The oldest known school of thought regarding health is called “auryveda”, which is a Sanskrit word meaning “the science of life.”
In this tradition, a person’s health is dependent upon a balance between the elements of energy of which all substances are formed.
All things tangible in the universe are composed of these five elements; Earth, water, fire, air, and ether. Ether is the space in between the elementary particles, which is said to be “the place where god lives.”
Every person has manifested in a body with a unique combination of these five elements, and will have a tendency toward concentration of one or two of the elements, primarily. When a person experiences imbalance in these energies, certain practices and foods can bring them back into alignment with balance, and they experience a healing calm that results in alleviation of symptoms that manifest in imbalance.
Does a person have dry skin? That is an imbalance in the air element, and the solution, then, would be to minimize air qualities in the food they eat and in other “air” quality behaviors like walking very fast, as well as to add the elements that they are missing, or are minimized. Does a person have a tendency to be explosive? That is an imbalance of fire energy! Is a person moody? Imbalance of water element. Is a person stubborn and inflexible? Imbalance of earth energy!
You see, there are NO “bad” people: There are only imbalances of energies!
There is a tremendous common sense factor in Auraveda; Minimize what you are, and maximize what you are not! This brings you into balance, and eliminates disease!
Auryavedic science also takes into consideration the use of the senses, and considers that misuse of the senses is one of the three causes of imbalance and illness.
The three causes of illness are 1) misuse of the senses, 2) crimes against wisdom (failures of intellect), and 3) time.
The three pillars that support life are 1) proper use of food and thus proper digestion 2) proper sleep (rejuvenation) 3) management of sexual energy (use of the senses).
When Auravedic science indicates “proper”, it is not implying that it must be the same for everyone, but rather, that it must be in alignment with that person’s divine guidance and purpose!
Understanding what your primary elementary tendencies are is the basis for applying the science to your health; Then, you can add what you are not, and minimize what you naturally are!
Let’s explore the qualities of the different elements, so you can discern what you think your constitution is, so you can add what you are not. Remember, all of the elements are necessary, and none is better than the others; They are all necessary, and balance is the key!
How does “air” act? It’s flits around here and there, very quickly, never stopping or landing. Indecisive? Fast and furious? Action, personified! Igniting all the other elements is “air”; without “air”, nothing moves. Without enough air element, no one would ever take action! But an imbalance in air, would reveal an inability to make decisions. Never staying close, never landing, but passing on by….These, too, would be the tendencies of a person Who’s constitution is primarily “air” element. The sense that is primarily used in the air element is touch, and the primary organ is the skin. By the way, the love language of the air element is usually “meaningful touch”! Air foods grow up high, or have wings, as if to fly! Eat air foods if you need to infuse more air into your experience. If you need to minimize air, don’t eat air foods! Air people tend to walk very fast!
How does “fire” act? Fire purifies, doesn’t it? But it can also burn up everything in it’s path! It’s warms us up, in the glow of it’s embers, and makes us feel all warm and cozy inside, too, doesn’t it? Fire element people have a gift for making people feel accepted and warm and fuzzy inside! They are enthusiasm, personified! But they can also, when imbalanced, be bombastic and angry! But without enough fire, a person has no “attractor power”! Fire element is the attractor power! Can you walk past a fire and not notice? The sense that is primarily used in the fire element is vision,, and the primary organ is the eyes. The love language of the fire element is often “gifts”! Fire foods are hot and spicy. Fire people have a very determined walk!
Ether element : Any element also has “ether”, in direct proportion to the connection they feel with “god”. When any element is connected to god, they are also strong in the “verbal appreciation” love language! The love language of God is “appreciation”! Ether element uses the ears, and the sense is hearing. Use your ears more to add more ether to your energies! Make yourself sit and listen to sounds. Practice hearing.
Water flows into the cracks and crevices of life, doesn’t it? It “meets needs”. Therefore, the love language is often “acts of service”. Water element spreads itself out; It is the creative energy. The organ is the tongue, and the sense is taste.
Balanced water elements are very creative, take action on it, and feel very positive and connected to god and others! However, an imbalanced water person feels moody and cloudy and insecure, and disconnected. Their walk is loose and strolling; less determined.
Earth energy is fixed, state of being, present tense. That’s good, of course! However, when out of balance, it can be stubborn, rigid and inflexible, and resist change!
An earth element person will have thicker, oily skin. Their bodies will have denser muscle structure. And they usually have large, straight teeth! Their walk is heavy, stable, and structured. The sense used by the earth element is smell, and the organ is the nose.
Earth people often have “quality time” as their love language. What foods do you think might be “earth element foods”? Beef, for sure. Lamb. Any food that grows near or under the ground. Potatoes. Carrots. Ginger root would be both earth and also fire element. Grapes would be earth and also water element. Chicken would be earth and also air element. Grapefruit would be water and air. Make sense? To discern what element the different foods are, think about how high off the ground it grows or lives. There are “degrees” of the elements, also; A turnip is more earth than are strawberries, even though strawberries grow close to the ground, too! A strawberry is both earth and also water element! See? So, what element would fish be? Of course, WATER! How about crab? Well, both earth and also water!
Now, to infuse your life with the elements that you are not is the goal; Remember that! So, if you are earth, eat more fish! Also, you would want to eat air foods more often that earth foods. Earth people would also want to eat kelp, seaweed, chicken, celery, and plenty of spicy foods, to add zesty fire element!
Another way to bring balance to your life is by making sure you are using colors that add what you are not. What element do you think green is? Earth, of course, like grass! How about blue? You guessed it; Air! What element is red? FIRE!
Because I am fire and air energy, I never light candles (even though I am drawn to them!) I use a “scentsy pot” to add aroma (earth energy). I also add earth by sitting on a wool blanket on my chair, although cotton would also work! But what element do you think SILK would be? It is made in trees, isn’t it? Right; Air! I wear pearls often. Can you guess why? To add water element to my life! I have red coral sitting in a basket on my desk. Why? Coral grows in WATER! Of course, my fire and air burn up any water I can drink, so…I’m a heavy drinker! Ha!
Get the idea???
Isn’t this fun????????
By Janeen J. Detrick
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