Liberated Yoga

Balancing the Five Elements

By Anna Mikheeva

700 hour graduation paper

 

In my advanced Yoga studies I have been exploring the teachings of Ayurveda, and have found that ancient system of harmonizing with Nature a valuable resource that has helped me to deepen my understanding and appreciation of the mind-body connection.  Below is an effort to systematize, organize, and verbalize some of the work that I have been doing in my Yoga practice and teaching.  Let us first lay out the concepts.

“Ayurveda, the science of life, is the natural healing system of India, its traditional medicine going back to ancient times.  The same great Vedic seers and sages that produced India’s original systems of yoga and meditation established Ayurdveda as well.  Ayurveda originated as part of Vedic Science, an integral spiritual science that provides a comprehensive understanding of the entire universe of matter, mind and consciousness.”[1]

The ancient teaching of Ayurveda, the sister-science of Yoga, talks about the five elements of the manifest world: earth, water, fire, wind, and ether (space).  They are represented in the human body by the bones, fluids, muscles, breath, and inner spaces/cavities. “Originating in Cosmic Consciousness, this wisdom [Ayurveda] was intuitively received by the hearts of the rishis.  They perceived that consciousness was energy manifested into the five cosmic principles, or elements: Ether (space), Air, Fire, Water, and Earth.  This concept of the five elements lies at the heart of Ayurvedic science.”[2]

 “These five elements exist in all matter, both organic and inorganic.  As man is a microcosm of nature, the five elements also exist within each individual.”[3]

Consciousness journeys through these elements towards Matter, and from Matter it evolves back into pure Consciousness.  “Man, a creation of Cosmic Consciousness, is considered to be a microcosm of the macrocosm that is the universe.  Whatever is present in the cosmos, the same is present in human beings. Man is a miniature of nature.”[4]

I like the way Doug Keller expresses it in his “The Heart of a Yogi”: “The universe is “alive” with consciousness in the same way that the body is alive with consciousness – which in the individual they call Ahamkara.  Nature has its own Ahamkara, which is sufficiently vast to valance the energies of the entire cosmos.  By the same token, the human being has his or her own Ahamkara, the I-consciousness which is sufficient to balance his or her own individual energies to maintain life, and “responsible” for that balance.”[5]

Ayurveda can help us become more in tune with Nature, to reaffirm our connection to it and to feel an integral part of it.  Let us first look at how Ayurveda views these elements of Nature, and then at how we can apply that understanding to our Yoga Asana practice in order to become more attuned to Nature.  Below is a short description of the five elements that have sparked my own exploration of this concept.

“SPACE.  Sometimes referred to as ‘ether’, space is empty, light, subtle, all-pervading, omnipresent, and all-enclosing.  It is universal, non-moving, and formless.  Space is nuclear energy.  It appears when the pure unmanifest consciousness begins to vibrate and is associated with sound and the sense of hearing.  We need space in order to live, move, grow, and communicate.  Spaces in the body include the mouth, nose, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, abdomen, and thorax.  Psychologically, space gives freedom, peace, and expansion of consciousness and is responsible for love and compassion as well as feelings of separation, isolation, emptiness, ungroundedness, insecurity, anxiety, and fear.

AIR.  Air is dry, light, clear, and mobile.  The second manifestation of consciousness, air moves in space.  Air is electrical energy – the electron moves because of the air element.  It is formless, but it can be perceived by touch, to which it is related.  The principle of movement, air expresses itself in the movements of the muscles, the pulsations of the heart, the expansion and contraction of the lungs.  Sensory and neural impulses move to and from the brain under the influence of the air principle, which is also responsible for breathing, ingestion, the movement of the intestines, and elimination.  The flow of thought, desire, and will are governed by the air principle, which gives us happiness, freshness, joy and excitation.  It is, along with space, also responsible for fear, anxiety, insecurity, and nervousness.

