In a world that is increasingly digital, fast-paced, and disconnected from nature, it can be difficult to find a sense of inner balance. The constant bombardment of information, noise, and distractions often leaves us feeling ungrounded, overstimulated, and disconnected from our physical surroundings. However, there is an ancient practice, dating back over 18,000 years, that offers a powerful antidote to this modern dissonance: balancing the five elements. This practice, which divides the physical world into five fundamental elements—Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space—invites us to reconnect with nature, restore harmony within ourselves, and cultivate a deeper sense of balance in our everyday lives. By practicing mindfulness and engaging with each element, we can nourish our body, mind, and spirit in ways that transcend the limitations of our modern environment.

Interbeing with the Elements in Nature

The Five Elements are: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind (or Air), and Space. You may have heard of at least the first four because so many traditions, religions, and cultures have teachings and stories about these elements. Native American lore, for instance, has them, and they’re found in many religions. Many people are introduced to the first four—Earth, Wind, Fire, and Air—and in the Tibetan tradition, they just include a fifth one: Space. Space is the volume in which all the other elements arise.

Basically, in the Tibetan system, all our experience of reality can be deconstructed into these five elements. Take going to the beach as an example— which in Florida we are fortunate enough to be within driving distance from the beach. At the beach, there is sand (Earth), there is the Gulf (Water), there’s the cool Gulf Stream breeze (Air), there’s the heat from the sun (Fire), and there’s all that open sky extending to the horizon (Space).

The practice is really simple. As you navigate the world, see if you can notice one of these elements. We can start with just one quality—whichever element catches your attention or feels strong. As we walk around the gardens here, can we notice one of these elements? There’s a beautiful waterfall right outside by these benches. Can we notice the Water element? As we walk on the gravel path, can we notice the Earth element? Or walking barefoot in the grass, can we notice the Earth element? When we walk outside, there’s that breeze. You can see it blowing the bamboo, and we can feel it on our skin. We can sit by the pond, listen to the waterfall, and notice the Space element. We can notice the sun shining through and the warmth of the sun.

Often, we might have an aversion to the sun, to the heat. We like being cool, being in the shade. But when we practice noticing the Fire element, for example, we’re just letting that sunlight shine on our body, feel that heat, and we’re not trying to judge it or get caught up in a story about it. We’re just experiencing the direct experience of each of these five elements.

And we can systematically go through them all. Sit in the garden and experience each of them, or when we’re starting off, it’s good to just pick one—whichever one jumps out at you first—and just sit with that for a few minutes. Maybe it’s the breeze, and you’re outside just feeling the air. Then we might notice the sound of it.

That’s the practice in a nutshell—pretty basic stuff. I go walking with my son, and I ask, “Can you feel the air? Can you feel the grass?” He likes to say, “You hear that? You hear that?” as we go for a walk. Everything’s a practice in and of itself, but we can dive deeper into these elements. Each of these five elements is associated with certain qualities, qualities that are within us.

As we connect with the elements in the way I just described, we connect with the qualities that are also naturally within us because we’re made up of these five elements as well. Our bones are made of Earth—solid, grounded, stable. Water, we have fluidity. You’re made up of water right now. You can put your attention inside your mouth and become aware of it. Our lungs breathe Air. We have the movement of Air as we breathe in and out. And the Heat and warmth of our body. Our body manifests in Space, and there are empty, spacious cavities within our body as well.

Earth Element

This morning we meditated, coming down into our bodies and into the earthiness of being—grounded, solid, and stable. I’ll start with the quality of the Earth element, which is groundedness. Solidity and stability can be supported by the Earth, supported by the ground. When we connect with the Earth element, we can connect with that groundedness, that solidity, and that stability within us.

By sitting on the Earth, just as the Buddha touching the Earth did, we can touch the Earth with our hands, with our feet, or even by lying on the Earth—lying on the grass or the beach. Just let the Earth support you, connecting with that grounded support. Breathe it in and allow that groundedness within you to be nourished.

There's a practice called Pebble Meditation: You find a small rock or pebble, place it, and just like we did today, placing our awareness on the stillness of the body, you can place your awareness on the small pebble or the Earth. It’s not moving. We just look at it, connect with the pebble, and connect with that stillness in the pebble.

When we’re not connected with the Earth element—like where I started, looking at a screen—I’m not connected with my body, nor with the Earth. The qualities are just getting blown around too much. You’re not stable, and you feel disconnected. That’s why I like to start with the Earth element because it helps bring us back. When we’re getting blown around by links, ads, or AI algorithms, we can feel lost in our minds. But by nourishing the seeds of groundedness, stability, and focus, we can reconnect with the Earth element. Whether it’s the cushion, the chair, or the ground beneath us, just bringing our attention down.

