The 5 Elements

Wisdom Teachings
The 5 Elements

We know that we are not the body but the soul, that we take on a body and leave it again. Every morning we awaken from out of the universal existence, we get localised in our individual existence and dive into the envelope of thoughts and into the body formed of the elements of matter. These envelopes are like clothes which we as souls put on to be able to gain experience on earth.

But as soon as the envelopes enclose us we succumb to the illusion of matter and forget our original being. We ourselves are eternal, but now we believe that we are born and also will die again. The magic of the 5 elements keeps us in the illusion of change. We then identify with the body and think that we are of the same substance as the elements of the matter of our planet.

However, we are of a different nature. The outer world was created by the lunar gods, the Pitris, and our body is also woven from out of this substance. The combination of its elements keeps on changing; our thoughts also alter continuously, and even parts or states of our awareness. But we are spirit enveloped with light. We are the soul, the solar angel, the light of the higher self; we have self consciousness.

The body is much lower; it only gets consciousness when the soul is present in it. The elements out of which it is formed were brought together and will also be dispersed again in the course of time. As long as the soul is present it holds the elements in an order like a magnet and synthesizes them. The form remains intact and the balance is maintained. When we leave the body at the moment of death, the form of the elements dissolves again. As long as we are in the stability of our existence we have command over the body of 5 elements. Then the elements don’t influence us any longer, but are our helpers.

The 5 elements are the 5 physical states of matter. These are the ether of space, the gaseous, fiery, liquid and solid state. These 5 states are governed by 5 cosmic intelligences which work through many lower intelligences. In us they express through 5 centres and their network of nerves. The ether works through the throat, the element of air through the heart centre, fire or warmth through the navel, water through the sacral centre and matter or earth through the base centre. The ether of space, also called Akasha, helps us to hear the subtle aspect of sound. The element of air makes us breathe better; through air we obtain the touch of the subtle world and a rich life; fire helps us to understand better; water, to taste life better and to regulate emotions; the element of earth helps us to keep the physical tissues in a good state.

If the elements in us are not in accordance with the surrounding elements, disturbances occur expressing as discomfort and disease. If our vitality is affected, even slight variations in temperature lead to colds. They are related to disturbances of fire and air in us. Liquids are related to the water element in us, solids to earth. If water and fire are disturbed, they don’t permit air to circulate in the body the way it should do. As a result, less prana can enter into the body and circulate there. The vitality is weakened.

If food, work and rest are in a well-balanced, rhythmic relationship, the 5 elements are well-adjusted. This strengthens the vitality and removes the ground which favours disease. We can contribute much to a healthy life particularly through the element of air, if we begin to breathe better and deeper.

Modern life, however, is opposed in many things to the efforts to lead a healthy life. We have polluted the earth, the waters and the air. We have hurt the elements of nature. Many of today’s diseases arise from the offences committed towards plants, animals and the environment. Also, the aggression and violence human beings do to each other have a harmful influence on the elements. We cannot continue to pillage and destroy Mother Earth, but we have to take care of her. When we contaminate the earth or the waters we disturb the elements. The pollution will come back to us and we have to pay for it.

We must not create disturbances in the surrounding systems through our actions. This is not as simple as we might think. If, however, we don’t want to be hurt by people or the elements, we also must not hurt them. That is the Law. Therefore, we have to strive for a non-violent stance and lead a pure life by keeping the elements in us and in our surroundings in a pure and ordered state.

We keep the earth element pure by eating good food and by keeping pure the things of our surroundings. We purify the water element through pure drinks, and fire through clearing the emotions. Fresh air in the rooms improves the vitality. Especially meditation, prayers and positive thoughts help to purify the elements and to increase their vibration. Regular singing of mantrams has a great effect to magnetise the elements and to stabilise the mind. Thus, unnecessary and negative thoughts can touch us less and less. The mantram OM NAMAH SIVAYA is given to children at the age of 5 to 6; it helps to keep the sense organs and the 5 elements under right control.

If the elements in us are well ordered the vital energy can freely circulate. Then we can direct it as healing energy to other people. Healing and meditation can happen much better at places where there is a subtle cooperation of the elements. This is the case with quiet and pure places where the 5 elements are not disturbed through noise and pollution. Marriages should also be done at a pure place where the five elements are in a good balance. If the elements are not in harmony, if there is, for example, severe weather, it is better to postpone the marriage by a day.

In the ashrams of the Masters there is a profound harmony of the 5 elements. The flowers and the animals are in harmony; even seeming enmities cease. Friendliness, love, beauty and an indescribable silence prevail in which you can listen to the music of nature.

With the purified 5 elements also a powerful etheric body can be built which is suited for higher vibrations. Manu Vaivasvata is working on the evolution of new body models. He is responsible for providing bodies to the newly incarnating souls which are more translucent and better suited. Shamballa is very busy in carrying out tremendous adjustments on the planet to uplift the consciousness of the planet. In this the elements and also the human beings might go through phases of shake-up. These sudden alignments, however, are not to destroy, but they serve to rearrange and to re-align.

When high beings want to incarnate on earth, special bodies are created for them, because the elements of the earth are not suited to assimilate the high radiances. Sanat Kumara thus lives in a subtle sheath in the etheric ashram of Shamballa without touching the earthly aspect of the planet. 5000 years ago a supernatural causal body was created for Lord Krishna so that Krishna could descend on earth. This was done through a ritual which has been conducted by a group of masters under the guidance of Parasara. This subtle body has been created with the most sublime sounds; elements were summoned which are much higher than the five elements of this earth. Krishna lived mainly from fruit juices, water and milk products; he ate no heavy food, let alone non-vegetarian nutrition. At his departure he gave this subtle body of the most sublime elements to Lord Maitreya when he installed him as the new world teacher. Since then this radiant white robe is available on earth for special purposes.

Sources: K.P. Kumar: Occult Meditations / Saraswathi – The Word / notes from seminars. The World Teacher Trust - Dhanishta, Visakhapatnam, India.