FIRE.  Fire is hot, dry, sharp, penetrating, and luminous.  When air begins to move, it produces friction, which generates heat or fire.  Fire is radiant energy.  On the atomic level, the atom radiates heat and light in the form of a quantum wave.  Fire is active and changeable.  In our solar system, the sun is the source of “fire” and light.  In the body, our biological “fire” in the solar plexus regulates body temperature and metabolism: digestion, absorption, and assimilation.  Fire is associated with light and with vision.  Fire is intelligence.  It is necessary for transformation, attention, comprehension, recognition, and understanding.  Fire is also responsible for anger, hatred, envy, criticism, ambition, and competitiveness.

WATER.  The next manifestation of consciousness, water is fluid, heavy, soft, viscous, cold, dense, and cohesive.  It brings molecules together.  Water is chemical energy (it is the universal chemical solvent).  Water is associated with the sense of taste; without moisture the tongue cannot taste anything.  Water exists in the body as plasma, cytoplasm, serum, saliva, nasal secretion, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, and sweat.  It is necessary for nutrition and to maintain life; without it, our cells could not survive.  Water is contentment, love, and compassion.  It creates thirst, edema, and obesity.

EARTH.  Earth is heavy, hard, rough, firm, dense, slow-moving, and bulky – the most solid of the five elements.  It is neither hot nor cold.  Earth is mechanical or physical energy.  According to Ayurveda, it is nothing but crystallized or solidified consciousness.  It gives strength, structure, and stamina to the body.  All the body’s solid structures (bones, cartilage, nails, teeth, hair, skin) are derived from the earth element.  Earth is associated with the sense of smell.  It promotes forgiveness, support, groundedness, and growth.  It also creates attachment, greed, and depression, and its absence produces feelings of ungroundedness.

In our body, the electrical energy of the neuron becomes the physical energy of the movement of muscles, mediated through the neurotransmitter, which is chemical.  Indeed, all the five elements are present on every level of our physiology, starting with a single cell.  Within the cell, the cell membrane is earth, cellular vacuoles are space, cytoplasm is water, nucleic acid and  other chemical components of the cell are fire, and movement of the cell is due to the air principle.  Every single cell also has a mind, intelligence, and consciousness, through which it manifests selectivity and choice.  From all the possible nutrients in its environment, every cell chooses its own food – that choice is intelligence at work.

Both in our environment and within us, the proportion and balance of these elements is forever shifting, changing with the seasons, the weather, the time of day, the stage of one’s life.  For health, and often for sheer survival, we have to continuously accommodate ourselves to these changes, through what we eat, what we wear, where we live, and so on.  This is a balancing act, playing elements against each other.”[6]

I like the above description from Vassant Lad, because it immediately establishes connections between the physical and the energetic, and we can use the above information to analyze the balance (or rather, lack of balance) of these elements in ourselves and our Yoga students.  Through observation we can gain an understanding of which elements are out of balance.

It is all too easy for these elements to become out of balance.  There could be, as Ayurveda puts it, a “derangement” of a particular Dosha, an imbalance of a particular element that causes problems with our health: the bones become brittle and prone to osteoporosis, the joints stiffen, movement of lymph is restricted, immunity is weakened, circulation and metabolism are negatively affected, fears and anxiety grip us, pain sets in, and we experience a crisis of faith.  Understanding these elements, being in tune with them in your body/mind will help you bring these forces of Nature into greater balance through Yoga.

For example, next time you practice or observe your students in class, these are the questions to ask to evaluate the balance of the elements:

Earth:  Do hands and feet ground into the mat?  Is the way the weight of the body directed into the bones of the body where appropriate, or does the student muscle his or her way through everything?  Is the student able to relax in a pose and allow the bones of the body to provide adequate support, thus cultivating sukham (ease) and shtira (steadiness)?  Does the student have a good sense of balance in standing poses?  Whenever a student makes contact with the ground, does it look mindful, like the person is fully aware of the grounding action?  When practicing Downward Facing Dog, for example, do the hands spread evenly on the mat, or do the fingers curl up from the floor, especially the index finger knuckles?  Sometimes when a student is simply on all fours, the hands do not spread evenly, there is no awareness, no consciousness in the fingertips.  Same goes for the feet – do the toes spread, do the arches lift, are the feet planted with purpose that shows the student is grounding?  Does the student become anxious or fearful in class about something?  Is the student able to focus in class, or does he or she appear distracted?

