Ayurveda believes that everything is made up of the five gross elements of nature. These building blocks are Ether (space), Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. Their qualities are reflected in the balances and imbalances in the human body, and mind.

either | akash

Ether is the space in which everything happens. It is the outer space surrounding us, and the inner space within us. Space is the distance between things; it defines one thing from another, and it is what separates matter, and allows for shapes to form.

air | vayu

Air is the gaseous form of matter which is mobile and dynamic. It is unseen, but can definitely be felt. Air is breath; a fundamental action to life, and without nothing can exist. Within the body, air (oxygen) governs energy transfer reactions, it is also required for fire to burn. Air is formless existence.

fire | agni

Fire represents circular transformation; it transforms solids to liquids, to gas, and back again. The energy of the sun initiates all energy cycles on earth – it provides power to the water, to the weather cycles of nature, as well as, to all food chains. In the physical body, fire is the energy that binds molecules together, converts food to fuel (stored energy). It then creates impulses of nervous reactions, such as our thoughts and feelings. Fire is a form that has no density to it.

water | jal

Water represents change. It is capable of changing its shape as it moves around and within solid matter. It is able to transform its form from liquid to gas through the process of evaporation, then it returns back to its original structure. Water can wear away solids as it flows through them, and has the ability to dissolve immovable matter. Our blood, plasma, lymph, and all other bodily fluids, move between cells and through our vessels – they govern functions that include; movement of energy, temperature regulation, carrying hormonal information across the body, and wastes out of the body. Water is a substance that is unstable.

earth | prithvi

Earth is the solid state of matter; it represents structure, stability, fixity, and rigidity. It is immovable, dense and resilient, and can stand against the diminishing forces of water and air. In the physical body, the element of earth is manifested in bones, cells, and tissues. Earth is a stable substance.