In times gone by- before all the distractions and technological advances we had a deep connection with all the elements. In alchemy (the ancient practice which gave birth to chemistry) the elements were spoken of as the building blocks for all matter.
The 4 elements are- earth, water, fire and air, and all matter is considered to be a mixture of one or more of these elements. It is though that connection to the elements in their purest form can have a healing effect and each of the elements are linked to different aspects of the human spirit, body and psyche. In this article I am going to explain how in some ways we are collectively disconnected from the elements, the connection of the elements to our mind, body and spirit, and how we can reconnect.
Earth
The earth element is the ground below our feet and holds all the characteristics that you see in the earth. In nature the earth holds roots, and this is what connecting to the earth element does for us. The earth is related to the root chakra, which is your foundations, security and being grounded.
In more developed society, we have a lot of concrete jungle and often spend a lot of time on man made ground. Also the soil used to grow crops is depleted of nutrients. We cover our feet most of the time, and while I am not saying we should all be walking around bare foot all of the time, my understanding is the earth holds electromagnetic properties which can be used for healing.
Water
Next to air, and dependant on circumstances sleep- water is the most important thing needed for human survival. We are made up of 50-78% water- it is literally the lifeblood that flows through us. The quality of the water we consume makes up over half of our structure in any given moment and is linked to our sacral chakra. The sacral chakra is linked to our sexuality, enjoyment and ability to connect with things that bring us pleasure.
The reality is in western society collectively we have an incredibly poor connection to relationships and sexuality. Women are objectified and held up as something to observe, if you look at music videos, advertising and media in general women are often treated in a derogatory and misogynistic fashion. Little is actually known about the natural flow of sexuality, or if monogamy is the healthiest way to express love and connection, with many thinking that a more primal and open view on relationships and sexuality is the healthier alternative.
Enjoyment is often expressed in a selfish and impulsive way- a good example of this is too work all week and then drink alcohol until you cannot stand on the weekend. Also the materialistic and wasteful way in which we consume. It can be hard with the heavy media presence shoving solutions for non existent problems down your throat 24/7, but ultimately it is our choices which empower this current system.
The link that could be made here is that of our poor water supply which in many places is fluoridated. However fluoride is not the only thing we have to worry about creeping into our bodies, some of the chemicals routinely added to our drinking water include-
Liquified chlorine
Fluorosilicic acid
Aluminium sulphate
Calcium hydroxide
Sodium silicofluoride
This is something we often bathe in too, so given that we are made up of over 50% water I think it is safe to say that the quality of water we consume is very important.
The most effective way we can reconnect with the water element is by drinking good quality water. It is debateable which type is best, but getting a good filtration system is a good starting point. If you are not ready for that commitment, drinking good quality mineral water is a good alternative. Just be careful as some spring water is actually just filtered tap water, so look for naturally sourced mineral water, preferable in a glass bottle.
Fire
Fire gives life to this earth in the form of the sun- in the right dose the sun literally has the power to charge us with energy, fill us with vitamins and get us ready for action.
In past times families would gather by the fire- tell stories, share wisdom and connect with the fire element under the moonlight. Our fire has now become the rectangle box that sits in most living rooms (the TV) and unfortunately for the most part (given the most popular shows) it is not sharing empowering stories and wisdom.
Fire is related to the solar plexus chakra, and is to do with personal empowerment. If you think of the characteristics of fire- fearless, hot and fluid- this is what connecting with this element can help bring to our character.
We reconnect with this element by spending more time in the sun by day and lighting a fire by night (sometimes), when you look at a fire for long enough it starts to tell you a story, this story often comes in the form of energetic and unspoken language, but it is very real. It also comes in form of imagery in the fire- faces, animals and imagery will appear in a fire and dependant on your beliefs these images can often work as metaphors for your life.
Air
The air you breathe is the most important thing needed for survival and shows the fragility of the human form. It takes around 3 minutes of time without oxygen for the human body to shut down and thus is the most important thing their is. Air is connected to the heart chakra and the quality of air you breath directly affects all that is of the heart. This is love, connection and being able to express this with those you come into contact with.
Due to deforestation, pollution and simply not taking the time to stop and breathe deeply we have collectively become disconnected with this element. Also when you look at many developed cities they have an underground transport system which is (and I can only go on my London experience) a box of stale air, in which people have bought into the illusion of separation.
Even in built up cities there are usually parks or some kind of nature nearby, this is very different to going to the jungle, the mountains or any other natural landscape, however it does provide a good start point. Also surrounding yourself with nature eg plants in your space can help improve the air quality. Meditation or consciously taking a few minutes out to just breathe are also good to add to your routine.
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