It's funny but I've always felt most alive when connected to the elements directly. There's something about sitting around a real fire and watching the flames, or walking the clifftops on a stormy day, feeling the raging wind whip my hair and the spray of the stormy sea touch my skin that enlivens the wild in me.

It makes me feel insignificant (in a good way!) and connected to something infinitely more incredible, more magical than the trivialities of my life. I feel renewed by it. What makes you feel like that? Whatever it is for you, is there a way you can sprinkle more of that into your life?

Ayruveda (the sister science of yoga) is based on the 5 elements and teaches us that they exist in our bodies and are connected to our subtle (energetic) body or chakra system.

 Ever felt the need to control things in your life? Or are you feeling unloved or struggling with lack of boundaries, self-judgement and communicating how you feel? All of the above?! . . .

I’m sure we can all relate! The emotional struggles we have in our life can be influenced by the balance of elements in our energetic body. In this blog you’ll discover how the 5 elements and 7 chakras link together and how you can use them as tools for emotional healing and growth.

What are the 7 chakras and 5 elements and how do they link to each other?

The word chakra translates as wheel and refers to the 7 main energy centres that exist in your subtle energy body (you can’t see the subtle body, but you can certainly feel it!) and are located on your spine from the base to the crown of your head. Each one links to different aspects of your life and impacts your physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.

It is believed that imbalances in these chakras can impact your physical and mental health and one way to heal these imbalances is to work with the element that links to the chakra that requires healing.

Here is a summary of the 7 chakras and how they link to the 5 elements

• Ether/space – throat chakra, communication, third eye chakra, intuition and clarity, crown chakra, oneness, connection of all things

• Air – heart chakra, love and compassion

• Fire – solar plexus chakra, power and strength

• Water – sacral chakra, passion and relationships

• Earth – root chakra, safety and belonging

Earth Element – Root Chakra

The element of earth is connected to your root chakra, this is the foundation of both your life and your chakra system. When your root chakra and earth element are balanced you are likely to feel connected to the earth around you, supported by nature, secure bonds to family and friends, safe and a sense of trust in letting your path unfold. Feelings of anxiety, lethargy or sleep disturbances can all be signs that your root chakra could do with some love and attention.

In astrology the earth signs are Capricorn, taurus and virgo, they’re renowned for being reliable, hardworkers, they are naturally connected to the earth element, grounded and practical. If you feel unbalanced in your foundation it can be really helpful to ask for support and guidance from these people in your life or even just spend time with them and let their grounded energy rub off on you!

Change can really impact your earth element and root chakra, anything to do with work, finances, relationships or times of stress and overwhelm can lead you to lose that connection to your foundation.

If you feel you could do with some support in this area, try some of the following ideas to bring root chakra and earth element back into balance.

• Eat root vegetables that have come straight from the earth

• Caring for animals

• Meditating in nature

• Hugging a tree! (yes I really do this!)

• Walk in nature and if possible spend time barefoot grounding on the earth, grass or sand

• Practice grounding breathwork to balance your nervous system and help you feel safe in your body

• Try gardening and getting your hands dirty in the soil!

• Repeat root chakra affirmations such as . . . I am exactly where I belong, I trust my path as it unfolds, I am safe, I am secure whatever happens, I proudly take my place in this world, I trust myself to take care of my needs, I am enough, I have enough, I release control and trust my path as it unfolds, life supports me fully, I am always welcome in nature, I belong in nature, I am nature.

By nourishing the earth element and root chakra you are releasing self doubt, anxiety and the need to control and instead trusting your path as it unfolds and your ability to create stability in your life.

Earth element summary

Root Chakra: Base of spine (Red)

Season: Late summer

Balanced: Grounded, safe, basic needs met, feel supported, calm, feel comfortable in your body

Imbalanced: Anxious, restless, fatigued, poor boundaries, disorganized, fearful

Dosha: Kapha

Mantra: LAM

Affirmation: I am safe

Essential Oils: Cedarwood, Cypress

Yoga Poses: Mountain Pose, Warrior poses, Balance poses, Backbends, Squats, Standing poses. Stronger, warming movements like vinyasa flow yoga.

 

Water Element – Sacral Chakra

Water is the most feminine of the elements, it corresponds with your sacral chakra and connects to your emotions, creativity, play and a healthy sense of pleasure and sexuality. It governs your connection to how you feel and how you express those feelings, influencing your relationships with your partner, friends and family.

