The Five Elements

We all are aware of the five elements—fire, air, water, earth and ether. Life on this earth is based on these five elements. All creatures are made of these elements. Vastu experts consider kitchen as a fire place. I don’t think so. We use fire only when preparing food. Fire is absent otherwise. Kitchen has a base that is related to the element earth. The element earth acts as a base to the other elements. Water has the major role in kitchen. Air is needed to burn fire. These elements are everywhere on the earth and in our surroundings.

These elements work together in our body system. The elements have a mutual relation with our emotions, nature and the five senses. For example, when we get angry its related element, fire dominates and weakens other elements. Due to the weakening of other elements heart beat and breathing become faster, perspire profusely, face and eyes become bloodshot. Anger can kill a weak and old person. Stress affects your health because it interrupts inhaling the element, air. If you remain relaxed and take deep breath the element, air will come to normal. When we remain happy and calm the element, water in the system will remain normal. That is what we get from meditation. Yoga exercise will keep the elements in normal state thus it keeps you in good health. At least one of the elements will be favourable to everyone. The unfavourable elements will cause diseases related to them.

Trees and plants also survive with these elements. The element, fire is absent in their system. So they need sunlight and wind. A seed that lies under the soil needs these four elements, fire, air, water and earth to grow into a plant. When four elements unite humidity develops which causes the seed to ferment. Thus the embryo in the seed develops and sprouts.

The seasons, summer, rainy, autumn and winter, we experience every year also are related to the elements. If there was only one season there would be no life on this earth. If we get these four seasons equally there will be no Nature’s disaster, I guess. But it is not in our control. When Heavenly bodies fight each other at times Mother Nature has to suffer.

Though we are aware of the elements, we ignore them. Since these elements support our life we should be conscious of them.