Buddhists believe that every human contains four elements, Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. These four elements make up our physical body, and allow us to feel the energies associated with each of them. We will talk about those energies in a minute. What is clear, is that these four elements can help us to stay grounded. However, it seems that many people choose to be ungrounded, that is, they feel “spaced out”. And rather than try to change this feeling, the individual seems to encourage the feeling.
This great picture comes from www.meta-synthesis.com
When we feel “heavy” when we are walking or running, or “sleepy” or “full” after a meal, then we are feeling the effects of our Earth energy. The Earth energy is working to pull our bodies – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual – back into the confines of our physical center. Sometimes our bodies are not pulled back in all the way, so we feel “off center”. It is our Earth energy that allows us to taste and to touch. When we feel solid, or stiff, or smooth, or hardness, then we are using our Earth element.
When we feel constrained and our movement seems stiff, or we seem without fluidity, then we know our Water element is blocked. When we feel sticky and emotional and want to cry for no reason, or if we feel depressed, we are feeling Water energy. Congestion and phlegmy coughs tell us that our Water energy is out of balance. If we see people in need, our Water energy cries out to support them, to be in service. It is our Water energy that allows us to see and to make assumptions or judgements around situations.
We know that when we hear things and feel the mental energy of our brain working that the Air Element is in play. Or, when we have visions, or words come to us unbidden, we may find that our Air Element is changing, and with the change, bringing us new information. Those with a strong air element like to be entertained and to solve puzzles and quizzes. When we are caught up in our Air element, we float on “cloud nine”. Playing, pushing, pulling, and all movement are showing us how we use the Air element.
The Fire Element shows up as heat in our body, as passion and anger. When somebody wrongs us, or we feel something is unfair, then we tend to “burn up” with rage or indignation. We use the heat we carry to show love and affection, to show protection. Healers talk about the amount of heat that is generated when they are working with a client. Attraction heats up with the Fire element.
We have all these great sensations that tell us so much about our bodies and that show us that we are in the present moment. Then, we lose this information by getting into our mind, into our ego, and analysing the information so that the info of the present moment becomes useless.
If you have some time today, meditate on the Nature of your body, and how the Earth changes may affect how your body feels in the Earth element. Meditate on the Oneness, on finding peace in the present moment, and on the Ancestors, who have already experienced the circle of life. Find a prayer that helps you relax, and that slows down your mind. Allow yourself to be here, now, in the present.
Blessings,
Judy