This doesn’t have to be a full 20-minute guided meditation. We can all do it right now. Just like we did earlier—can you, right now, wherever you're sitting, no posture needed, connect with what’s supporting you? This whole arm right now is supporting me as it’s grounded by the cushion. That’s the Earth element.

We can also have too much of a good thing. If we have too much Earth element, too much groundedness, we can become sluggish, fixated, sleepy, or dull. So, we can notice those qualities too. And then, we might turn to the other elements to help bring balance. Ever felt too dull, not moving, not alive? We don’t want to go too far into the Earth element. We want to find a balance. I really like these teachings because it’s like a sliding scale for each of the elements. If I’m too grounded and connected, I might fall asleep, but if it’s too little, I’m agitated, with too much going on, and no real connection.

Water Element

Now, let's move to the Water element. The Water element connects us to comfort and peacefulness. Think about taking a warm bath, sitting and listening to the rain, or holding a cup of tea. This quality of peacefulness and comfort—why do so many people enjoy listening to rain, going to sleep with rain sounds, or visiting lakes and beaches? There’s a natural quality within us of comfort and peacefulness.

Whenever we see water, it can be like a bell of mindfulness. Take a moment, breathe in, and connect with that comfort and peacefulness. Sit by a waterfall or koi pond. Place your attention on the water—the sound, the sight, or the feeling of it. A nice shower is so comforting, or floating in a pool. Just let that experience nourish the seeds of comfort and peacefulness within you.

If you don’t have enough Water element, what’s that quality like? It’s the opposite of comfort. You’re uncomfortable, maybe agitated or anxious. You’re worried about your to-do list or something upcoming at work. You’re not at peace. Ease, another aspect of the Water element, is missing. When you notice these qualities are lacking, have a nice glass of water, take a shower, or find a body of water to sit by. Listen to the sound of rain or go outside during rainy season.

Too much Water element? You might be too comfortable—so comfortable that you’re not willing to change. You become complacent, lazy, indifferent to your emotions. When you notice this, you’re starting to disconnect, becoming too lazy or indifferent. That’s when you can turn to other elements to help balance it out.

Fire Element

Next, we have the Fire element, which is associated with joy, creativity, energy, passion, and aliveness. It’s the opposite of dullness. If you find yourself getting too dull, you can generate some fire energy within. Open a window, let some sunlight in, go outside. Let the sun touch your skin. Sitting by a fireplace or campfire is a very fun experience—tending to the fire, playing with it, or simply watching it. Even at home, you can connect with fire through incense or a candle, or by holding a hot cup of tea or coffee. Just take a moment to hold it in your hands and feel that warmth. Let that warmth bring energy.

You can also energize by rubbing your hands together. We can all do this right now. Generate some heat by creating friction between your hands. Can you feel the warmth? Then, cup your hands and place them over your eyes and face, just to connect with that warmth and wake yourself up a bit.

The Fire element also has balance. Too little Fire energy and you have no energy, no creativity. Too much, and you’re bouncing all over the place, unable to focus. Ever had a meditation session where you’re Googling the history of the ballpoint pen? That’s too much Fire energy. We can connect with Earth to come back down, then use some Fire energy to wake ourselves up.

Air Element

Now, let’s talk about the Air element. The Air element is all about movement, flexibility, transformation, and change. We’ve heard teachings about the eight worldly winds—like and dislike—tossing us back and forth, moving us around through life. Karma is a constant wind blowing us one way and then the other. The Air element represents that flexibility and ability to transform.

When we breathe in the Air element, perhaps while standing outside, we can just let the wind blow and blow away the problems and cares of the day. Connect with that movement, remembering that everything is impermanent—just like the wind. Breath is always in motion, a constant ebb and flow. In meditation, you may notice that the body is not still—it’s alive, constantly moving. There’s a vitality to it, just as the breath moves in and out.

When we connect with the Air element, we’re connecting with that vitality, that aliveness within us. If we feel sluggish, we can reconnect with the breath, notice we’re alive. But too much Air element? You’ll be all over the place. You start many projects but never finish them, always moving from one thing to the next. Maybe you’ll say, “The Earth element is what I need now,” or, “No, it’s the Fire element,” but you can’t stay grounded for long. You move from one thing to another, never finishing anything.

Space Element

Finally, we have the Space element, connected with openness and acceptance. Whatever arises, there’s room for it. The opposite of the Space element is constriction—a narrow view, feeling stuck in just one way. But when you turn your eyes to the space in this room or the sky, you can expand your awareness and see the bigger picture. There’s room for so much more, more possibility, more room for whatever arises.

