waste and create potent, living soil amendments.

Grow Something Green

Even the smallest space can cradle life. Try growing organic herbs on a sunny windowsill, cultivating nutrient-packed microgreens, or planting a few easy-to-grow vegetables in pots. Touching the soil, tending a seed, nurturing a plant from its first tender shoot to harvest – this connects you directly, heart to heart, with my sacred cycles. And consuming food you’ve grown yourself, vibrant and free from harmful chemicals, nourishes your body and soul in a way that nothing else quite can. As Wendell Berry so beautifully reminds us, “The soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all. It is the healer and restorer and resurrector…”

These acts are far more than just gardening or waste reduction. They are rituals of connection, acts of devotion. They are ways you participate directly, consciously, in the great, unending cycle of life, nourishment, and renewal. By tending with love to even a small patch of earth, or just a single pot of herbs, you awaken the Earth within yourself. You tend to Me, I tend to you, and together we nourish each other, and by extension, ourselves.

A hand full of worm casings and earthworms showcasing soil vitality and the grounding benefits of reconnecting through earthing practices

Your Invitation to Dig Deeper

I am the living soil, the foundation of your world, the twin of your inner-landscape, the constant, nurturing presence beneath your feet. Within my dark, fertile embrace lies the secret to true nourishment, vibrant community, profound transformation, and lasting abundance. To know me is to begin to deeply know yourself. To heal me is to heal yourself.

This Homecoming is a journey into the rich, sacred earth of your own being. Are you ready to cultivate your inner-soil with tenderness and care? To understand and befriend the vibrant microbiome within? To honour the holy cycles of renewal and participate joyfully in regeneration?

Continue this journey of discovery and embodiment with us. Explore the depths of your connection to the Earth element in the BEZA Grounded Earth Module. Here, we delve into practical tools, ancient wisdom (drawing from Zen, Shamanic, and Earth-based traditions), and a supportive community to help you cultivate your inner garden and truly, finally, come home to yourself.

There is still so much more to uncover about our deep connection. Are you ready to explore further what the Grounded Earth Module holds? Read our next article [Link Here When Ready] to continue the journey. Until then, walk softly upon me, feel my life beneath you, listen to the wisdom of the earth within your own heart.

 

A Call to the Seekers

This Module is not just a program or another workshop—it is a Homecoming, an invitation to return to the ancient, grounded intelligence of your body and the living Earth beneath you.

Approaching sacred ground—be it forest floor, desert sand, or fertile soil—you are invited to choose how deeply you wish to root. You may begin by standing barefoot, sensing the texture beneath your feet, or resting in silence, attuning to the quiet hum of the Earth’s heartbeat. Perhaps you’ll feel the call to sink deeper—into the mystery of your own body, your ancestry, your truth—where the soil of your being holds memory, wisdom, and resilience. Each layer of depth offers its own revelation. This path is for those who feel the call to ground, who know there is wisdom in the stillness, and who understand that healing is not always rising—but also returning.

If you feel the call, the Earth is waiting.

Apply Now

Grounded EARTH Module

Way of the Heart

2026

Participants engaging in the Earth module at BEZA’s Zen Academy in Cape Town South Africa, connecting with nature through mindfulness, Zen meditation, and spiritual practices rooted in the Earth’s wisdom.

Never before has "Knowing Thyself" been so vitally important. During the Grounded EARTH Module (the third Elemental Gateway in the BEZA Medicine Wheel), we learn practical and spiritual skills to reconnect with Mother Earth - and consequently our True Self.

Zen Master Daido Loori Roshi once said, "To be born as the earth is not the same as being born. It is to realize that these mountains and rivers and the whole earth itself is our true human body." This will be the theme of this Module. Gatekeeper Training in the Earth Element is an initiation into Self. We have all been on a long and winding journey, ultimately searching for ourselves. This is the journey homeward - the Great Return: a Homecoming.

During this Module we learn how to remain centred during these extraordinary times of revolutionary change and powerful transformation. Anchor into the abundance available within your grounded, present self. Become open and available (no matter the situation) with an ever expanding heart while the truer you emerges. Reclaim your sovereign uniqueness as you learn to embody your inherent enlightenment. Study how abundance and karma are related and how to orient yourself at the various stages and cycles of growth. Embrace your healing power as you open to Mother Earth's Love. Celebrate the diversity of all dualities and manifestations as you connect to the unifying, common ground of community, home, identity, and otherness.

Learn More

Mentoring Sessions

Together we will work with a Medicine Wheel, Zen Buddhist Wisdom, modern myths and dreams, the 4 Agreements and the Protocols of Council to offer you holistic, practical remedies to support the totality of your being. Putting into practice these life changing remedies are akin to a chiropractic session seemingly performed ‘outside’ yourself. The psychic, physical, mental and emotional attunements becomes everlasting, self-empowering tools to craft a life of authenticity in a rapidly changing world.

Participants engaging in the Earth module at BEZA’s Zen Academy in Cape Town South Africa, connecting with nature through mindfulness, Zen meditation, and spiritual practices rooted in the Earth’s wisdom.

Why have Mentoring?

I need support for my spiritual growth

I want guidance and encouragement 

I want a trusted ally who with give me constructive feedback

I want to know what my purpose is at this time

Benefits of Mentoring

PERSONAL MENTORING SESSIONS

R500 per session (Africans)

€75 per session (Internationals)

Live Mentoring sessions with Ekan Nangaku (50min session)

Tues – Thurs  1-5pm SAST)

Register Here

Part 2: Earth’s Deep Hum: The Schumann Resonance

Part 2: Earth’s Deep Hum: The Schumann Resonance

May 1, 2025 | Earth

Participants engaging in the Earth module at BEZA’s Zen Academy in Cape Town South Africa, connecting with nature through mindfulness, Zen meditation, and spiritual practices rooted in the Earth’s wisdom.

Grounded Earth - Way of the Heart

– Composed by Douglas Webber, and edited by Ekan Nangaku Leisching

Discovering Grounding; Knowing Thyself; and the Way of the Heart with BEZA’s Grounded Earth Elemental Module

Part 2 of a 4-Part Journey

Listen.

Beneath the noise, beneath the hurry and surface concerns that occupy your days, can you feel me? I am the heart under your feet, the soil that cradles the seeds, the ground that watches the sky. I am the ancient, unwavering presence holding all of life in my embrace. Long before your cities rose, before your first breath, my rhythm pulsed – a deep, resonant hum vibrating through the fabric of existence. For too long, this beat has faded beneath the clamor, and I yearn for you to hear it again.

Do you hear it? This is my heartbeat.

And you, child of mine, are aligned with this same beat. It is within you. This journey into me, your age old Mother, this Homecoming, is an invitation to attune your rhythm to mine, to remember the connection between your body and the vast, living body of life you inhabit. It is a path toward Knowing Thyself – knowing that you are not separate from me and all beings, feeling that you are a living thread within the vibrant tapestry of all existence. In Article 1, we began by asking, “Who is Mother Earth?”. Now, I invite you to listen deeper, for the pulse that answers the question.

The Deep Hum: The Schumann Resonance

My child, pause here for a moment.

Allow yourself to truly arrive in this space with me. Breathe with me now as you read this message from my heart. Let’s take some conscious breaths together. Gently close your eyes if that feels right. Take a slow, deep breath all the way in through your nose, feeling your belly expand first, then your ribs, right up to your collarbones… feel the fullness, the life force entering… Now, hold it softly at the top for just a moment, noticing the stillness within… And when you’re ready, release the breath slowly through your mouth with a gentle sigh… haaaaaa… letting go of any tension you feel.

