headfirst into a gale of wind or digging our hands into
the soil, we possess an inherent familiarity with the
elements. All organic and inorganic substances are combinations
of these elements, be it a time-polished rock or a shiny
piece of plastic. Every object is unique because it
contains a varying ratio of the five elements.
Ayurveda also observes the five elements within the
human body. We nourish ourselves with foods from the
Earth, and eventually, our body returns to the earthly
matter from which it came. Water is our life-sustaining
nectar, making up more than 70 percent of our total
body mass. Fire provides the body with heat and radiant
energy and exists within all metabolic and chemical
actions. Air flows freely throughout the body, giving
movement to biological functions and feeding every
cell with oxygen. Space is ever-present, humbly residing
in the background, providing the other elements with
an opportunity to interact in this way.
From an Ayurvedic perspective, the Water element
encompasses more than the substance we call water.
It also embodies the physical qualities, biological
functions, and energetic properties of this element.
For example, Water is liquid, heavy, soft, and cohesive.
It governs all bodily fluids and is necessary for
chemical reactions to take place in nature. On the
subtler levels of the mind and emotions, Water relates
to a calm personality and promotes love, compassion,
The Five Elements explain why substances of the natural
world are harmonious with the human body. We easily
utilize plants, herbs, minerals, and water, because
these substances are the same in composition and character
to our own underlying make-up.