General posture of the person also reflects how grounded that person is, because good posture distributes the weight of the body into the bones properly, and if there is a general sense of not being grounded, which can arise due to many factors, minor or major, the student’s posture will show it.

As you get to know your students, you may also see the earth element manifested in their energy: does the student exhibit attachment (to their spot in class, their mat and other props, to you as a teacher, to their regular teacher if you are substituting, do they seem depressed?  Do their hair, skin, nails, and teeth look healthy, full of luster?  Do they stay for Sivasana, or leave?  And if they stay, are they still, peaceful, or fidgety and impatient?  All of these clues can reveal to us what is going on with the earth element in a person.

***

Water: The way the transitions from pose to pose are happening – is there fluidity of movement, smoothness of breath?  Do they rush from pose to pose or take their time?  Do the joints crack or do they move silently, freely, as if well-oiled?  Does the movement feel/look “juicy” (like the person is really enjoying the process of moving itself, without a rush to get to the goal pose)?  Is the person adaptable by nature, or rigidly set in their ways?  Does he/she exhibit compassion to themselves and others?  Do they get overly emotional about their body, poses, or other things?  Or does the concept of having an emotional reaction or release in a pose seem very alien?

***

Fire: Since the fire element governs the heat in our body, look at the student’s ability to generate heat in the practice by way of ujjayi breath and muscular engagement.  Does the student enjoy core work?  Not at all or a little too much?  Does the student sweat profusely or not at all?  Do the muscles in the body work evenly, or does the student tend to overuse some muscles and not others (peripheral muscles instead of the more intrinsic ones, closer to the core)?  Is the student able to create heat from deep within the body through the full diaphragmatic breath?  Is the breath smooth, long, and full of quiet power?  Do the lower ribs move evenly in all directions (front, sides, and back body) at all times?  Does the body generate even heat throughout the practice, or does the student tends to get too hot or too cold at times?  Does he/she feel a sense of radiance of that heat through the muscles of the body?  Does the awareness radiate through the body evenly?  Does the student experience frustration, anger, or irritability at times while practicing Yoga?  Does he/she compare with others?  Compete with the teacher?  Do you, as a teacher, foster a non-competitive environment, encourage acceptance of one’s abilities, take your students where they are, as they are?  Do you offer variations and modifications if you see someone struggle?  Do you consider your student’s abilities while planning a class?  As teachers we need to choose appropriate challenges for our students, and be ready to modify and adapt as we go along.  It is also interesting to consider this: when you offer easier modifications, for example, does the student actually take them, or continue to struggle and push themselves beyond what is appropriate? 

On a more psychological level, what is the student’s relationship with the Self?  How critical is the person of themselves/others?  How important is achieving certain Asanas to him/her?  Do you as a teacher put a lot of value on “attainments”?  Is there a large and unchecked ego there that pushes the person beyond what they can do with good quality – in other words, do they injure themselves with regular frequency?   If you try to make suggestions/correction – how do they react?  Do they get defensive?  Or does their confidence seem shattered? 

The fire element helps to transform matter into consciousness by helping us “digest” our experiences.  With a balanced fire element, we can meet the challenge and fight for what’s right if that’s what required, but we would also know when to back off.  We are able to learn from our mistakes.

***

Air: Can the student maintain a soft Ujjayi breath throughout the entire practice?  Does he/she feel full of energy or tired at the end?  (In other words, can the student generate and contain Prana in the body, or is Prana actually being drained?)  Since the air element governs the principle of movement, how is it expressed in the student?  Do movements have a mindful quality and purposefulness to them?  Air principle also governs the brain’s ability to communicate with the body – how well does the person translate your verbal cues into movement?  When you give an instruction, do you see the student perform it accurately, if at all?  What is the general mental state of the student, once you get to know him or her better – happy, joyful, or anxious and fearful?