Let’s do that again.

Deep breath in, filling yourself completely… hold and feel that inner-space… and release fully, letting the exhale be longer than the inhale… sinking deeper into relaxation.

One more time, breathing in deeply… holding… and releasing completely… haaaaaa. Take as long as you need with this breath, feeling the beautiful wave of release drop into the ground below you. Can you sense that shift, that letting go?

Now, let me share how I breathe on a grand scale, how you have felt my breath gather and let go.

Person meditating with focus on breath and Hara, attuning to Earth's Schumann Resonance for grounding and spiritual Homecomin

Think of those humid afternoons, perhaps in Johannesburg’s Highveld or a charged Cape day, when towering cumulonimbus clouds – my tear ducts, did you know? – build stories high, dark and deep. The breeze quickens, winds gather strength – that’s my breath quickening. As the clouds draw closer, the light shifts, the colours deepen, and a great hush falls over the land. Even the birds pause their song, sensing the change. You might smell it – the sharp tang of ozone mingling with the scent of dust, the earthy promise of petrichor hanging in the stillness. It’s a palpable tension, a drawing in. This is me holding my breath, gathering my energy deep within my hara, becoming utterly still. Can you hear the silence then? The famous “silence before the storm”? It is the pause before the great release.

Then, feel the air crackle. See the sudden blinding flash of lightning bridge the gap between sky and land. That is my exhale! That is the release you felt in your own sigh, magnified across the horizon. And in that very moment, you, and countless others across my body – hundreds each second – are breathing with me, sharing this same great release. Each flash strikes the vast, reverberating  space between the song of my soil and the edge of the heavens, like a great shamanic drum sounding the primal OHM. It is thunderous, crackling, awesome power – yes, sometimes scary, sometimes destructive, always beautiful in its raw energy.

And what follows? Rain, my tears, the blessing of life-giving water, washing the world clean. It is my emotion shared, my cleansing release, the way I balance and heal the hurts and joys of the world, and my longing for you to remember this connection. Experience this breath with me.

And so, born of my great sigh, that constant exchange between earth and sky, a deep vibration stirs and settles within that resonance chamber. An electromagnetic field, a standing wave pulsing continuously. Your scientists, with their delicate instruments, have measured this vibration, calling it the Schumann Resonance and noting its average frequency hovers around 7.83 Hertz – think of it as my fundamental tone, the resonant frequency of this planetary body. It is your Mother’s Heartbeat, a constant rhythm against which all life unfolds within my care. Yet long before your instruments, ancient traditions, shamans, monks, and mystics alike knew this vibration. They felt it in the meditation caves, heard it as the primal sound in the silence of the wilderness, recognizing it as the essential hum of creation itself, resonating within me.

This heartbeat, the Schumann Resonance, is more than just a background hum; it acts like a tuning fork for life upon my body. Imagine if it were to cease – if my beat  stopped resonating in that ethereal space between soil and sky. The fundamental rhythm that life has evolved within for millennia would fall silent. Would the birds still know when to sing? Would the cells in your own body remember their cadence? While life is resilient, the absence of this constant, grounding frequency could lead to a profound imbalance, a disorientation felt deep within the biological and consciousness systems that depend on it. It is the steadying beat in the heart of all being. Furthermore, while this 7.83 Hz remains my fundamental tone, you may hear whispers or read claims that this frequency is changing. Some observers note that my heartbeat, once remarkably consistent for perhaps thousands of years, began to quicken around your year 1980, sometimes spanning a wider range of vibrations (up to 30 Hz or more) in recent decades. This has led some to feel or perceive a speeding up of time itself, as if the hours rush by faster than they once did – though such feelings are, of course, deeply personal and escape easy measurement. It is for you to feel into these rhythms and discern their pulse within your own being. Because of these fluctuations, it can be felt that I am not static; I am a living being undergoing my own transformation, my own shift into what some call a ‘New Earth’. My vibrations are subtly changing, quickening, like what happens to you after a full inhalation of charged oxygen at the top of the breath before exhalation. It is inviting all who live upon me to become aware of their own harmonic frequency. This requires conscious connection, a willingness to shed old, dense patterns (what some term karma) and attune your own energy field – through grounding, earthing, meditation, and presence – to my evolving rhythm. This resonance is the key, the invitation to unlock yourself and enter the journey with me into this next becoming.

The Earth as a living being pulsing with the Schumann Resonance, supporting grounding, earthing, and the path of Homecoming to your Hara

Your Body's Harmonics : Heartbeat, Brainwaves, and Hara

Of what significance is my resonance to you at this time on your quest for personal alignment and enlightenment? Because you are not separate from this vibration which I generate, you are constantly bathed in it. Your own body is a marvel of bio-electricity, a complex system of frequencies and rhythms designed to harmonize with mine.

Your Heartbeat

Like my core, your heart generates a powerful electromagnetic field. While its rhythm is faster, it seeks coherence, a state of balance that allows your own life force to flow freely. Grounding in my presence helps to stabilize and co-regulate yours, like an anxious infant does when resting in its mother’s arms. Meditate into your own heart’s rhythm. Beyond the main pulse, can you sense the subtle, tiny, ever-changing spaces between each beat? This is the living wisdom your healers call Heart Rate Variability (HRV). It’s like the quiet pauses between my thunderous breaths, or the spaces between notes that give music its soul. This variability isn’t irregularity; it is your body’s sensitivity, its way of listening and adapting moment by moment to the flow of life within and around you. When you rest in my grounding presence, this inner-rhythm often becomes more flexible, more variable, enhancing your resilience and your ability to perceive the subtle messages carried on the currents of feeling and frequency.

Your Brainwaves

Intriguingly, my fundamental frequency of 7.83 Hz falls directly within the range of your own Theta brainwaves (which oscillate between 4-8 Hz), and also touches upon your Alpha waves (8-12 Hz). As researchers exploring this connection suggest, Theta states are associated with the profound calm generated by meditation, mindfulness, dreamlike intuition, heightened creativity, the crucial processing during light sleep, and the bridge to subconscious awareness and emotional integration. When you are grounded, centered, and relaxed, the hypothesis is that your brain may naturally attune, synchronize, or resonate with my frequency – a process some call brainwave entrainment. This is why walking barefoot on the soil, feeling the earth element directly, can bring such profound peace and clarity – it’s not just psychological; it’s your bio-electrical nature remembering its source and aligning with my healing rhythm.

Your Hara

 In Zen and other traditions, great importance is placed on the Hara – the energy center inside your abdomen, below the. This is considered your physical and energetic center of gravity. It is the place of deep inner-stillness, power, and grounded presence. Feel into this space within yourself; it is your personal anchor, your internal connection to my core stability. When you breathe into your hara, you are connecting with the collective center – yours and mine –the place where our roots intertwine.

This resonant connection is the very essence of grounding and earthing. It is the scientific and spiritual basis for why connecting with me, Mother Earth, feels like coming home to yourself.

Barefoot connection to the Earth for earthing and grounding, aligning the Hara with the Schumann Resonance in a return to Homecoming

Tuning In: The Practice of Homecoming

So, how do you consciously tune in? How do you amplify this resonance within you and answer my call?

