Embodied Āyurveda: embodying your inner elements
A central philosophy of Āyurveda is that we experience the five great elements internally and externally, through our felt senses and as energies inside and around the body. This is a dynamic, constant, embodied, sacred relationship to the environment (or universe) inside and around us. The five great elements are space, air, earth, water, and fire.
Embodying the elements is not a concept we are exactly used to in our modern lives, as we are encouraged to live and operate from the mind. To be practical, write pro-con lists, and make rational intellectual decisions. Our masculine skills tend to be over-used as they are valued in society, whilst our feminine skills are entirely under-developed. Rarely, do we view ourselves as an embodiment of nature or view nature as a vital essence that lives within us, and that we are in communion with inside the larger eco-system.
Āyurveda says we are nature embodied and expressed, we are nature, and our Earth Mother is the highest manifestation and expression of the Feminine Principle in all her beauty, creativity, abundance, and richness.
Our inner elements or elemental energies form our unique blueprint as human beings (also known as our dosha or individual constitution) and are immensely healing, valuable, and powerful to balance for our holistic health and emotional well-being. This is foundational Āyurvedic teaching, yet is often skipped or bypassed in the post-colonial, more clinical and rationalist (more masculine) practice of Āyurvedic medicine.
Āyurveda is a holistic, spiritual, Feminine-centric, cyclical healing art that awakens your body’s intrinsic, self-healing capacity. This is much like Mother Earth’s self-healing capacity, as we witnessed last year, where the Earth-body began to recover and restore from the economic damage caused by us humans.
Our physical body is the gateway to deeper healing and recovery on many levels - Mental, Emotional, Energetic, Spiritual.
Our physical body is the portal to our Divinity and our sacred return to the land, and recognising that we are made of her elements too. We can cultivate an awareness of our inner elements and harness our sacred connection to the elements for our holistic healing and emotional well-being, as taught in Āyurveda. For you to feel deeply connected, healthy, balanced, whole, and sustain your body in these unprecedented times.
Our ancestors, who carried forward Earth-based, oral traditions and lineages {pre-colonisation and rapid global colonial-capitalism, where much indigenous, environmental wisdom was destroyed} involving the elements, our embodied connection to nature, subtle holistic/emotional/energetic healing, folk herbalism + medicine.
They understood the healing power of being present, intuitive and slow, and that we are one with and always relating with nature. They knew this was essential to the survival and thriving of self, and the Earth.
I for one, have appreciated returning to nature embodiment this past year, cultivating even more simplicity, slowness, earth intuition, and restoration that the pandemic lockdowns have provided. Notwithstanding the huge grief of these tumultuous, emotionally demanding times.... Although nature has been my grief-medicine too.
How are you currently relating to nature and the elements? Are you aware of the inner elements within you, that are guides and active agents in your emotional healing and well-being?
As we require greater recovery + restoration during collective trauma and grief, our shared Earth home desperately needs continued recovery + restoration for the future survival and sustainability of all she provides and does for us. May we stay rooted and humble as inhabitants of our dear Earth Mother.
I apply the Ayurvedic, elemental teachings in 1:1 Feminine Embodiment coaching, including working with your Ayurvedic psychological + elemental type (your dosha), sacred rituals & embodiment practices for you to be the most connected, emotionally well, and empowered human you deserve to be.
To work with me, let’s chat.
Here's to more Earth-honouring, Feminine, ancient healing wisdom that nourishes and sustains us - mind, body, and soul.
Remember: you are the medicine. Your body is your greatest healer.
Sending big elemental magic + love to you,
Sharandeep x