***

Space: Do you, as a teacher, allow students to have space in the practice for reflection, meditation, rests, and relaxation?  Not just at the end with Sivasana, but after every event, after difficult poses?  Do you notice your students linger in a pose?  Do they feel comfortable with adding a hold at the end of the exhale and are they able to embody the stillness that comes with it?  Are there pauses of breath and movement in the practice that feel infinite, even though they last a second or two in real time?  Do your students take advantage of that space, are they able to drop into moments of stillness?  Since space governs hearing, do they hear you and your message about Yoga?  On a more spiritual level, what is their relationship with the Divine?  Do they feel peaceful during and after practice?   Or maybe you notice that some students feel more isolated, separate, and insecure?  Do you feel that the practice is nourishing to the Spirit, helps one to connect with the Divine, helps one to become a more spiritual person?

 

One can view Yoga Asana practice as a way to tune up and balance these elements through five subtle actions of rooting, fluidity, muscle engagement, breath, and stillness (yes, being still takes a conscious act on our part sometimes - to stop doing and start being). Below are some verbal cues that I give to my students in class to balance the elements, and I am listing them here from the gross to the subtle, from the peripheral to the intrinsic.  As a teacher, you need to consider your audience, and there is no need to use the words “Ayurveda”, or to name the elements, or utter Sanskrit words (although I do, because I believe that in a group class there just might be someone to appreciate it).  However, these concepts can be taught on many levels, and you as a teacher need to be true to yourself and teach the way that makes you confident and comfortable, as your students will sense whether you are teaching your truth or not.  On the purely physical, which I teach at the local gym, where people generally are interested in the body only, you can simply talk about the bones and the muscles.  Also a good approach with beginners.  On the spiritual level, which I teach at my home studio to my more advanced students, or to other Yoga teachers who take my group classes at Sun and Moon (there seems to be a large percentage of Yoga teachers/trainees in my class… for that reason, perhaps), I teach the more energetic aspects of this concept.

***

Earth: rooting through hands and feet, and bringing more body weight into the bones, creating a sense of stability and solidity in poses.  This allows you to relax unnecessary effort and to stand firm when circumstances of Life require it.  You can guide your students towards a more balanced earth element by making sure that they feel safe with you and in the space where they practice Yoga.  You can say:

-          stand firmly on both feet, distribute the weight evenly between the right and left legs.

-          press big toe mounds into the floor, and all four corners of the feet evenly

-          spread the toes, lift the arches of the feet

-          spread the fingers when your hands are on the mat, pressing each knuckle into the floor, and especially the index finger knuckle

-          reach your pubic bone and tailbone towards each other (Since Chakra 1 governs the earth element, I bring in Chakra1 alignment)

-          allow the weight of the body to shift into the bones, feel the support of your skeletal structure

-          allow the Earth element to infuse your bones with solidity, providing you with a sense of being grounded

-          feel yourself supported by your environment, by this Yoga practice – you are safe here

-          trust yourself, forgive yourself, and know that you will grow in your practice every time you come to class

Yoga poses that help balance the earth element (and First Chakra) are standing poses, balancing poses, and poses with focus on the rooting through the feet and strengthening the legs, and any pose where the awareness is directed towards grounding.