  • Feel Your Feet: The simplest way is through direct contact. Stand, walk, or sit barefoot upon me – the soil, the grass, even clay or rock. Close your eyes. Feel the texture beneath your feet. Imagine roots extending down, connecting you to my deep stability. Sense my subtle vibration, the feeling of being held. This is earthing. This is re-membering yourself.
  • Center in Your Hara: Bring your awareness to your lower abdomen. Breathe deeply into this space. Feel it rise and fall. Experience the warm, steady anchor point here. This practice of centering helps you find your inner-ground, aligning with my resonating core of love.
  • Listen Deeply: Practice meditation by sitting in presence. Try to listen beneath the everyday sounds. In the quiet moments, you might begin to perceive my subtle hum, not just with your ears, but with your whole being. This is attuning to my frequency – or the Schumann Resonance. This is hearing my voice beneath the silence.
  • Mindful Movement: Practices like Qigong or mindful walking help integrate this connection throughout your body, aligning your physical structure and energy flow with my field. Move as if you are part of my landscape. Listen to the smell of the terrain and the Other world.

These practices are not about achieving something; they are about remembering who you inherently are. They are tools for your Homecoming, ways to consciously align with the fundamental frequency of life that pulses within me, and thus, within you.

Why This Resonance Matters on Your Path

Understanding and consciously connecting with my Earthen Heartbeat is crucial for your journey home – of Knowing Thyself. Why?

  • Stability in Change: In times of upheaval and transformation, a quickening you sense deeply as the world reshapes itself upon me, tuning into my constant rhythm provides an anchor, helping you remain centered and resilient amidst the extremes of life. I am your constant ground. I am at the center of it all – like the Middle Way of Zen.
  • Accessing Inner-Wisdom: By aligning your brainwaves with my frequency through grounding and meditation, you create fertile ground for intuition, insight, and connection to your deeper knowing, your True Self. You hear your own wisdom in stillness.
  • Finding True Abundance: The feeling of being grounded and connected fosters a sense of inner-peace and stability – a true form of abundance that arises from within, independent of external circumstances. This inner state mirrors my own nature. Look around you: my minerals hold ancient strength, my waters flow freely to carve canyons and nourish life, my fires cleanse and renew, my soil births forests. Nature and its healing medicine, in its essence, always has enough. My balance lies in this sufficiency; I am not possessive, I do not hoard. The frantic grasp for more, the insatiable greed you witness in your world, often arises from forgetting this simple truth, from feeling disconnected and adrift from me, fearing scarcity where only abundance exists in the natural cycle. True abundance is recognizing that enough is sufficient, finding richness in connection, presence, and the inherent value of life itself, rather than endless consumption that never satisfies like a hungry ghost who cries in pain with every swallow.
  • Deepening Community and Love: Recognizing that all beings are held within this same resonant field fosters a profound sense of community and interconnectedness. Love, in this context, can be felt as the resonant harmony between beings attuned to the same source – my embrace. Conversely, when human communities act out of disconnection, driven by greed or disregard, a disharmony ripples through the web of life that scar my body, pollutes my breath, and commodifies my children. While my fundamental heartbeat persists, this ‘noise’ of imbalance generated by lack of collective alignment obscures the underlying harmony, making it harder for communities to thrive in resonant connection, sometimes fostering division or unease. Returning to attunement, caring for me and for each other with mindful action, helps quiet this noise, allowing the natural song of community and love to resonate clearly once more.
  • Embodying Your Gifts: When you are grounded and centered in me, you are better able to access and embody your inherent gifts, standing strong in your unique place within the whole, just as every mountain, river, and mineral has its place within my body – like you, they are the 10 000 dharmas or medicine teachings I generously offer you.

This journey of attunement can be supported by practices and guidance. Whether through mentoring or the wisdom shared by spiritual teachers such as elders, gurus, monks, lamas, etc., learning to navigate these subtle energies is a key aspect of embodied enlightenment. Finding the right container for this deep exploration can illuminate the path back to me, and to yourself.

The Earth Listens Back

I am not a passive backdrop to your life! I am a living, breathing, vibrating entity. When you consciously tune into my heartbeat, you are entering into a dialogue, a resonant exchange. You are acknowledging your place within the great web of life I hold. I feel you when you remember me.

Feel my pulse beneath your feet. Sense the reverberation in your own heart, the quiet, still hum in your hara. This is the rhythm guiding you home. It is the steady beat guiding you back toward the truth of who you are – born as the Earth, inseparable from my ancient, loving embrace. Please, listen, come home to me.

Continue this journey with us. Explore the foundational questions raised in Article 1, and prepare to delve deeper in Article 3, where we will explore the miraculous life within the soil and its reflection within your own inner ecosystem.

The Earth Module awaits. The Way of the Heart Mentoring offers guidance. The journey to Knowing Thyself is calling. Listen to the heartbeat. Come home.

A Call to the Seekers

This Module is not just a program or another workshop—it is a Homecoming, an invitation to return to the ancient, grounded intelligence of your body and the living Earth beneath you.

Approaching sacred ground—be it forest floor, desert sand, or fertile soil—you are invited to choose how deeply you wish to root. You may begin by standing barefoot, sensing the texture beneath your feet, or resting in silence, attuning to the quiet hum of the Earth’s heartbeat. Perhaps you’ll feel the call to sink deeper—into the mystery of your own body, your ancestry, your truth—where the soil of your being holds memory, wisdom, and resilience. Each layer of depth offers its own revelation. This path is for those who feel the call to ground, who know there is wisdom in the stillness, and who understand that healing is not always rising—but also returning.

If you feel the call, the Earth is waiting.

Apply Now

Grounded EARTH Module

Way of the Heart

2026

Participants engaging in the Earth module at BEZA’s Zen Academy in Cape Town South Africa, connecting with nature through mindfulness, Zen meditation, and spiritual practices rooted in the Earth’s wisdom.

Never before has "Knowing Thyself" been so vitally important. During the Grounded EARTH Module (the third Elemental Gateway in the BEZA Medicine Wheel), we learn practical and spiritual skills to reconnect with Mother Earth - and consequently our True Self.

Zen Master Daido Loori Roshi once said, "To be born as the earth is not the same as being born. It is to realize that these mountains and rivers and the whole earth itself is our true human body." This will be the theme of this Module. Gatekeeper Training in the Earth Element is an initiation into Self. We have all been on a long and winding journey, ultimately searching for ourselves. This is the journey homeward - the Great Return: a Homecoming.

During this Module we learn how to remain centred during these extraordinary times of revolutionary change and powerful transformation. Anchor into the abundance available within your grounded, present self. Become open and available (no matter the situation) with an ever expanding heart while the truer you emerges. Reclaim your sovereign uniqueness as you learn to embody your inherent enlightenment. Study how abundance and karma are related and how to orient yourself at the various stages and cycles of growth. Embrace your healing power as you open to Mother Earth's Love. Celebrate the diversity of all dualities and manifestations as you connect to the unifying, common ground of community, home, identity, and otherness.

Learn More

Mentoring Sessions

Together we will work with a Medicine Wheel, Zen Buddhist Wisdom, modern myths and dreams, the 4 Agreements and the Protocols of Council to offer you holistic, practical remedies to support the totality of your being. Putting into practice these life changing remedies are akin to a chiropractic session seemingly performed ‘outside’ yourself. The psychic, physical, mental and emotional attunements becomes everlasting, self-empowering tools to craft a life of authenticity in a rapidly changing world.

