Connecting to the 5 elements - simple practices you can add into your daily life
Overdoing it with food, drink, social media, or simply too much activity pulls you away from your natural state of balance, the elements present in your body and Mother Nature, Gaia.
According to Ayurveda and Ancient Wisdom, getting connected with the elements is the greatest single factor in aligning your body, mind and spirit long-term. It is not surprising that you find different elements characterising each dosha, astrology sign, chakra, etc.
Inspiration, clarity and graceful self empowerment forms the foundations of this re-connection with alchemization provided by the elements.
What are the elements?
The five spiritual elements are earth, air, water, fire and ether (or space/spirit). Each of these elements can be connected into your life daily and all serve a purpose. These include:
EARTH to ground, balance and vitalise the body
WATER to trust, accept and balance our emotions
FIRE to transform, clarify and vitalise our energy
AIR to move, inspire and harmonise the mental body
SPACE/ETHER to connect, transcend and ignite the spirit
Connecting with these elements have beautiful benefits in your life!
How can connecting with the elements help?
When you take the time to call yourself deeply present and connect with each element, here are some of the beautiful benefits you will experience.
Enhance your relationship with each of the five elements and with yourself
Learn the art of enjoyment without excess
Let the beginning be something you celebrate, not recover from
Experience greater clarity and joy in your life
Discover how ancient wisdom, including Elemental Alchemy & Ayurveda, can guide you to vibrant health
And you’ll do it all with daily micro-actions you can apply in 15 minutes or less! So how can you connect with each element? Let me share some rituals with you!
Fire - transforms your energy
If you've been part of my New Moon online circle in my Circle membership, you know how much I love to call in the energy Fire and the direction of the North (or South depending on your hemisphere) into the circle to destroy what no longer serves us and bring awareness to what needs to be ignited.
I'd like to invite you to go through a ritual for Letting Go, this is a very powerful way to connect with the fire element:
What do you need for this ritual: a candle & lighter, pen & paper:
Light the candle and look into the flame (which is called Trataka), connecting to the fire energy.
Write down what you’re ready to let go of.
Place the piece of paper into the fire. As it burns, detach from the story and allow a lightness to enter you.
Watch it burn and say out loud "I let go of {...what you wrote in your paper...}, it has no place in my life anymore"
Visualise energetic space being liberated, making way for new beginnings and opportunities.
Lastly, connect with how it feels into your heart and body. It's essential to practice what "having" or "being" will feel like.
Enjoy the connection with Fire and your own energy. The intuitive energy practice is one of the key tools I offer clients who are in the process of transformation.
Water - trust and accept
Recently on my birthday, I was missing my family and had a good cry in the shower to release all the emotions coming up on my birthday.
Your daily practice to bring the power of the element of Water in your life is based on creativity and the art of allowance, moving past fear into flow, trusting that it’s all falling into place.
Your ritual will add new layers to your morning shower:
Imagine the shower stream is a luscious purifying waterfall. Tell yourself the water will sensually cascade over you bringing creative flow and grace. Massage with oil or soap with your hands under the shower to deepen the sensual experience. Accept your body completely, learn to love the skin you’re in.
The second layer to this ritual is to play with COLD WATER. For the strong willed, this is a game changer. Repeat as above only as you step under the cold stream. TRUST in the process, accept the cold, breathe and remain in a state of grace - rather than reactive energy
You are also invited at least once a week to immerse yourself in a sensual bath with essential oils, candles and music. This gentle practice with water softens us into a state of surrender, grace and gratitude.
Remember to CONNECT with the WATER element during the ritual to develop your relationship, having a clear intention to embody its qualities.
Enjoy the connection with Water and your emotions.
Earth - ground and balance your body
These days most of us always walk with our shoes on. My daughters are always taking their shoes off. I remember as a child, doing the same.
Being barefoot on the Earth actually has a name: earthing. Earthing offers many benefits, such as improved sleep, greater concentration & focus. Ayurveda, has a long history of connecting with the Earth elements. The feel of the Earth on the soles of your feet is rejuvenating & calming.
So, find the time to take a break and walk outside as often as possible without your shoes on.
You probably don't need much instructions if you connect with your inner-child but here are a few anyway to help you out.
To practice earthing:
Find a spot of grass, beach or dirt path and remove your shoes.
Take a deep breath and ground yourself by feeling the earth under the soles of your feet and under each toe.
Notice how it feels to shift your balance from one part of your foot to another
Stand still for a few breaths, using all your senses to notice how you feel. Feel steady and connected to the Earth, particularly through the soles of your feet.