***

Water: fluidity when transitioning from pose to pose, allowing the joints to move freely, inviting a sense of "juiciness" into the body.  Having a balanced water element helps you to adapt and go with the flow when needed.  Use the following verbal cues, when you notice jerky, out of sink movements:

-          bring your awareness to the breath

-          allow the breath to flow smoothly, make sure you are not holding your breath

-          coordinate breath and movement together

-          allow the breath to initiate the movement (meaning, for example, that you begin the inhalation first, and then follow with the arm movement upwards, and you being the exhalation first, and then fold forward)

-          take the entire length of the breath to complete the movement, slow the breath down, slow the movement down, and appreciate the action and the harmony of breath and movement together

-          articulate the spine vertebra by vertebra

-          reach the hip points towards each other and at the same time and with equal amount of effort tilt the top of the sacrum forward (since Chakra 2 governs the water element, I bring in the 2^nd chakra alignment)

-          this is a safe place to let go of feelings you have been holding

Yoga poses that help balance the water element (and Second Chakra) are any poses where fluid spinal articulation can be taught, moving poses (vinyasas) where breath and movement need to be synchronized, poses that target the hips and generally things that improve mobility of the joints.

***

Fire: engagement of the muscles correctly.  That means distributing the muscular effort evenly throughout, hugging the muscles to the bones (often we tend to overuse certain muscles and underuse others), creating heat from the inside-out by engaging full diaphragmatic breath (ujjayi), and keeping the effort moderate and appropriate.  As a teacher, be encouraging, but without favoritism. Be aware of how you distribute attention, for what, to whom, and how much.  Verbal cues:

-          Hug the  muscles to the bones, engage muscles (name muscles to be engaged, for example, I often give the following verbal instruction: “pull the lower belly in and across from hip point to hip point as you bring our pelvis into neutral, firm the bottom tips of the shoulder blades towards each other, and once your core is stabilized, expand your awareness outward through the fingers and toes, muscles of arms and legs evenly engaged ” -  makes for a wonderful Tadasana.)

-          Relax unnecessary effort, such as tension in the face, upper shoulders, pit of the belly

-          Narrow the bottom of the throat for ujjayi breath, so that your diaphragm begins to work against resistance, creating subtle heat in the body

-          Allow the lower ribs to expand evenly in all directions, front, sides, and back body (Since Chakra 3 governs the fire element, I bring in Chakra 3 alignment)

-          Do not judge yourself for your abilities to do certain poses, do not be envious of others their abilities, let go of the drive to achieve perfection, instead accept yourself as you are here and now

-          When you hear a critical or angry voice inside your head, notice it, and take a longer exhale, letting it go

-          Allow your practice instead to inform you, to hone your understanding of the Self, appreciation of what you can do, recognition of what you cannot, but at the same time notice the changes as they happen, new possibilities unfolding themselves

Yoga poses that balance the fire element (and Third Chakra) are poses that build heat in the body, abdominal work, twists, and sequences that teach us proper self-challenge and self-moderation.

***

Air: breathing smoothly, calmly, steadily, deeply, mindfully.  A balanced air element allows you to simply move out of the way if that is the correct answer under the circumstances. Be very conscious of how you, as a teacher, use touch in a class – air element governs the sense of touch.  Since so many of my students have the air element out of balance, I have almost completely stopped touching people and giving hands on adjustments.  I use mostly verbal cues instead (hence an extensive collection of verbal cues to be found here!).  However, when I see that someone is having a lot of difficulty translating verbal cues into physical movement, sometimes I find that the slightest touch helps them establish better communication between their brain and body (some people have a hard time visualizing and feeling their body, don’t know where their shoulder blades are, for example).  And I mean, the slightest touch, more pointing, than anything, a hovering of a hand or fingertips over someone’s body.  Air element governs electrical energy, and it can be communicated to a person with the slightest and the most fleeting contact and have a profound effect. 

-          Pay attention to your breath – it should remain long, relaxed, subtle, and steady throughout the practice.  If you notice your breath become shallow, strained, uneven, of if you notice yourself holding it unintentionally, take a moment to rest and regroup, reconnect to the breath before continuing with the practice.  Your mind may have wondered off, or the practice may be too difficult for you.

-          Since the air element is governed by Chakra 4, I bring in the alignment of the 4^th Chakra: firm the bottom tips of the shoulder blades toward each other while at the same time broadening across the top of the back, allowing your sternum to move downward while your collarbones are moving up.