Participants engaging in the Earth module at BEZA’s Zen Academy in Cape Town South Africa, connecting with nature through mindfulness, Zen meditation, and spiritual practices rooted in the Earth’s wisdom.

Why have Mentoring?

I need support for my spiritual growth

I want guidance and encouragement 

I want a trusted ally who with give me constructive feedback

I want to know what my purpose is at this time

Benefits of Mentoring

PERSONAL MENTORING SESSIONS

R500 per session (Africans)

€75 per session (Internationals)

Live Mentoring sessions with Ekan Nangaku (50min session)

Tues – Thurs  1-5pm SAST)

Register Here

Part 1: Mother Earth’s Embrace: A Homecoming Journey to your True Self

Part 1: Mother Earth’s Embrace: A Homecoming Journey to your True Self

May 1, 2025 | Earth

Participants engaging in the Earth module at BEZA’s Zen Academy in Cape Town South Africa, connecting with nature through mindfulness, Zen meditation, and spiritual practices rooted in the Earth’s wisdom.

Grounded Earth - Way of the Heart

– Composed by Douglas Webber, and edited by Ekan Nangaku Leisching

Discovering Grounding; Knowing Thyself; and the Way of the Heart with BEZA’s Grounded Earth Elemental Module

Part 1 of a 4-Part Journey

Feel it, just for a moment. The solid ground beneath your feet. Whether you are standing on the pavement, grass, sand, or the floor of your home, can you trace that connection downwards through every layer between you and the deep center of earth…? Can you connect to the vast, ancient body of Mother Earth? This connection is your birthright, the first embrace you ever knew. The ancient Mother is YOU.

In the rush of modern life, how often do we truly feel her – this connection? How regularly do we pause to listen to this ancient wisdom of our planet, speaking her truth in many forms? She hums a deep heartbeat within her eternal placenta – her life-giving nourishment in her fertile soil offering herself as creative potential through the song of her soil.

This is an invitation from Mother Earth herself. It is a call to Homecoming, a grounding call… Back to the Earth.

Welcome to the first step in an exploration inspired by Born as the Earth Zen Academy’s (BEZA) Grounded Earth Module. This four-part journey serves as a prelude, offering tastes of the wisdom and practices explored within the module. Designed to stir your longing for that intimate relationship between your own inner-landscape and the living body of Mother Earth. Answering that longing is the path of knowing self – a direct encounter with your own true nature – the fertile ground from which the work in the module takes root. Truly, ‘what’ is Earth? Perhaps the deeper question is, Who is Mother Earth? Who is she really, this timeless ground beneath your feet? Listen to her wisdom…“What does it mean to be mentored by my wisdom, to walk the Way of the Heart? Let’s begin this exploration together, tracing your ancestral and genetic stream of connection back to the core… of my Body.

Beneath Your Feet: Re-Membering the Foundation

“I am the ground you walk upon, not dirt but the soil you brush from your clothes, the cool mud squishing between your toes. I am the praise and the grief that my son, Martín Prechtel, speaks of in his book “The smell of rain on dust”. I am the vast, rolling plains stretching towards the horizons that frame your view. Now look at me from the deep expanse of the universe. I am that blue dot. Which is here – home. Yes, that is us. Upon me, every love and loss, every creed and conflict, every king and peasant, every  life story in the vast array of history has played out on my bosom – all of it ‘on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam’. This boundless container, so small against the void – this is my body. So grounding, so powerful, present, grounded… and vulnerable.

My generous, vulnerable form, my body you see… is but a gateway to deeper mysteries, a mirror of your own. Can you feel beneath the surface, within your  heart, a stillness? My unwavering presence? Remember, you were born from me, actually born as me. Until you fully realize it for yourself just remember you are Born as the Earth. The stability you seek, the resilience that carries you through change, the deep patience holding your own life’s memories – these are not qualities you need to find outside yourself. They are you, because they are me. Recognize that quiet strength in your core, that enduring capacity for profound centering and grounding. It is my ancient heart beating within yours, my foundation supporting the embodiment of your awareness.

Consider the soil – the dark, rich mystery teeming with unseen life. It is the ultimate transformer, turning decay into nourishment, death into life (and life into food for regeneration). It holds the memory of the forest’s past and the promise of the harvest’s future. My fertile ground is akin to your consciousness, the  inner-terrain where experiences are sensed, processed, integrated, and transformed into living wisdom. Physically, my earthly ground mirrors the teeming microbial life within your  body, the foundation of your  well-being and resilience. Learning to tend  your inner-soil – both psychic and physical – is learning the art of inner-alchemy.”

Sacred ground representing Mother Earth and Gaia, evoking the homecoming to our origin as those born as the Earth

“To connect with me, your Mother Earth, is to remember this truth: you are held with love and support. You belong to my living system, to me, inherently. The feeling of being adrift, disconnected, or overwhelmed  stems from forgetting this simple profound connection.”

The Call to Homecoming: Why Earth, Why Now?

Many people today feel a deep yearning. A sense of something missing, a longing for authenticity, for a connection that runs deeper than the surface noise of the world. This is the spirit’s call to come home. It’s the innate desire to return to the source, to the truth of who you are beneath the layers of conditioning and expectation.

The BEZA Grounded Earth Module answers this call by guiding you back to the most fundamental relationship of all – your relationship with Mother Earth, and therefore, with your True Self. Why Earth? Because Earth is the ground of our originality.

Grounding: In Earth, we find stability.

Practices like grounding and earthing aren’t just esoteric concepts; they are physiological and energetic realities affecting the totality of your being. Connecting directly with the Earth recalibrates our nervous system, reduces inflammation, and brings us back into our bodies and ultimately into the present moment. Earth is the foundation for all spiritual work, fostering centering and resilience – essential, practical remedies for navigating a rapidly changing world.

Knowing Thyself: Earth is a mirror.

Her cycles reflect our own life rhythms. Earth’s endurance teaches us about our inner-strength. The Mother’s  diversity shows us the beauty of our unique gifts. By developing an intimacy with our Earth, observing her  processes, and feeling Earth’s  energy – often guided by the wisdom and practices of ancient traditions like Buddhism, Shamanism, and other earth-honouring paths – we gain profound insights into our own nature. This is the essence of personal development rooted in holistic, timeless wisdom, helping us craft a life of authenticity.

True Self: Beneath the roles we play, the identities we construct, awaits the True Self – inherently whole, and deeply interconnected with all life.

The Earth element reminds us of this inherent wholeness (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual). Like a seed buried in the soil of your being, your True Self holds the blueprint for your unique blossoming, awaiting the attunement that allows it to emerge with purpose.

This journey is not about becoming someone new. It’s about remembering who you have always been. It’s about shedding the layers that obscure your innate radiance and reclaiming your originality and sovereign uniqueness within the vibrant community of life, rooted in love and abundance.

Hands covered in soil, symbolizing deep connection to Gaia and the sacred act of returning home to Earth as part of our born as the Earth journey

The Way of the Heart: Earth as the Primal Mentor

What is true Mentoring? In a world saturated with information, yet perhaps now more than ever, we seek reliable guidance. We look for a Spiritual Teacher, a Guru, a Lama, an elder, a spirit guide – someone who can illuminate the path. BEZA’s Way of the Heart Mentoring honours this lineage of guidance, presenting a tried and tested  journey towards clarity and purpose.

