How the elements play in our being: an Ayurvedic based discussion
How the elements play in our being: an Ayurvedic based discussion
Last email we discussed how seasonal transitions ask for the body to adapt in specific ways. Today, we bring a different languaging to this concept. The language of elements of properties such as hot and cold, dry and damp, mobile and still, dense and light are easy to grasp, but also easy to observe in our everyday environments and lives. Ayurvedic medicine is based on the language of elemental properties and provides one way to observe and work with our own patterns to maintain harmony.
Ayurveda is a system of medicine 5000 years old, initiated in India through observation, meditation and study. It is the oldest, continually practiced form of healthcare in the world and is a medical system based on observation of nature and of human physiology in association with nature. It is a systems based medicine - looking at the whole person, how each person grows and adapts, and how individual people tend to go out of balance, and how disease develops in these states of poor adaptation or imbalance. It provides a framework for recognizing how we are affected by time of day, by season, by seasons of life, by transitions, by weather patterns, by our relationships, by our food, by our routine and well, by anything, really.
Ayurveda observes the major elements present in nature: Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Each of these elements carries certain properties or qualities. These are summarized below:
Space: ever present, that within which life and vibration begin, light, cool, immobile, expansive, container for all of the other elements. The sense associated with space is Sound. Existence begins within and occupies space.
Air: the potential within space which becomes active, mobile, cool, light, rough, subtle, flowing, surrender, faith, balance. The sense associated with air is Touch. The lungs, colon, joints, and movement are associated with air.
Fire: capacity for heat and light, intensity of action, understanding, metabolism, digestion., hot, light, dry, sharp, clear, perception, direction, luster, energy, transformation. The sense associated with fire is Sight. The stomach and small intestine, liver and pancreas, the lymph and the skin are associated with fire
Water: nourishment, protection, cohesion, cool, stable, flowing, soft, sweet, dull, cloudy, open heart, self-esteem, learning. The sense associated with water is Taste. Water is in every tissue, cell and organ. It is both stillness and motion. It is learning and reflecting.
Earth: solid matter, structure, mineral, cool, stable, heavy, dry, dense, rough, hard, grounding, centering, stabilizing. The sense associated with earth is Smell. Bones, anything that provides structure are associated with earth.
Each of these elements exists in all of nature and each of these elements exists in the human body, playing an important role in various functions for both the planet and the human being. The fire of digestion breaks down food, digests and transforms the food into individual nutrients accessible to the cells for the production of energy and building materials. The fire of the mind transforms thoughts and drives mental sharpness while water supports learning, remembering, reflection and clarity. The bones and muscle are associated with the earth element, providing structure and stability. Water flows through the blood stream. It is present in liquid secretions, saliva and mucous. Air is present in the hollow organs such as the lungs and the colon, it is the movement of the nerves and the joints and the mind.
Each element is also predominant at specific times of day and during the changing seasons of the year. Being in tune with the elements in play during various seasons allows for knowledge and healthy strategies for keeping our own elemental balance healthy.
The transition seasons of Fall and Spring can be particularly problematic as they involve a strong element of air. When air is blowing, when the winds are strong, this can aggravate the air elements within our body - the joints, our digestion, our mind, and our nervous system. If we have a strong imbalance in another element, the wind can provide movement and fuel the imbalance or move it to another part of the body. No matter what tendencies you individually may have for going out of balance, the wind/air element can bring an aggravation. This might show up as increased inflammation when the wind is blowing fire. Increased anxiety as the wind stirs up the mental activity. Joint dryness, cracking and pain as the joints are strongly influenced by the air element. Respiratory illnesses as the lungs have both air and water elements. Increased accidents, feelings of being ungrounded, difficulty with transition, increased worry, shaking or trembling, fear, disrupted sleep, constipation, gas, and heart palpitations are more examples of wind aggravations.
Some tips for reducing wind aggravation in our bodies include:
Routine/Consistency: Routine in sleep and wake cycles, routine in eating patterns, routine in exercise.
Hydration
Easy to digest, warm foods
Eating slowly and mindfully
Hot, spiced tea
Warm lemon water
Steady, strength building exercise
Daily meditation or daily mindful practices
Saying no with ease.
Warmth
Being in nature
Deep breathing
Laughter
Avoiding nervous system aggravating activities: (this could be loud music, television, too much social stimulation, talk radio, or social situations which do not serve you)
Reading
Focus on one thing at a time, minimize multi-tasking
Simplify where possible
Air and space energies can be beautiful energies for spiritual work, for creativity, for expansive thinking and for play. No element is good or bad and each offers something truly beautiful to the world and to our human experience. I encourage beginning to observe how the air element shows up in your life, both in really beautiful ways and perhaps ways which may cause you some discomfort. Observe how the air element shifts during the day. The hours of 2:00 to 6:00 both am and pm are the hours where the space and air element are strongest. These are often times of our greatest mental alertness. The Spring and Fall seasons often hold a lot of space and air energy. Any transition in life naturally holds the energy of movement and an air component. Stepping into the spaciousness of these transitions and practicing the above techniques to stay grounded and centered can allow for these transitions to be navigated with grace and ease.
If you have questions about how these elements show up in your life, please, let’s talk about it at your next appointment and discuss ways to bring harmony to your system.
Dr Amy