If you usually practice yoga, you can stand tall in tadasana (mountain pose) for a few minutes. Visualise a mountain you know of or have visited and really try to embody the feeling and vibration of that mountain. The mountain just ‘is’ and is confident in its mountain qualities.
Then take a walk barefoot and notice how you feel. Try to be as present as possible with the Earth beneath your feet and the sky above your head.
Enjoy stepping outside and trying this practice today, and trust the process of life as it unfolds, piece by piece.
Air - harmonise the mental body
Breath (referred as Prana or Life Force in Ayurveda) is the first and very last thing we do in this lifetime and needs to be honoured as sacred.
Pranayama is a yogic technique that allows us to harness and direct energy in our bodies in a variety of ways. When bringing sensitivity with the breath working with pranayama is so powerful. I love this quote from Amit Ray: “Breath is the finest gift of nature. Be grateful for this wonderful gift.”
Placing our attention on the breath as we’re walking, sitting, or laying down brings life to our entire being... becoming aware is the key.
Breathwork has become increasingly popular as a tool for radical transformation, providing a powerful, non-verbal path to self-knowledge, inner wisdom and health. That's why in The Circle membership, I teach and we practice together different Breathwork practices each month.
Let's practice one of my favourite pranayama practice to bring balance into your life: Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
The most traditional breathwork technique is to bring consciousness to the breath through the nostril. The right side being the sun, the divine masculine energy & the left side being the moon, the divine feminine energy. So the body will start to be filled with light & energy, including the light of the stars. You know how I love to bring you into balance.
7 Simple Steps
Find a comfortable seat. You may want to lean against a wall or sit in a chair. It’s important that you find ultimate comfort before practicing meditation and pranayama. Sit tall, lengthening the spine and softening the shoulders.
Relax the muscles in your face and throat. Begin deep breathing in and out through the nose.
Take a few minutes to release any stagnant energy in the body and establish a deep sense of awareness of the breath and body.
To begin Nadhi Shodhana find Mrigi mudra by bringing the pointer finger of the right hand and into the palm. Bring the ring and pinky fingers together and straighten them up as much as possible.
Your right thumb will hold the right nostril closed as you inhale through the left nostril. Release the right thumb and hold closed the left nostril as you exhale out the right nostril. Understand why we call it, “alternate nostril breathing?” Continue this, inhaling through the right nostril with the left nostril held closed by pink and ring finger. Upon your exhale, press the thumb gently onto the right nostril, exhaling out the left nostril. That is one round or cycle.
Practice this for five to 10 rounds. Notice the soothing and calming effects even within the first few rounds. Remember to keep your inhales and exhales of even length!
As you continue breathing in this pattern, focus on keeping the breath smooth and even. Sense the breath moving up through the nostril, filling the opposite hemisphere of the brain with energy, and then descending down on the exhale. Continue for a few more cycles, balancing the brain and harmonising the nervous system. Finish by exhaling through the left nostril. Then, keeping the eyes closed, take a few slow, smooth breaths through both nostrils.
Enjoy the connection with Air, your breath and bringing mental clarity into your life and business.
Ether/Space - connect and ignite the spirit
Although space relates to the sense of sound, manifest in this element is the idea of silence and stillness.
These sacred sounds are described in scriptures as being like buzzing bees, drums and even the movement of clouds through the sky. Meditating on these sounds is powerful. They only arise during silence and when you allow space for it. Perhaps this is one reason why the shamanic practices I bring into my circle or private coaching session, the drum journey is so powerful as a technique for allowing insight to unfold.
This practice is best done for at least ten minutes on a regular basis to make your senses more acute and deepen your sensory perception.
Let's practice active listening of silence:
Get outside and find a quiet spot in your garden, a park or in nature around your home.
Sit with a straight spine and listen to the sounds of nature, animals and insects around you.
Inhale, then exhale & relax the muscles in the top of your head...relax your face, jaw, tongue...relax your shoulders, spine, hips and legs.
Allow your sense of hearing to become acute, listen to the soft sound of your breath and for the farthest sound you can hear.
With hearing now acute, relax your body completely and allow yourself to be “breathed” by life itself, calm and fully present. If you have a question needing answering, have a clear intention of receiving guidance in this state.
Enjoy your connection with Space.
It's been so much fun to connect with you all. Together we've cultivated an appreciation for the elements: our gateways to the world.
Final thoughts
Choose an element each day of the week, connect with all the elements daily or focus on one for a whole week. Whatever resonates with you.
Start adding an elemental ritual into your life and see the true benefits from feeling more grounded to energising your spirit!
If you loved this article and want to explore the 5 elements on a deeper level, check out my “Align the Elements” short course.
Try any of the element rituals and tag me on Instagram @essential.shift!