Simple Five Element Practice

Five Elements are an integral part of Tibetan cosmology and essential to understanding the relatedness and interdependence of all things in the universe. The Five Elements are the essential elements or building blocks for all phenomena, not only in the physical universe but also in our physical and energetic bodies. Each element represents not only an energetic quality but also takes physical form. Each element exists separately but also exists interdependently. Each element needs, supports, and affects the other elements together, providing a cohesive whole within the individual being.

When the Five Elements are out of balance, illness, negative emotions, and disharmony manifest. The Five Elements practices help to remove physical, mental, and energetic blocks. The practices invoke balance and harmonize each of the Five Elements through the use of the sacred seed syllables, mudras, mantras, physical postures, breath work, and visualizations. These rich and ancient practices can help to remove physical, mental, and energetic blocks and restore balance and integrity in one's life. The practitioner is guided to connect to his or her own inner wisdom in order to achieve one's full potential and be able to maintain a relaxed and awakened state of mind. When practiced regularly, these practices help one to attain a healthier lifestyle and improve one's physical, mental, and emotional health.

• Invoking Space clears a cluttered mind and creates spaciousness and recognition of the pure space of being. 

• Invoking Air transforms pride to peacefulness and helps to support increased flexibility and improved communication. 

• Invoking Fire transforms greed and desire to generosity and supports increased creativity. 

• Invoking Water transforms jealousy to openness and supports a peaceful presence. 

• Invoking Earth transforms ignorance to wisdom and supports a grounded, abiding presence.

The Five Element practice existed before the time of Tonpa Shenrab. The indigenous people of Asia and the Americas all had Five Elements practices, deities, and prayers. Buddha Tonpa Shenrab gave teachings on how to connect with the elements in Sutra, Tantra, and Dzogchen. There are element practices in all three, but Sutra only has four elements. There's no space in Sutra because that's considered to be permanent, and Sutra deals with impermanence. 

In Bön Cosmology the elements explain the creation of the universe. First there was space, then wind arose. The movement of the wind created friction and heat. From the heat came fog and condensation, or water. Then dust fell on the water, and that became earth. And that's why we do the elements in that particular order. The Tantric teachings on the five elements talk more about the inner elements, the chakras, channels, and organs. And the Dzogchen teachings talk more about the secret elements, the lights and inner wisdoms.

As you review each element in the bulleted list above, consider each aspect. You can do one element at a time as needed for whatever blockage or imbalance you think you have. Every lama teaches this a little bit differently. The organs, chakras, and poisons are generally the same, but the mantras might be a little different with different teachers. While the text that we have gives the elements in the order of time—of when the elements are supposed to be most active—Rinpoche has asked that we go ahead and do them in the traditional order of space, wind, fire, water, and earth.

You can do the practice one element a day or do one element for a week. You can do all the elements in one session. If you're aware enough to recognize that you have a particular issue with one element or another—for instance, if you have anger issues, jealousy, or an attachment issue—it's a good time to do that particular element practice to get yourself back in balance. Or you can just do the space element, because space actually contains all of the other elements. Everything comes from space.

As we do the practices on our own you exhale tiny khandros that go out the right nostril and come in the left. If you can't figure out that visualization, don't worry too much about it. Just pretend it's going out one side and coming back in the other side, and you can repeat the visualizations for as long as you want and as many times as you want when you're doing the practice on your own. Think of the positions of the organs in our bodies; that tells you the direction. We always start with the heart in the center. The lungs are above that, so that would be north. The kidneys are below our heart level, so that's going to be south. So if this is north and that's south, the liver is on your right side, so that's going to be west, and the spleen is on your left side, so that's east.

Think of all the organs being connected by channels to the heart. So when we talk about the khandros in the channel to that organ, each of the organs is ultimately connected to the heart through a channel, and that's where we're going to see the little tiny second Dakinis. 

If you need additional work on any of these elements, sky gazing helps with the space element. Tsa Lung practice helps with the wind element. Tummo helps with the fire element. The Chutor and Naga rituals help with the water element. And building stupas helps with the earth element.

A Simple Way to Practice with the Five Elements

Start each practice session by invoking refuge. Allow the presence to fill you with warmth and support. Then, gently arise bodhichitta, the wish for the benefit of all beings. Feel that deep intention in your heart, like a flame that burns with compassion and wisdom, illuminating all sentient beings with love and peace. Then do the elemental practices below. When you finish your practice session, dedicate the merit.

In the empty essence, Bönku, the Body of Reality.

In the luminous nature, Dzogku, the Perfection Body.

In the non-duality of manifesting capacity and appearances, Tülku, the Emanation

In the expanse of self-awareness, I go for refuge.

This pure immeasurable realm of appearance and existence.

Is primordially equal with Kuntu Zangpo, the pervasive expanse.

I generate the supreme mind of the great primordial liberation.

May I liberate infinite sentient beings.

Practice for All Elements

Sit comfortably in the five-fold posture. Begin by visualizing the elemental dakini standing in front of us and making the appropriate mudra as an offering to the elemental dakini. The luminous colored light of the dakini radiates out from her and touches your heart. Slowly, slowly, you become the elemental dakini. When you feel you are the elemental dakini, then focus on your specific elemental organ area. In your organ channel of the heart is a small elemental dakini (or a colored sphere). Then chant the seed syllable three times. At that time visualize that from the heart small dakinis come out the right nostril and journey out everywhere gathering the essence of the element and return in the left nostril back to the heart and organ. Then visualize your heart is full of pure luminous colored light like a pure crystal. Imagine the tiny khandro pours the collected elemental nectar into the blue central channel until the entire central channel is filled up with the colored elemental nectar. The elemental essence then goes out to your entire body absorbing the elemental essence in every cell of your body.

Dedication of Merit

This perfect virtue done through my three doors,

In order for all sentient beings to attain unsurpassable enlightenment,

Is dedicated within the great blissful space free from the three spheres.

May all be equal in the primordial state.