Life is for living. Breathe. Move. Be.

• The 5 Elements of Existence

The universe consist of five elements, Ether (space), Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. Our bodies consist of a combination of these elements. All five elements exist in all things, including ourselves. Your body is 72% water, about 2% earth, 6% air, and 4% fire.

ETHER corresponds to the spaces in the body: the mouth, nostrils, thorax, abdomen, respiratory tract, and cells.

AIR is the element of movement so it represents muscular movement, pulsation, expansion and contraction of the lungs and intestines, even the movement in every cell.

FIRE controls enzyme functioning. It shows itself as intelligence, fuels the digestive system, and regulates metabolism.

WATER is in plasma, blood, saliva, digestive, juices, mucous membranes, and cytoplasm, the liquid inside cells.

EARTH manifests in the solid structures of the body: the bones, nails, teeth, muscles, cartilage, tendons, skin, and hair.

The five elements also relate to our senses: sound is transmitted through Ether; Fire is related to sight; Water is related to taste; and Earth is connected to smell.

Ayurveda teaches that all organic matter is formed from the Earth element, which “gave birth” to other matter. All five elements may be present in all matter: Water, when it is frozen, becomes solid like Earth; Fire melts it back to Water; Fire can turn Water to steam, which is dispersed within the Air and the Ether.