Man And The Five Basic Elements

The five basic elements - Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth exists in all matter. According to our maharishis consciousness was energy manifested into the five basic principles or elements and this concept of the five elements lies at the heart of Ayurvedic science.

Man is a microcosm of nature and so the five basic elements present in all matter also exist within each individual.

In the human body there are many spaces which are manifestations of the Ether element. e.g. the spaces in the mouth, nose, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, abdomen, thorax, capillaries, lymphatics, tissues and cells.

Air is the second cosmic element, the element of movement. Within the human body, Air manifests in the larger movements of the muscles, the pulsations of the heart, the expansion and contraction of the lungs and the movements of the stomach wall and intestines. Response to a stimulus is the movement of afferent and efferent nerve impulses, which are sensory and motor movements. The entire movements of the central nervous system are governed by bodily Air.

The third element is Fire. The source of Fire and light in the solar system is the sun. In the human body, the source of Fire is the metabolism. Fire works in the digestive system. In the gray matter of the brain cells. Fire manifests as intelligence. Fire also activates the retina which perceives light. Thus, body temperature, digestion, the thinking processes and vision are all functions of bodily Fire. All metabolism and enzyme systems are controlled by this element.

Water is the fourth element in the body. It manifests in the secretions of the digestive juices and the salivary glands. In the mucus membranes and in plasma and cytoplasm. Water is absolutely vital for the functioning of the tissues, organs and various bodily systems. Water is called the Life.

Earth is the fifth and last element of the cosmos that is present in the microcosm . Life is possible on this plane because Earth holds all living and nonliving substances to its solid surface in the body, the solid structures - bones, cartilage, nails, muscles, tendons, skin and hair - are derived from Earth.

Thus, the five elements are directly related to man's ability to perceive the external environment in which he lives.