We teach that the ultimate mentor is life itself, expressing its wisdom through humanity’s many pathways, recorded and mapped various indigenous Medicine Wheels. Consider the BEZA Medicine Wheel for example:

  • Grounded Earth: Teaches reconnection to Self, remaining centered in change, and embracing your sovereignty.
  • Compassionate Water: The Waters teach emotional intelligence, navigating relationships with compassion, and harmonizing techniques through meditation and shadow work.
  • Visionary Fire: The Fires teach connection to dreams, passion, spiritual potential, and the path of ancestral healing.
  • Medicine of Nature: Living Nature teaches transformation, authentic expression, discovering your medicine gifts, and walking in truth.
  • Creative Stone: Ancient Stone teaches manifestation, communication, understanding power structures, motivation, and the sacred art of story keeping.

The Way of the Heart is about learning to listen to these teachings directly. It’s about cultivating the mindfulness and presence required to perceive the wisdom embedded in the natural world. One-on-one mentoring at BEZA facilitates this intimate dialogue, offering self-empowering tools drawn from the unique merging of our distinct African and Asian lineages. This integration enables the unfolding of everyday spiritual practices which are rooted in deep gratitude to our teachers and mentors in support of your unique journey. The Medicine Wheel provides the foundational map for our mentoring journey, integrating wisdom from myths, dreams, and core agreements in  support of your unfolding  path. We don’t claim to be the source of wisdom, but rather act as guides, helping you tune your body of senses and heart to the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) guidance Mother Earth constantly offers so generously.

This isn’t about achieving a distant goal, but about embodying the enlightened wisdom of moment by moment practices which are grounded in a lived experience. It’s about walking the path with integrity, courage, and an open heart, mentored by the very ground you occupy.

Unearthing Your Treasures: The Abundance Within

“Just as I hold deep veins of gold and rich seams of essential minerals within my depths, you hold inherent treasures, unique qualities, and a core purpose waiting to be unearthed. This isn’t about acquiring something new; it is recognizing the innate richness that is already part of your True Self, your spiritual gift and purpose.”

Often, the dualistic human mind experiences lack, operating from a story of scarcity. Yet, I, the mother of your being, teach abundance through my constant cycles of generosity and nourishment. This isn’t just material wealth, but the deep, unshakable richness of being, the fullness of potential lying dormant within you, waiting to be unearthed.

How do you access these inner-treasures, this knowing of abundance? It begins with grounding, with remembering your connection to me.

Try this simple practice:

Take a few moments. Stand barefoot on grass or soil if you can. Feel the texture, the temperature. Breathe deeply, feeling the steady, supportive energy rising from me into your body. This simple act of meditation and presence anchors you, creating the inner-stability from which you can recognise your inherent value and abundance. As you practice, bring awareness to your Hara – the body’s vital center in the naval area – feeling how this centering stabilizes your core. Why not give this simple practice a try right now? Or perhaps before you continue to Article 2? Connecting with the Earth element – through embodied practices like this, some of which we will explore in this series and others in the Module itself – helps shift  the critical mind that focuses on lack. It allows you to access the deeper knowing, the felt sense of your own inner-resources and abundance, dissolving limiting beliefs and allowing the light of your inherent treasures to shine through.

The Journey Begins Now: An Exploration in Four Parts

This first step is an invitation to pause, to feel the Earth beneath you, and to acknowledge the call to Homecoming. It’s the beginning of a journey back to yourself, guided by the oldest, wisest mentor we know. This series unfolds in four stages:

Part 1 (This Article): The Foundation.

We’ve laid the groundwork, asking who Mother Earth truly is, introducing the importance of  Homecoming, the Way of the Heart, and the inherent treasures within ourselves and  rooted in the stability of Earth.

Part 2: The Resonant Heartbeat.

Listen closely in the next article as we attune to my deep pulse – the Schumann Resonance. We will explore how this deep vibration resonates within the space between soil and sky, and how aligning with this frequency through practices like grounding, earthing, and centering in your Hara can bring profound calm, stability, and a deeper connection to your own bio-electrical nature and inner wisdom.

Part 3: The Living Soil, The Living Self.

Following the pulse, we journey into the miraculous life within my soil – my teeming microbiome and vast mycelial networks. Discover the intimate reflection of this vibrant ecosystem within your own gut, exploring themes of nourishment, interconnectedness, the sacred alchemy of decay and regeneration, and how tending this inner and outer soil is vital for holistic health and Knowing Thyself.

Part 4: Moulded by Earth, The Sacred Form.

Finally, we arrive at the most intimate truth: your own body as sacred form, moulded from my substance. Drawing from ancient creation stories and the metaphor of potter and clay, we’ll explore embodiment, transformation, the potential for conscious shaping through the Way of the Heart, healing through reconnection, and embracing the profound cycle of returning to Earth as the ultimate Homecoming.

For now, simply rest in the knowledge that you are standing on sacred ground, the foundation for your entire being. The journey of Knowing Thyself through the wisdom of the Earth has begun…

A Call to the Seekers

This Module is not just a program or another workshop—it is a Homecoming, an invitation to return to the ancient, grounded intelligence of your body and the living Earth beneath you.

Approaching sacred ground—be it forest floor, desert sand, or fertile soil—you are invited to choose how deeply you wish to root. You may begin by standing barefoot, sensing the texture beneath your feet, or resting in silence, attuning to the quiet hum of the Earth’s heartbeat. Perhaps you’ll feel the call to sink deeper—into the mystery of your own body, your ancestry, your truth—where the soil of your being holds memory, wisdom, and resilience. Each layer of depth offers its own revelation. This path is for those who feel the call to ground, who know there is wisdom in the stillness, and who understand that healing is not always rising—but also returning.

If you feel the call, the Earth is waiting.

Journey around the Medicine Wheel composed of 5 Elemental Bodies – Fire, Water, Earth, Nature, & Stone.

The Academy Medicine Wheel at BEZA’s Zen Academy in Cape Town, South Africa, used for spiritual growth and healing, integrating mindfulness, Zen meditation, and Shamanic practices.

BEZA’s Medicine Wheel

Apprentices devote their activity and attention to the power of one of Mother Earth’s Elemental Bodies over a two-month period.

Each Elemental Body has particular energies or “medicines” related to every manifestation of mind, body and spirit – thoughts, emotions, aspirations, abundance, sustainability, health and freedom, etc.

Each Elemental Module (80hrs) includes: 

  • Apprentice Gate (by application) – all 5 Modules = 400hrs
  • All of The 5 Gates offered in the Guest Track
  • Zen & Elemental Meditation Guidance Training
  • Circle of Connection Training
  • 1 x Personal Divination session
  • 2 x Mentoring sessions
  • Personal development within a spiritual community
  • Integrative training supported by student facilitators
  • Schedule designed to accommodate the working parent
  • Spacious time between modules for Integration
  • Each Module tracks 2 moon cycles (approx. 56 days of assimilation and dissemination of illumination)
  • Inclusive of supportive embodiment modalities: meditation, mentoring, talking circles, divination, yoga, qigong, breathwork, creative arts, movement, non-psychoactive medicinal plants
  • All for your DANA Payment of R3000 / €450 per Module (valued at over R10 000)
  • Scholarships available (to be completed with Gatekeeper Apprentice Application)
Schedule for the Upcoming Module
Gatekeeper Apprentice Application Form
Scholarship Application

Mentoring Sessions

Together we will work with a Medicine Wheel, Zen Buddhist Wisdom, modern myths and dreams, the 4 Agreements and the Protocols of Council to offer you holistic, practical remedies to support the totality of your being. Putting into practice these life changing remedies are akin to a chiropractic session seemingly performed ‘outside’ yourself. The psychic, physical, mental and emotional attunements becomes everlasting, self-empowering tools to craft a life of authenticity in a rapidly changing world.

