5 Element 1/19
Acknowledging the Elements
Tattwa Shuddhi Sadhana

photo:
5 Element altar with a handmade Belgian beeswax candle
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Teach me
Earth’s sincerity
Water’ curiosity
Air’s immensity
Fire’s audacity
Akasha’s gentleness
and home is everywhere.
Basic Breath
Dear Anahata Yogi,
This passage covers the opening movement of the form called ‘Acknowledging the Elements” and introduces the foundation of the energetic practices; breathing up and down the body.
Inhale, imagine energy rise up the body.
Exhale, imagine energy move down the body.
The FULL body from the soles of the feet, legs, pelvis, torso, arms, neck, crown of the head and back the other way. It’s that simple.
You can imagine the energy to be strong or subtle. If you can’t feel the energy yet, visualize the energy with a color of your choice (color is also energy). If you like you can just observe the natural flow of energy rising and falling with the breath without imagining it. Once you are comfortable doing that you can allow, or imagine the energy coming from the earth to flow up into the body and down again into the earth.

The Elements in the body
Acknowledging the Elements is usually only performed once to open the sequence. It is intended to acknowledge and awaken all the elements in the body in preparation for the following movements. But for the sake of learning the movement the instructional video will show multiple repetitions for you to follow along with.
These are the qualities of the elements we connect with, and activate in ourselves during this level 1 course.
Earth – strength. stability, support
Air – communication and vitality
Fire – creativity and transformation
Water – flowing around obstacles
Akasha – connection to all and the mystery
Our body is like a library. We practice storing these elemental qualities within our physical body (for easy access and balance). We do this by using the movements, our intention and breath.
Inhale, breathe in the quality of the element into the area.
Exhale store the quality in the area and release everything that is not needed.
Earth – strength, stability support is breathed into and stored in the legs
Air – communication and vitality is breathed into and stored in the chest, arms, hands and throat.
Fire – creativity and transformation is breathed into and stored in the belly
Water – flowing around obstacles, movement is breathed into and stored in the pelvis
Akasha – connection to all and a sense of mystery is breathed into and stored in the head
When learning the form, we practice all the elements.
Later on, when you use the form to balance and support your personal, unique daily life you can choose to focus on the element with the qualities that you need. For example, if you are feeling stuck you can choose to play the form with the element of water, breathing in fluidity into all the movements and more circulation into the hips and joints. If you are feeling fear and weakness, you can play the form with earth, breathing strength and support into your body and legs.

To Do
This week, practice the basic breath (inhale energy rising, exhale energy descending breath) even when you aren’t doing the 5 Element movement. As you grow and strengthen this way of breathing through repetition and practice, later down the line you can infuse or layer this breath/energy with a myriad of intentions of your choice.
Practice the movement ‘Acknowledging the Elements’ while connecting with the quality of the element and corresponding location in the body.
Mantra : ‘The 5 Elements are within me.’
Going to your Nature Spot is optional.
Breathe in your nature spot
Go to your nature spot and practice the energy rising, energy descending breath. If you like, allow each breath to carry an element and its quality.