“Water is a powerful and graceful element — taking on countless forms and responsible for sustaining life at all levels. This element is able to carry vessels that weigh over 200,000 tons, yet slips through our fingers when we try to scoop it into our hands. Our oceans gently house some of the most delicate ecosystems on the planet and still, the force of flowing water is responsible for carving valleys into unimaginably hard granite surfaces. We witness adaptability in its truest form when we observe water and all that it is capable of.” – Daniel Sannito

So if you’re struggling with a particular relationship, feeling stuck, bored or disconnected from your sensuality, creativity and playful energy, then the water element can help create the transformation you desire. The water signs are Cancer, Pisces and Scorpio and are renowned for being intuitive, empathetic and creative.

These are some ways to connect to the element of water to heal your sacral chakra:

• Luxurious bath – not just a bog standard one, do something to make it seem like a ritual, take in a beautiful drink, add Epsom salts, music, essential oils. Imagine yourself as a roman empress and treat yourself accordingly!

• A fluid yoga practice that includes lots of hip openers

• Wild swimming (one of my personal favourites!)

• Sit or walk near the sea, a lake or river

• Walk barefoot on the beach and get your feet wet!

Water element - summary

 

Sacral Chakra: Sacrum, hips, lower belly, lower back, genitals (Orange)

Season: Winter

Balanced: Nurture self and others, adapt to change easily, clear boundaries, pleasure, able to understand and express emotions, creative.

Imbalance: Disconnected from sexuality, in flexible, excessively introverted, resistance to change, lack of desire, suppressed emotions, lower back pains, fatigue

Dosha: Kapha & Pitta

Mantra: VAM

Affirmation: I surrender to the flow of life

Essential oils: Jasmine, grapefruit, orange, Rose

Yoga Poses Flows, hip openers, lower back poses, standing poses, backbends.

 

Fire Element – Solar Plexus Chakra

Your fire element holds your motivation, energy and willpower. When your fire element and solar plexus chakra are well balanced you feel a real sense of personal power, purpose and self-confidence.

So if you’re doubting yourself or holding on to limiting beliefs and repetitive negative thoughts that are not serving you, connecting to your fire element will help you shed those mindset gremlins and step into the vibrant woman you were born to be!

Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are fire signs and tend to be passionate, ambitious, playful, and unafraid, nurturing your fire element will draw out this side of you too!

If you’re struggling to set boundaries or be assertive, questioning and not believing in yourself, feeling anxious, like you aren’t good enough or struggling to make a decision then try these ideas to work with your fire element . . .

• Connect with candle light, meditate watching the flame & repeat a fire element affirmation (I am strong and capable, I am powerful, I grow stronger every day, I embrace my power, I create healthy boundaries for myself)

• Sweat! – move in any way to get your heart racing

• Do something you are passionate about

• Write down anything holding you back from your highest self and burn the paper (safely!)

• Do anything that makes you feel free dance, swim, laugh, sing!

• Eat foods that make your body feel energised, good and support healthy digestion

Fire element – summary

Solar Plexus: Below sternum, behind the stomach (Yellow)

Season: Summer

Balanced: Strong willpower, friendly, confident, spontaneous, purpose, good metabolism, and motivation.

Imbalanced: poor discipline, fatigue, digestive issues, low self-esteem, passive, weak will, angry, dominating, aggressive, irritable.

Dosha: Pitta

Mantra: RAM

Affirmation: I am powerful

Essential oils: Peppermint, lemon, ginger

Yoga poses: Core poses (Planks, boat), sun salutations, warrior poses, backbends, heat building poses. Too much fire needs calming poses.

Air Element - Heart Chakra

The air element encompasses your creativity, intuition and sensitivity. Air brings a sense of lightness and freedom allowing the flow of subtle energy. Thinking of the wind as a literal representation of air, you can feel it, it can have a profound impact on you, yet you can’t see it!

Just as the wind cannot be seen but can be felt so is true of your emotions, which is why air is connected to your heart chakra. Particularly influencing emotions such as empathy, forgiveness and love.

Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are the three air signs and they tend to be curious, adventurous and changeable just like the wind! They’re also very intellectual people who think deeply.