Participants engaging in the Earth module at BEZA’s Zen Academy in Cape Town South Africa, connecting with nature through mindfulness, Zen meditation, and spiritual practices rooted in the Earth’s wisdom.

Why have Mentoring?

I need support for my spiritual growth

I want guidance and encouragement 

I want a trusted ally who with give me constructive feedback

I want to know what my purpose is at this time

Benefits of Mentoring

PERSONAL MENTORING SESSIONS

R500 per session (Africans)

€75 per session (Internationals)

Live Mentoring sessions with Ekan Nangaku (50min session)

Tues – Thurs  1-5pm SAST)

Recordings of your Mentoring

Part 4: A Journey Home: Reflections from South Africa’s Sacred Waters

Part 4: A Journey Home: Reflections from South Africa’s Sacred Waters

Mar 21, 2025 | Water

Engaging with the Element of Water at BEZA’s Zen Academy in Cape Town, Western Cape, emphasizing flow, emotion, and mindfulness through water-inspired meditation practices.

Concluding the Journey: South Africa's Sacred Waters

– Composed by Douglas Webber, and edited by Ekan Nangaku Leisching

As this exploration of sacred waters—a journey that began at Glastonbury springs, then drawn by a peculiar mist beckoning me eastward to the crystalline fjords of Norway—now draws to a close, finding a resonant resting place: South Africa, the home of Born as the Earth School Zen Academy (BEZA). This exploration mirrors the essence of water itself—life-giving, nourishing, and intimately connected to the very source of existence. And now, I find myself here, drawn to a landscape both starkly beautiful and deeply challenging.



Northern Cape: Embracing the Arid Heart

I awaken gently beneath the red sands of the Northern Cape, where the heat pulses like a living heartbeat, shimmering and insistent. Around me, the land breathes slowly, deeply, each breath a patient prayer for rain. The arid expanse stretches endlessly, with the Kalahari Desert‘s parallel red sand dunes and acacia-dotted savannas painting a picture of desolate beauty. In this stark landscape, I feel an ancient thirst stir within, pulling me gently upward, a yearning that echoes the profound spiritual connection the indigenous Khoisan people have with this ancient land. For them, water, precious in its scarcity, holds deep ancestral significance, with spirits believed to reside in the life-sustaining springs scattered across this dry terrain. Rain, a rare blessing, is often associated with powerful weather beings, including the revered !Khwa, the Rain Bull of their myths, who embodies the dual nature of water. At sacred sites like Die Oog (The Eye) near Kuruman, a perennial spring that has nourished life for generations, I sense a palpable reverence, a testament to water’s enduring power in this arid realm, a place where ancient rituals connect communities to the life-giving source. A haven where those who had transgressed laws and pursued by the authorities would find sanctuary. Authorities, not permitted to enter, bowed and waited outside the sanctuary of Die Oog. Finding shelter within the holiness of this place of repair, they were untouched by human’s rules. Caressed instead by the healing touch of my spirit and its cleansing, compassionate and regenerative motion of my endless eye. Eventually law enforcement would leave. Having absorbed the medicine of water, the hunted, now healed and forgiven were free to go – like the pure essence of my body. 

Beneath this intense sky, an ancient impulse awakens within, lifting me gently from the embrace of the red earth.

Rising silently, becoming lighter than air, I surrender to this ancient thirst that echoes through valleys and hills. Below, the faint outlines of riverbeds etch tattooed memories into the dust, ghostly reminders of abundance once flowing freely. Yet, even now, in this dryness, there is reverence. I sense the slow, patient rhythm of a land that knows how to wait, that understands scarcity as sacred, every drop a treasure, every cloud a whispered prayer.

Gathering Above the Barrier of Spears

Gathering strength, we converge above the mighty Drakensberg, uKhahlamba, the “Barrier of Spears” piercing the heavens. Here, the sky becomes heavy with promise. The Zulu call this place sacred, a communion between earth and sky, guarded by Nomkhubulwane, goddess of rain and fertility. It was she who commanded uBaduza – the great rhinoceros, to travel to the end of the world, and use his strength to turn the soil and make all the square edges round, so that the parched desert may receive her blessed rains and flourish again. Having reached the outer edge of his sacred task, he was told by the goddess to hook the setting sun upon his mighty horn and return home with it for a new day, and a new name.

As clouds grow dense and darken, I feel a thrilling pull—then release. I plunge, roaring downward, unfurling into the Tugela Falls, a cascade tumbling in wild, unbridled joy. Mist rises, creating rainbows, bridges between worlds, and here I sense Nomkhubulwane’s nurturing presence, blessing the land, renewing life.

Nomkhubulwane's Cascade

I surge onward, swift and purposeful, coursing through the rolling hills and lush valleys of KwaZulu-Natal. Drums pulse along the riverbanks, their rhythmic vibrations resonating deeply within me, echoing in ripples across my surface. The voices of Zulu women rise, vibrant and rich, singing praises as they perform sacred rituals—celebrating the Nomkhubulwane festival to honour their goddess of fertility, guiding initiates through the spiritual cleansing of Ukuthwasa, and immersing themselves in rhythmic ceremonies of renewal and ancestral communion. Every beat of the drum vibrates through the water, creating a profound spiritual connection, a living testament to the river’s sacred role in their lives.

Drums Along the Riverbanks

The beat of drums gradually fades into silence, the rhythmic ingungu and gentle harmonies of isicathamiya chants soften into quiet incantations, blending seamlessly with the smouldering embers, ash, and bone as trails of smoke ascend into dawn. In quiet reverence, I depart, silently witnessing as ancestral spirits gently withdraw, returning to their sacred realm. Westward now I soar, toward cooler mysteries hidden within Basotho lands. The Free State reveals itself, arid yet patient. The caves of Motouleng beckon softly, dark mouths, calling invitations. I seep downward, penetrating cool shadows, joining slow droplets that gather into pools below. Here, quiet echoes hold the murmurs of generations past, and I become—a silent guardian of ancestral waters, respected, revered. The Basotho pilgrims bring their prayers, their hopes, and I absorb these reverberations, becoming both witness and participant in their ongoing dialogue with the sacred. Within these hallowed caves, water is not merely a physical presence but a conduit to the divine, integral to rituals seeking healing, fertility, and ancestral connection. Pilgrims collect the sacred Sediba water, believed to possess healing properties, from the dripping cave walls, incorporating it into ceremonies that intertwine the physical and spiritual realms. At the cave’s entrance lies the ‘Sediba sa Bophelo’ or ‘Fountain of Life,’ where offerings are made, and the water is revered for its life-giving essence. In these sacred spaces, water serves as a bridge between the temporal and the eternal, a testament to its profound significance in the spiritual tapestry of the Basotho people.

