Just to recap, last week we talked about how, in the Tibetan tradition, the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and space) are associated with five 'disturbing emotions' AND 'five wisdoms'. The point being that the elements can take on either a positive or negative expression as they manifest into form, depending upon our consciousness and because they are arising from (and are directly connected to) consciousness itself, we can use the power of our own conscious awareness to influence their expression.
Here is a brief overview of the qualities of each element, according to Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche:
- Earth: heavy, solid, connected, secure, gravity.
- Water: comfort, fluid, contentment, cohesion.
- Fire: creativity, intuition, enthusiasm, joy.
- Air: change, curiosity, learning, intellect.
- Space: tolerance, spaciousness, awareness, clarity.
When we become really good at self-observation we can see when we have imbalances of the elements within ourselves... and can even correct the imbalance at an energetic level before this leads to problems manifesting in our everyday reality. Clearly this takes some skill and expertise, so I can't emphasise enough how important self-observation is so that you become familiar with the dynamics of your own energy field.
Identifying Imbalances in Your Elements
This takes skill and practice but to begin with, make sure you are familiar with the qualities of each element as described above. Make sure you can recognise the solidity of earth, the soothing feeling of water, the enthusiasm of fire, the movement of air and the clarity of space in your own body. Set some time aside and meditate upon each one so that you can clearly recognise and connect to them as real energies within you.
For this knowledge to be helpful to you in your spiritual journey it is essential that you have practical, real, experience and that this is not just an intellectual exercise. So practice the exercises mentioned above, and in Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's books, to make sure that you have a real, felt, experience of the elements. This in turn develops your somatic awareness (felt-sense in the body), your sensing capacity, and your capacity to perceive and detect more subtle spiritual energies.
Once you are familiar with how the elements feel when they are balanced, you can call upon them to correct imbalances. The following are some notes I made while reading "Healing With Form, Energy And Light". There is much more detail in the book. I have been experimenting with this myself and invite you to do the same to really become familiar with the energy of the elements within yourself...
Imbalances of Air
When your air element is off balance you can feel anxious. You may feel jittery, fidgety, and unable to concentrate. You may talk too much and/or feel unsettled. You can correct this by connecting to Earth. Feeling grounded, solid, and stable. Now you may think that fire would have been the solution - but if your air is imbalanced - fire feeds air, and this may lead to agitation! Experiment with this for yourself and see what works.
Imbalances of Fire
When your fire is off balance you can feel agitated. You may feel hot, flustered, and irritable, frustrated or angry. You can correct this with the soothing effect of water, allowing yourself to feel calmed, soothed, 'cooled' and comforted. Literally 'taking the heat' out of a situation. Again you are invited to experiment with this and see what works for you.
Imbalances of Water
When your water is off balance you can feel stuck, confused, lack direction, weepy, emotional, tired, depressed and/or bogged down in self-pity. You can correct this with the warmth of fire. Connecting with the warmth and joy of the Sun for example, supports the nurturing, comforting quality of balanced water.
Imbalances of Earth
When your Earth is off balance you can feel "dull, lazy, and dim. Too solid. Unable to move" (Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche). You can correct this with the movement of air. Connect with new thoughts and ideas, or connect and communicate with people, and this will get your energy circulating again.
This is only a very brief introduction. To really integrate the elements into your spiritual practice (and to learn about imbalances of the fifth element - space) you are recommended to read "Healing With Form, Energy And Light" and thoroughly familiarise yourself with how the elements play out in your own energy field.
Observe Yourself
Just as Pythagoras and many spiritual masters before him advised: observe yourself. This means (if you don’t do so already) taking up some form of meditative or mindfulness practices whereby you learn to go within. You learn to observe your thoughts, feelings, motivations and actions as you go through your day. Notice what moves you. Notice what motivates you. Notice what energies drive your behavior, and your day. Start noticing (at first) which element they relate to.
When you’re driving a car, you have to keep your eyes on the road, no matter what else is happening. You might be talking to passengers, and/or thinking about where you are going and what you need to do when you get there, but nevertheless you can’t take your attention and your eyes off the road, not even for a second.
With a little practice self-observation can easily be integrated into your day in much the same way. No matter what else is happening, keep your eyes on ‘the road’ - and the ‘road’ is YOU. No matter what you are doing, always keep some of your attention on you. Buddhists call this ‘mindfulness’ (watching your body, speech, and mind), but it is essentially the same practice of self-examination that Pythagoras advocated in his mystery school in ancient times.
Your Soul is on a fantastic journey through each of the twelve signs of the Zodiac. It is a journey of self-exploration, self-discovery, self-knowledge, self-understanding and adventure. Most of all, it is a fantastic journey of light! Ultimately you are on a journey of discovering your own true nature as a being of love and light, in physical form. In its deepest sense Soul Astrology is the study of love and light, expressed as you.
“The energies represented by the four elements
are ultimately the fundamental realities of life
that are being analyzed with astrology”
– Stephen Arroyo
On your Soul’s journey you pass through the many different terrains of the elements in the expression of your personality signs:
• You understand the element of water by experiencing the highs and lows of emotions, from deserts to waves of tsunamis and to great bliss. This is the path of awakening awareness through mastery of emotions, which leads to the highest experience of compassion.
• You understand the element of fire through the experiences of your heart, from the deep fires of passion to the clarity of intuition. This is the path of awakening awareness through mastery of action, creativity, and passion, which leads to the highest experience of heart-centeredness, love and intuition.
• You understand the element of air through the experiences of your mind, from navigating the dense, fear-based, labyrinth of lower thought to the infinite vastness, wisdom and clarity of Universal Mind. This is the path of awareness through mastery of mind, which leads to the highest experience of wisdom.
• You understand the element of earth through the experiences of physical form, from meeting the everyday needs of the physical body to deep somatic awareness (body awareness). This is the path of awareness through mastery of physical form, which leads to the highest realization of ‘emptiness’, meaning that all forms are not solid but are also expressions light.
As your Soul continues through many physical incarnations, you get to experience all of the elements in their various forms of expression. Most of us are a blend of two or three elements, which dominate our personality experience in this lifetime. Some people have an equal balance of all four while others may only have one or two, which indicates a specific focus on those elements in this lifetime.
Eventually you will experience every element,
which will contribute to your wisdom and your Soul's awakening.