-          Cultivate a sense of ease around the heart

-          Cultivate a feeling of expansion and joyfulness in your Yoga practice by delighting in every breath and movement, every moment you spend on the mat

Yoga poses that help balance the air element (and Fourth Chakra) are poses that open the chest and shoulders, such as backbends, arm movements, movements and Asanas that strengthen the upper body, any kind of Pranayama, and a proper balance between movement and stillness in general.

***

Space: allowing moments of stillness in your own practice as a teacher and throughout the group or individual class, for the mind and body to drop into and savor the present in all its manifest beauty.  Cultivate a sense of unhurried savoring of every drop of practice, like it was the first or the last.  Make sure you allow enough time for Sivasana at the end.  It is in these moments of stillness we can see the whole picture, make correct choices, and truly appreciate what our practice is doing for us.  Teach to your students Yoga philosophy, the concept of Isvara Pranidhana, or surrender to the Divine (or simply to being present in the moment).  Be inspiring as a Yoga practitioner, teacher, and human being.

-          If you find sensations particularly interesting or pleasurable in a pose, feel free to linger there on your own, exploring deeper

-          After completing a series of movements or a difficult pose, take time to rest and reflect on the event, to savor its “aftertaste” and its effect on your body, mind, and spirit

-          Allow a natural pause at the end of the exhalation to extend for as long as comfortable during Sivasana or rest, and drop into that moment of perfect stillness of breath, body, and mind

-    Since the space of the throat (through which air moves) is governed by Chakra 5, I bring in Jalandhara Bandha alignment (chin lock) - move the hyoid bone back and up and relax the jaw at the same time

-          Become one with the pose/movement and breath, erasing the dividing line between them and experiencing them as a whole

-          Cultivate a witness state in your Yoga practice, be that the Asana part of it or the meditation part of it

-          Feel your heartbeat pulsating in your body, feel it in harmony with the pulse of Life as it moves through you, reaffirm and celebrate yourself as an inextricable part of Nature

-          Feel your practice nourish you on every level – physical, energetic, mental, emotional, and spiritual

-          Appreciate the cumulative effect of your practice at the end

Yoga poses that help balance the space element are, of course, Sivasana or the Corpse Pose, but also rests sprinkled generously throughout the practice, to be found in Child’s pose, Uttanasana, or Constructive Rest pose (on your back with knees bent), and such.

All Yoga poses (Asanas) aim to balance all of these elements, but your awareness can be applied in any pose to address an imbalance in any particular one.  Some poses make it easier to explore certain elements, simply because the pose naturally highlights it (such as standing poses for the earth element, etc.)  Next time you practice or observe your students, notice which of the above subtle actions are easy for them to do, and which are difficult.  No matter what pose you are doing or teaching, focus on those actions that are difficult (without abandoning those that are easy). 

I hope this inquiry will help you find a way to a greater balance. Self-knowledge is a powerful tool for transformation.  What this allows us is a choice.  Instead of unconscious reacting to whatever comes our way, instead of going through the motions, through a cultivated witness state we actually begin to choose our reaction and act in our best interest.  Do I stand firm and resist, do I adapt, do I get out of the way or meet what's coming?  Often we react the same way even though the circumstances are different, without realizing that we have a choice and could be acting differently.  Elevating our own level of consciousness makes it possible.

I have implemented the above approach in my group classes and in my own practice (always first and foremost) with great success, which is why I am sharing this and passing it on, and hoping for feedback and ideas for improvement.  In a semester I would introduce each element and structure a class around it, and then at the end of the session I would begin to combine them into one class, where we attempt to “juggle” several at once.  Gradually, the goal is to be able to be aware of and to direct the five elements simultaneously at all times.  Granted, a difficult task, but endlessly fascinating nonetheless.  The above approach would also make a wonderful workshop, which I intend to teach at the next opportunity.

Posted on December 25, 2011 1:50:24 PM EST by Anna Mikheeva

Comments