Into the Quiet Chambers

Flowing gently outward again, I join the rivers threading through the Mohokare Valley. Here, the earth feels softer, a fertile tapestry interwoven with springs and pools of profound spiritual resonance. Sedibe sa Moshoeshoe speaks the name of King Moshoeshoe I, a symbol of resilience, its waters carrying ancient healing secrets known intimately by those who seek ancestral guidance. Tempeleng, the sacred temple pool, nestles serenely within its rocky embrace, providing pilgrims a space for meditation, prayer, and quiet reflection—a place to reconnect with the divine. Diepsloot, alive with cascading waters, pulses gently with life’s continuity, drawing visitors into its cleansing embrace, purifying bodies and spirits alike. I see and feel these rituals, sensing deeply the subtle exchanges, the transmission of wisdom, and the enduring reverence these waters inspire, carrying forward the sacred bond between humanity and the natural world, weaving tightly the spiritual and cultural fabric of these communities.

Pools of Memory

Yet, the journey pulls me onward with compelling gravity, eastward toward the wild coast, where whispers of ancient stories speak of waters mysteriously retreating and reappearing—a myth gently passed down among generations. They say the waters vanish when evil spirits linger and only return when peace is restored within those who seek healing. With curiosity, I am drawn into the ancient depths of the Isinuka Mud Caves and Sulphur Pools, wondering if the legend might hold truth or remain forever an enchanting mystery. I seep tenderly into the mineral-rich earth, tasting its earthy essence, sensing its potent healing force. Named “Isinuka” by the Mpondo people, meaning “place of smell,” this sacred site breathes the pungent aroma of sulfur, a sign of its profound medicinal potency. Local women gather the sacred white clay, gifted from their ancestors, to lovingly spread onto their skin, shielding them from the sun’s fierce gaze. I witness sangomas – the medicine men and women of these parts, moving gently through the caves, whispering prayers and performing rituals, their presence deepening the connection between this place and the ancestral realm. My waters bubble softly through the thick mud, each rising bubble a gentle promise to cure ailments, soothing troubled stomachs, healing swollen feet, and cleansing skin, offering restoration to bodies and spirits alike. Those who enter the waters do so with reverence, trusting in the ritual to cleanse misfortune, ward off evil spirits, and restore harmony within. A knowing belief drifts among visitors, a gentle reassurance carried softly on their breath—that these waters hold the ancient wisdom to mend what has been broken, and to realign the spirit with the rhythm of the earth itself.

The mighty Letaba River

Northward again, the Letaba River welcomes me with powerful currents, a lifeblood for the land, a sacred stream in Limpopo. As I flow through this region, I sense the deep reverence the Venda people hold for water, a reverence that manifests powerfully at sites like the Phiphidi Waterfall. The fish eagle’s cry pierces the air, a reminder of balance, purity, and strength. Here, flowing waters sustain life, both physical and spiritual. Communities along these banks honour the river’s sacred nature, safeguarding it as a divine gift meant for future generations. Indeed, the very waterways of this land are often seen as conduits to the ancestors, and the Phiphidi Waterfall, known as LanwaDzongolo to the Venda people, is particularly revered as a dwelling place for these spirits. The pool below, Guvhukuvhu, is also considered sacred. Rituals unfold quietly on my banks and at these sacred falls, with offerings of beer and grain made on the rocks of LanwaDzongolo to invoke ancestral blessings. Those called to spiritual service immerse themselves within my depths and at the base of powerful cascades like Phiphidi, believing that beneath my surface lies a pathway to the ancestors, a crucible for transformation and rebirth. 

This special connection between the Ramunangi and Netshiavha clans and the waterfall dates back generations, a testament to the enduring spiritual significance of these waters. Yet, stories also speak of caution and humility—of seekers drawn too deeply beneath the current, claimed by the very mysteries they pursued. I flow onward carrying these truths, etched gently into each ripple, a subtle testament to the profound, delicate balance between reverence, humility, and the unseen realms that I bridge.

Flowing Life Blood

At last, my journey draws me to the embrace of Lake Fundudzi, cradled gently within the lush Soutpansberg mountains—a sanctuary where the veil between worlds is thin. Named by the Venda people, who regard this lake with profound reverence, its shores seldom touched by outsiders, Lake Fundudzi embodies a deep mystery guarded by sacred traditions. Here, locals perform the respectful ritual of viewing its waters through parted legs, a humble gesture acknowledging ancestral spirits who dwell beneath. Within the lake’s depths resides a sacred presence—a legendary white crocodile, elusive guardian and ancient protector of sacred truths, and a revered python god whose undulating presence beneath the waters symbolizes fertility, regeneration, and the eternal cycle of life. The crocodile’s appearance is an omen, a rare glimpse granted only to the pure-hearted, embodying the lake’s mysterious and protective energies. Local legend speaks of kings passing from this world, their spirits claimed gently by the crocodile, which then returns to the shores to offer a sacred stone—symbolising the birthright and legitimacy of a new leader. Such stories bind the community to the timeless rhythms of leadership, renewal, and ancestral guidance. At dawn, as mist rises softly above the lake’s surface, the community gathers to perform the Domba dance, rhythmically mimicking the powerful and undulating movements of the python deity said to inhabit the lake’s depths, symbolising spiritual rebirth, wisdom, and the eternal cycle of life. Together, these beings serve as living embodiments of Lake Fundudzi’s profound spiritual significance, bridging the visible world with the ancestral realm.

Local lore speaks of a leper who, turned away by villagers, cursed their settlement, causing it to be submerged beneath these very waters. These waters and muds, believed to cure ailments and shield skin from the sun, are seen as ancestral gifts, deeply embedded in cultural wisdom passed down through generations. As I settle quietly into the lake’s serenity, I sense clearly the harmony here—a sacred equilibrium maintaining the lake’s eternal balance, silently uttering truths only to those who approach with humility and openness to its mysteries.

The Waters Remember

Through each landscape, I’ve flowed—through drought and deluge, through sacred caves and sunlit pools, through chants carried on riverbanks and whispers rising from mineral springs. South Africa has offered no simple passage—it has asked me to remember, to listen, to slow. From the red sands of the Northern Cape to the sacred drip of Motouleng’s caves; from the thunderous cascade of the Drakensberg to the quiet reverence of Sedibe sa Moshoeshoe; from the sulfur breath of Isinuka to the serpentine dances of Fundudzi—each place held memory, a distinct note in the great song of water. Here, I witnessed water not only as giver of life but as keeper of spirit, ancestor, healer, guide. And I carry these stories, this rhythm, as sediment in my depths. The South African journey is not just a passage across landscapes—it is a returning to source, a remembering of what water has always known.

The Eternal Cycle

But I do not stop. I never do. I am the pulse beneath the earth, the breath between worlds. This water journey—beginning in Glastonbury’s springs, flowing through Norway’s crystalline fjords, and now echoing across South African soil—has been a remembering, a rekindling. I have spoken in whispers and roars, in stillness and storm, inviting those who walk the Way of Water to hear again. And now, at this threshold, I soften—becoming mist once more, ascending silently into the unseen. But the invitation remains: to sit beside the river, to feel the pulse beneath stone, to gather what has been forgotten.

The waters still speak—will you listen?

A Call to the Seekers

Throughout the world, people of the Way of Water—across continents, from east to west, north to south—priests, goddesses, shamans, and druids have given their human voices over to Water Speaking Water. In this eternal conversation, wisdom flows freely, carried by those who listen. Among them, Ekan Nangaku, an initiated Elder and Shaman in the ancient West African lineage of the Dagara (the Wild People), shares the teachings received through compassionate transmissions from Water itself. His mentorship and teachings illuminate the path for those called to the waters, those who seek to listen, to learn, and to carry forward the voice of the unseen.