Love is associated with the space element. Each element is connected to different parts of the body, and space is associated with the heart. Space is the antidote to anger. Love is expansive, open, and accepting. When we love someone, we open up to them. The opposite of love is being constricted, focused only on "me" and "mine." But love opens us up. We expand, and we include others. The more we love, the more we expand. 

This morning, I was practicing looking at the sky at Diane’s house when a hawk came, grabbed a squirrel, and took off. It dropped the squirrel on a roof and flew away. That just is what it was. There’s room for that. For the hawk, it was breakfast. There’s room without judgment. Just taking it in as it is, not making a story out of it.

When you have too little Space, you become too fixated. The drama of the hawk and the squirrel consumes your whole day. You start thinking about it nonstop. Too much Space, though, and you’re out of touch, your head in the clouds. You’re disconnected from the people around you, disconnected from the elements. You're too "spacey."

Anger can be associated with a lack of space—a lack of openness and felt sense of constriction. When there's no room for anyone else, it’s all about "my way" and "only me." But by cultivating space, we cultivate love, understanding, and acceptance, which are the antidotes to anger and constriction.

Integrating the practice into daily meditation sessions

During formal sitting meditation you can connect with the ground, the Earth, or use pebble meditation if you know it. Or, like we did this morning, bring your awareness to the body. Let the body rest on its support, relax, and open up your awareness to space—whether it’s the space around you or the space within you. As you settle into stillness, notice the ebb and flow of your breath, the subtle movements of the body. You can bring the elements into your meditation by placing your attention on them during practice.

When I do mindful movements, I connect with the air element. When I dance, it’s about letting the body be free and loose, without judgment. Sitting outside and looking at the sky is a big part of my practice as well. It’s incorporated into my meditative practice both on and off the cushion. I regularly check in with myself to see what elements are arising in my experience and within me.

When I practice eating meditation, I can connect with the five elements as they manifest in the foods I eat and drink. The heat or coolness of different foods and drinks, the fluid movement of liquids I consume, the flow from solid to liquid as I chew slowly, the smells in the air as I eat, all of this I can connect with through my food and mindful eating. The crunchiness of certain foods, the hardness, and the space inside your mouth—have you ever noticed how your tongue does this wonderful dance inside your mouth as you chew? The jaws are clamping down, and it’s amazing that you don’t bite your tongue off. It’s like a beautiful dance, with your tongue moving in and out without getting hurt.

Integrating the practice into daily life

In daily life, no one has to know you’re practicing. It’s not a verbal practice. You don’t need to walk around saying, “I’m connecting to space.” You can take short moments in a meeting to reconnect with the present, recognize the space, and refocus. You can also notice these qualities in others. For example, if someone seems stressed, anxious, or tight, you might recognize that they’re lacking the water element. You can mentally send them the qualities of water, like ease and calm. By recognizing these qualities in yourself and others, you become more patient and understanding, and you can respond in a way that supports their needs.

If you cannot find a physical connection to an element, that is okay. Let's say you don't have water nearby, but wish to nourish myself with the water element. You can visualize it. We can do this for all the elements. When we don’t have fire or water, those are often the two we don’t have with us, we can imagine them. You can bring yourself to a memory. How did it feel when you were at a lake, a hot tub, or the beach? Bring back the sound of those waves. Use your imagination. Some people have very vivid imaginations, while others might find it more challenging. We can also always connect with the elements as they manifest within our body. Our body is made up of these five elements, so we can always use our imagination to help us feel and connect with these parts of us that are already present. Even if there is no water around, our body is made up of water, heat, space, movement of the breath, and solidity such as bones and flesh.

You don’t have to just take my word for it. When you connect with an element, ask yourself, “What is this watering in me?” If you’re not writing this down or taking notes, just ask yourself. When you connect with the wind, what is that watering within me? When you connect with the sun on a hot day, what is that watering in me? You can just ask these questions and see what arises.

Conclusion 

And that’s the practice. It’s a wonderful practice to do outdoors, in nature. Many of the examples I’ve given are from nature—going outside, putting down my device, stepping away from the computer. My wife and kids and I always go for walks every morning and evening, touching the elements as we walk. I try to take breaks outside from my work and just let myself be nourished by these elements.

Alternate Arrangements of the Elements

There are different arrangements of the five elements and their associations. In Bon, there are two. Below is the arrangement according to the Mother Tantra (Ma Gyud) system. It is important to keep in mind that depending on the specific tradition or lineage being taught, the associations between the elements, colors, and wisdoms will vary.