Working with the air element is great when you find yourself putting yourself down, feeling regret, guilt, shame or experiencing heartbreak/grief.

• Connect literally to the air you breathe through any form of breathwork that balances your nervous system making you feel calm. Doing breath holds actually brings more oxygen to your cells – try breathing in and out through your nose, breathing in for a count of 4 out for a count of 6 then introduce small breath holds of between 2 – 10 seconds after every other breath out.

• Spend time outside watch the clouds, feel the air against your skin.

• Practice heart chakra affirmations such as (I am surrounded by love, I love and accept myself just as I am, I am attracting trusting, loving relationships, my heart is open to love, happiness comes from within me, I am healthy, happy and vibrant, I forgive – letting go of anger and welcoming in peace)

Air element - summary

Heart Chakra: Centre of the chest (Green)

Season: Spring

Balanced: Love, joy, forgiveness, , peace, acceptance

Imbalanced: Judgemental, intolerant, lonely, depressed, lacking empathy, difficulty forgiving, narcissism, possessive, clingy, jealous

Dosha: Vata

Mantra: YAM

Affirmation: I am loving, I am loved

Essential Oils: Lavender, Jasmine, Rose, Marjoram

Yoga Poses; Breathwork, tadasana, backbends, heart openers. Anything to calm the mind.

 

Ether Element – Throat Chakra, Third Eye Chakra, Crown Chakra

Having moved through the safety of earth, to the flow of water, the power of fire and the freedom of air, the final element to explore is ether. Ether is the most subtle element and is seen as the element that comes first in Ayruveda and yoga. It refers to emptiness, stillness and encompasses everything but yet nothing at the same time. Ancient Greeks though of ether as an element that could help humans to connect to the gods, spirituality and intuition.

Ether connects to your throat, third eye and crown chakras so we’ll look at all three separately . . .

Throat Chakra

Your throat chakra relates to your ability to communicate authentically. Having a well balanced throat chakra means you are able to express your thoughts, emotions and needs clearly and honestly through your words body language and energy.

The ether element can help you with throat chakra healing if you;  find yourself gossiping about others, are supressing your needs, trying to please everyone else before caring for yourself or are afraid to be your true self and are trying to fit in and please others.

Third Eye Chakra

The third eye chakra is associated with light, which isn’t technically one of the 5 elements but seems to correspond most closely with ether. The third eye relates to your intuition, insight and spiritual awareness. When it is balanced you are clear about who you are and your purpose in life.

If you’re struggling to know who you are and what direction to take your life then turning to the ether element for support can help!

Crown Chakra

Your crown chakra helps you go beyond space and time to feel a connection to and trust in something bigger than yourself (whether for your that is nature, a higher power or the universe) it helps to take you out of a state of separation and self so that you can appreciate that all things are  connected.

When your crown chakra is well balanced your physical, emotional and spiritual needs are well balanced and you feel a trust that the universe is on your side, you are able to let your life unfold without the need to control it.

Try these ideas when you need to call on the ether element for healing . . .

• Work on putting down healthy boundaries and being more assertive if necessary so you can advocate for your own needs.
• Stargaze and connect to the vastness of our universe
• Practice meditations and breathwork to help you trust in your intuition, inner strength and surrender to the flow of life.
• Connect with animals and nature to raise your vibration

Ether element - summary

Chakra: throat (Blue) third eye (lilac) Crown (pink)

Season: All

Balanced: good communication, clear on your purpose and who you are, connected to something bigger than yourself, trust path as it unfolds.

Imbalanced: Fearful, passive, shy, excessive talking, controlling, negative, disconnected from spiritual self.

Dosha: Vata

Mantra: HAM

Affirmation: Everything is connected, I am part of that connection

Essential oils: Lavender, Frankincense

Yoga Poses:  Chest openers, throat, neck openers, meditation.

You are powerful! And when you harness the 5 elements of Ayurveda that exist not just outside of you but within you too, you can influence not just your subtle body but your emotional and physical health.

Which areas of your life could do with some attention right now and how can you call upon the 5 elements to help? Let me know in the comments!

If you would love to explore this more with guided yoga, meditation, breathwork and journaling practices why not join the Autumn 2023 waitlist for Cyclical Yogi Studio where there will be a practice for each element!

See you on the mat soon!

Love Lizzie X