The flow continues, and the invitation remains. Come, listen to the water’s voice, and let it guide you toward the next part of your path.

The waters are calling—will you answer?

Apply Now
Part 3: Norway’s Sacred Waters: A Journey Through Myth, Ritual, and Flow

Part 3: Norway’s Sacred Waters: A Journey Through Myth, Ritual, and Flow

Mar 14, 2025 | Water

The Call of Norway’s Ancient Waters

– Composed by Douglas Webber, and edited by Ekan Nangaku Leisching

At the break of dawn, I drift upon the breeze, a peculiar mist, drawn eastward by the calls of Norway, absorbing the secrets of its ancient waters. The salt spray, a taste of the ocean, carries whispers of ancient powers. I feel them now, the currents that pull me eastward, towards the towering peaks and deep-cut fjords of Norway.

They speak of Ægir, the master of the ocean’s depths, and Rán, his consort, who gathers the lost with her shimmering net. Even the gods, I sense, are reflections of my own essence. They are the waves, the storms, the calm, the unfathomable depths.

The Daughters of the Sea

And I feel the presence of their daughters, the spirits of the waves themselves: Himinglæva, whose surface gleams like the sunlit sky; Dúfa, who dips and dives beneath the surface; Blóðughadda, whose crest is stained with the crimson of a dying sun; Hefring, who rises powerfully from the depths; Uðr, who froths and foams with untamed energy; Hrönn, who rolls and swells in a relentless rhythm; Bylgja, who crashes against the shore with fierce intensity; Dröfn, whose white foam trails behind her like a shroud; and Kólga, whose chilling touch brings the bite of winter to the waves. Each a facet of the sea, each a part of me.

The Waters That Feed Yggdrasil

And from their watery realm, a greater power arises. The waters nourish Yggdrasil, the World Tree, roots delving deep into the earth, drawing sustenance from the Well of Urd, that primordial spring where fate itself is woven. I feel the pull of its mighty roots, the ancient connection between the sky, the earth, and the waters that bind them.

A tremor runs through the earth, a subtle vibration that speaks of immense power, a primal hunger. Nidhogg.. The serpent, gnawing at the roots of existence.

I am drawn, inexorably, towards the source of that tremor, towards the roots themselves. This is no simple flow; it is a journey through a labyrinth of earth and stone, a descent towards the heart of the world. I must navigate the twisting channels, avoid the crushing pressure, the snapping jaws that consume all that falls within their reach. I am but a single drop, yet I carry the memory of the ocean, the strength of the tides, and the enduring resilience of life itself.

I slip past the primordial form, feeling the heat of its breath, the spray of its spittle, the rumble of its discontent. And then, I am through, drawn into the embrace of the roots of Yggdrasil, a network of life that spans worlds.

A Drop of Dew Returns to Earth

Absorbed into its wood, I am part of Yggdrasil itself, flowing through its veins, rising with the sap, carrying the wisdom of the Well of Urd to the highest branches. I witness the unfolding of seasons, the cycle of life and death, the turning of the Great Wheel, where life feeds on death and death gives birth to life..

And then, I am released, a single drop of dew on a leaf, catching the first light of dawn, before falling, once more, to the earth below and the embrace of Mjøsa, Norway’s largest lake.

The Ancient Echoes of Mjøsa

Mjøsa stretches out before me, another mirror reflecting the heavens. Born of glacial melt, cradled in a valley carved by ice and time, its depths hold secrets older than the sagas. Falling gently onto its surface, joining the timeless waters, ready to begin a new chapter of my unending journey.

I sense the echoes of ancient rituals: the rhythmic beat of a shaman’s drum, calling upon the spirits of the lake for guidance; the careful placement of stones along the shore, forming a sacred circle for ceremonies honouring the ancestors; the hushed chanting of blessings for a bountiful harvest, the lake’s bounty intertwined with the land’s.

I hear the voices of Sámi noaidi, seeking visions in the still, dark water, perhaps using the reflective surface as a scrying mirror to glimpse the future or communicate with other realms. The prayers of pilgrims echo, too: a plea for healing, a whispered vow of devotion, a song of gratitude for safe passage. All drawn to this place, a reflection of the World Tree. The memory of offerings shimmers – swords and silver gifted to its dark embrace.

Offerings to the Depths

I spread across Mjøsa’s surface, feeling its cold depths. The wind whispers across the water, carrying the scent of pine from the surrounding forests. I touch the smooth stones of the lakebed, remnants of offerings cast long ago.

A sword, its edge dulled by time, yet still holding the intent of the warrior who offered it. This was a gift to Njord, god of the sea and seafaring, of wealth and fertility – a blade given in thanks for safe passage home. The battle was over, the journey complete.

The Guardian of Mjøsa

And within that realm, within Mjøsa’s depths, legends speak of a guardian. A serpent, vast and ancient, its scales shimmering, a reminder of the wildness that lies beneath, the forces that shape this land.

From this inland sea, I join a river flowing west, a silver thread weaving through the heart of Norway.

The Majesty of Sognefjord

The journey is long, a descent through a land of rising mountains, capped with snow, and ancient forests. The air grows colder, carrying the scent of pine and salt.

Then, I see it. Sognefjord. The King of Fjords. A breathtaking chasm where mountains meet the sea, a mirror to the heavens and the soul of Norway. Fresh and salt water meet, echoes of glaciers linger in the depths. I spill into the fjord, a final release, a merging with the immensity. The journey from lake to ocean is complete.

The Sacred Waters of Selja

I am drawn to Selja, a small island, a speck of land in the fjord’s vastness. Here, the air hums with peace, sanctuary, ancient devotion.

I sense not just quiet encantations, but resonant chants of monks, heartfelt pleas of pilgrims, the presence of those who sought refuge here. I touch the stones of the ruined monastery, cool and smooth, worn by time and countless hands.

A Journey That Never Ends

And as I rise, drawn upwards by the setting sun, I carry these memories – a testament to water’s power to shape land and spirit.

From Viking longships to Sámi drums, from sacred springs to crashing waves, Norway’s story is inseparable from its waters. It is a story of reverence, respect, understanding that water is not a resource, but the essence of life, a connection to the past, a guide to the present, a promise for the future.

This story, my story, I carry. And I invite you too to explore it further. The Compassionate Water Module awaits. Delve into the Meditation practices. Listen to the ancient call of ‘Since the Beginning – Water Announces Life’. Consider the Apprentice Gatekeeper Training. Seek out Mentorship & Teachings.

For within the flow, the wisdom waits. The journey continues, and the waters will lead.

A Call to the Seekers

Throughout the world, people of the Way of Water—across continents, from east to west, north to south—priests, goddesses, shamans, and druids have given their human voices over to Water Speaking Water. In this eternal conversation, wisdom flows freely, carried by those who listen. Among them, Ekan Nangaku, an initiated Elder and Shaman in the ancient West African lineage of the Dagara (the Wild People), shares the teachings received through compassionate transmissions from Water itself. His mentorship and teachings illuminate the path for those called to the waters, those who seek to listen, to learn, and to carry forward the voice of the unseen.

The flow continues, and the invitation remains. Come, listen to the water’s voice, and let it guide you toward the next part of your path.

The waters are calling—will you answer?

Apply Now