The Rhythms and Elements of Holistic Health

The rhythms and elements of holistic health can play an important role in our holistic healing journey. Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, holistic nutrition, western scientific theory of health and vitalist herbalism all touch on similar philosophies.

Western Vitalist herbalism is guided by the concept of the vital force and how understanding this vital force from an energetic perspective allows us to work with the body instead of against it. Western herbalism has roots to Greek medicine and the 4 humors (blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm). In Ayurveda, we learn about the 3 doshas and these are based upon the 5 elements (Air, Ethere, Water, Earth and Fire). Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on the 5 elements of creation and control to create balance (Wood, Water, Fire, Metal and Earth). The Medicine Wheel in Native American knowledge is based on the 4 directions and their connection to the 4 elements. Across the globe, we start to see that the Elements act as a fundamental blueprint for life itself, and so when we start discussing health and wellness, it seems necessary to approach healing within a framework of the 5 elements to facilitate true balance and holistic healing. 

A favourite quote from one of my herbal teachers: "The fourfold division of the world reflects the four seasons, four chemical states of matter, the four kingdoms of nature, the four directions, the quarters of the world, and the four winds. It is also rich with psychological and mythic associations. It is used in cultural art to represent the idea of the whole – the whole earth or the whole soul.... The study of the fourfold energetic model is rich with medical, psychological, and spiritual meaning. It brings us into closer proximity, philosophically, with Western traditions – both European and American Indian.” - Matthew Wood 

When we call into our healing approach the Elements, we are focusing on the characteristics and qualities of the Elements. Not the physical manifestation of these Elements themselves but their essence and philosophy. For example, when we discuss Earth, I am not referring to soil necessarily, but the physical density of Earth, the container it creates, the structure and stability it represents.

“When this principle [of the Elements] is understood, the terminology of the alchemists becomes less recondite and absurd, for it is seen that the classification into Four Elements really refers to four modes of manifestation on the physical plane. This method of classification is of very great value, because it enables the relationship and correspondence between the physical plane and the life-processes behind it to be readily seen. It is especially important in the study of physiology and pathology, and in its practical application it is a most important key to therapeutics.” - Dion Fortune

Let's start with an overview of the Elements and get to know them a bit more!

EARTH 

In the body Earth represents the musculoskeletal system, skin, the spleen, the liver, the bones, and the digestive system. It represents the process of us digesting nutrients and delivering these nutrients to build and form DNA, muscles, tendons, antibodies, and bones. Earth keeps us in a physical form. It’s associated with the waste material that we excrete and is often corresponded to the detoxification system.

Earth is about nourishment, building tissues such as muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, and bones so that we can remain in our individuality, our unique structures or Earth suits. Earth helps separate us from the other. Nourishment through food is how we support our Earth element, but not just any food. Wholesome food, enough food, the right food, and through the right relationships with food. 

When we have too much Earth element, we might feel sluggish, or a depression. Not necessarily a mental depression, although it could manifest in the mind as such, but a depression of the tissues. A lack of fire and movement. A feeling of stagnancy, poor detoxification, constipation, weight gain, even an inability to change. Becoming too rigid. A great example of this would be diabetes, where there's a build up of excess Earth element (sugar) in the blood. This excess begins to make the arteries rigid and prevents oxygen and blood from properly flowing through the body and tissues, slowing down metabolism and detoxification. In contrast, when we see a deficiency of Earth, it may manifest as osteoporosis. There may not be enough Earth element getting into the bones in the form of minerals, or muscle wasting/muscle atrophy may occur. We have all heard the phrase “wasting” away, which corresponds to malnutrition. It can also manifest as a mental lack of groundedness or flighty behaviour. 

In order to support our body and balance our Earth element we need to make sure we are nourishing our vessels, honouring our body on Earth, and accepting and loving our material existence.

WATER 

Moving from Earth to Water we are moving from a place of rigidity and immobility to flexibility, fluidity and flow. Without Earth, there is no capacity for the rest of the elements to manifest. Without the river banks, there can be no river, without the shore line there can be no ocean. 

Water is magical because it can exist in 4 different forms: gas, liquid, solid and crystalline, a new phase of water called the fourth phase of water or EZ water, which is based on the coherent structure of water.

In relation to our body, Water relates to our lymphatic system, urinary tract (bladder and kidneys), the sebaceous glands in our skin, our reproductive systems, mucosal linings, and the synovial fluids in our joints. It’s associated with how water flows through the body. Water wants to be constantly moving, so is it in our bodies? Are we leaky and loosing too much fluid? Is fluid in balance within our bodies? Or is Water stagnating and pooling? When we think about the fluid in our bodies, we also want to keep in mind the quality of our fluids. Are we consuming oils of poor quality that are inflammatory, sugary or demineralized water that aren't nourishing our cells?

When we have too much Water element, we could be seeing water retention, edema, swelling, or congestion. It could manifest as someone who is overly emotional and not able to handle their emotions or perhaps someone who keeps everything inside and holds onto things for too long. It could come off as excess oiliness or lymph stagnation. 

