The Great Elements
According to Ayurveda everything in the universe is made up of these five great elements: space, air, fire, water and earth. Each of these elements offers unique qualities to our experience of living. And together, they are the basis for our connection with everything around us.
We share these same components with the people we love, the food we eat and the environments we live in. Each of the five elements informs and supports everything about our lives — including our practice of yoga. So in other words on and off the yoga mat!
Creating space in your yoga is a matter of… Being present and aware of what you’re holding in, up or onto – whether it is a thought, an emotion, or any form of tension — and allowing yourself to let it go. Letting go is for sure the most difficult Asana in yoga, and probably most challenging in life.
Grounding practice is one where we settle into our feet or sit bones. Allow our energy to root down, so that it’s effortless to grow and reach tall. When we establish our foundations, we feel safe, steady and strong.
Air
This is the element I struggle with…not on the mat, but in life, I am always reminding myself to breathe! I often catch myself in what feels like not breathing mode.
The element of air is about freedom and expansion. Breathing deeply and opening ourselves up to new possibilities.
An awareness of the breath. Pranayama or breath control is a great way to open and tap into the subtle channels of the body, clearing the way for ideas, inspiration, energy and love to flow. As you move through life and your practice, notice how the breath feeds the body and mind. Breathe into the expansion and contraction of the muscles, joints, and connective and supportive tissues to create the sensation of lightness and openness.
Air is interesting because unlike the other 3 elements, it arguably links with more than one chakra. I’m thinking the heart chakra – unstruck and open-hearted, but also the throat chakra – freedom of expression, and also the crown chakra – lifting our gaze and awareness to the infinite.
Fire
The element of fire is closely linked with the Solar plexus chakra, located at the navel area.
Most of the things we might do in yoga to stoke the inner fire is centred around the belly and abdomen.
Engaging our core muscles is said to fire up the digestive system, allowing us to absorb food nutrients and avoid sluggishness.
Our core is also our center of gravity, and if we strengthen it we can be steadier both in yoga class and in life – less likely to be thrown off balance by whatever bumps in the road come our way.
Earth
Earth is home. It is structure, cohesion, and foundation. It’s the centered, grounded, and authentic, expression of you and everything around you. Earth is the sensation that we want to return to, the physical stillness that creates mental and emotional stillness. “Rooted from the ground up” so to speak.
Grounding practice is one where we settle into our feet or sit bones. Allow our energy to root down, so that it’s effortless to grow and reach tall. When we establish our foundations, we feel safe, steady and strong.
Water
The water element has clear links with the sacral chakra, the idea of going with the flow.
Cultivating a softness in your practice (particularly in the joints), and nurturing a physical, mental and emotional sensitivity that favors response rather than reaction. It also means moving fluidly through your practice, synchronizing movement with breath.
The great elements are that it connects us with nature and encourages us to think about the power (both creative and destructive) and beauty of the natural world. Indeed respect for nature is threaded throughout yoga, right down to the names of the poses – tree, mountain, dog and cobra.
Which element are you most drawn to? Which feels most like your natural home? Are you a bit of a mixture or does it depend on your mood or what’s going on in your body and your life on any given day?