When there is a deficiency of the Water element we could see dry, cracking joints, stiffness in the joints and muscles, inflexibility in the muscles, dry skin, lack of any emotional connection, low blood pressure, excess urination, and even stones! Without Water to dilute the Earth, stones can precipitate out of fluid.  

Water also corresponds to how in tune we are with our emotions, our emotional intelligence and our ability to hold our emotions with grace. Water teaches us to let go of our attachments, to surrender to the flow and allow life force to take us where we need to go. It teaches us how to take responsibility for how we feel. It’s so easy to blame our emotions on other people but they are generated internally and Water asks us to reclaim this and reflect upon ourselves. Water is our mirror for internal reflection. 

FIRE 

We have now moved from yin or feminine elements to yang or masculine elements. Fire is quite light in form. In relation to the body, Fire represents the blood, immune system, sweat glands, fever response, cardiovascular system,  inflammatory response, and the adrenal glands.

Fire is deeply connected to our vitality, our inner fire, our divine will and our passion. From a physiological perspective, it’s also our Agni, which is our digestive fire, and our vital force. This could also be represented by our immune system if we turn to Ayurveda. If someone is feeling run down or sluggish, they might have have low vitality, low energy, low Fire. Fire element has a deep connection to our immune system and our inflammatory response. It helps us quite literally fight foreign invaders and sends in troops to defend us, but this Fire retaliation can some times get out of hand, leading to inflammatory responses.

When we think of an excess of Fire element, it can be seen as someone who has inflammatory issues, there may not be enough Water element in the body to put out the fires, or perhaps we are fuelling too much of the Fire causing it to grow. This could be seen in arterial or cardiovascular issues where there is inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis or arthritis in general. Excess Fire could also be fever responses or auto-immune related issues where the balance of the immune response is imbalanced. We may even see excess Fire as hyper metabolism, someone who may be ravenous with hunger yet never satisfied because they are burning lots of fuel to feed the fire! 

When we think about a deficient fire, we can think of a sluggishness. Fire has the ability to alchemize, burn away waste and detoxify, but if we don’t have enough fire, our capacity to burn fuel is diminished. This may be imbalanced metabolism or could also be a hypo immune response. Someone who is always getting sick may have low Fire, where the immune system is burdened or not strong enough to continuously fight the viruses or bugs. We can also see diminished Fire as low digestive capacity, an inability to properly digest food to feed the fuel in the rest of our body.

AIR 

Air is very active and can have a masculine energy to it. It’s very stimulating and mobile. If we think of the wind, it’s constantly moving and dancing all around us, rarely still.  In relation to the body, it corresponds to the lungs, large intestine, nervous system, and hormones. It’s quite obvious how the Air element is related to our Lungs, through the air that we breathe. We breathe in life force every time we take a breath, not just oxygen but life itself. Our breath is the only unconscious physiological that we can control and yet can happen without our awareness at the same time. Our breath is sacred. 

Air is also connected to the large intestine through peristalsis. While we have Earth element sitting inside of our large intestine waiting to be eliminated, it's the Air element that moves that waste along through micro waves of movement. This movement, as with all movement, is governed by the Air element. 

Air is constantly moving and sending messages, it's able to switch directions easily and quickly. This is why Air is also associated with the Nervous system and our Hormones. Our nervous system is constantly sending messages back and forth, absorbing information and sending out a response. Our hormones act as chemical messengers, constantly moving and balancing the physiology of our body. It’s because of this constant movement, information gathering and reactivity that stillness can help balance the Air element. 

In excess Air element, we might see a fried nervous system, someone who feels ungrounded, insomnia, overthinking, anxiety or even panic attacks. It could be experienced as sensory overload or a sense of “not being present.” It can sometimes manifest as nerve pain, dryness in the joints and skin or poor sleep. In a deficiency of air, we might see a lack of mental stimulation, constipation, incoordination, the inability to connect the mind to the body. It may come in as too much sleep or brain fog, not being able to think clearly or have clarity in the mind. 

ETHER 

Lastly, we have come to Ether. The last, most subtle Element to work with. This element is tricky to characterize and describe because its so ethereal and subtle, it is quite literally the invisible energy that permeates everything. If we had to connect it to something tangible, the Electromagnetic Fields of our hearts is a good connection to make.

We can’t see EMF but we know it exists in a realm that influences us. The HeartMath Institute reported that the EMF, which is the electrical activity generated by the heart can be detected up to 3 feet away from the body! This is 60 times GREATER than the EMF being emitted from our brains. 

We are constantly being bombarded by EMF, good and bad. The good can help regulate our cells and restructure them while the poor or harmful can degrade them overtime. 

The Ether element allows the other 4 elements to coexist and co-create together inside of a container. That container being Ether. 

We are always in constant co-creation with the Elements, as we are MADE from the Elements, and to the Elements we shall return once we have finished our journey here on Earth. A beautiful cycle of nature.

GRAB YOUR COMPLIMENTARY GUIDE, DOWNLOAD BELOW

If you'd like to find out more about how to balance these elements, I have attached a link below where you can download a complimentary Guide on How to Balance the Elements. Click HERE.