The Importance of the Element of Earth

“Our biological mother is only a representative who is also born of the same earth. The real mother is the soil that we carry as our bodies.”

—Sadhguru

In Yogic terms, when we say “Earth,” we not only refer to the planet but also to the most fundamental element in the making of our physical selves, and of everything for that matter. Our physical self is essentially a combination of earth, water, air, fire, and akasha. Earth is the most basic and stable of the five elements. When it comes to the energy system and chakras, the earth element is associated with the muladhara. It is the basis that all the other elements build on. Though the element of earth is part of physical matter around us too, it is best we start to perceive and understand it from the basis of our lives, because most people only really experience their own body and mind. Knowing and experiencing the element of earth from within is part of the Yogic process.

Whenever you eat food, you swallow a part of the earth. Essentially, we take in a part of the planet to sustain the body. Consequently, how we treat the planet is how we treat our own bodies. It is all the more important to look at what role the element of earth plays in our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. If the element of earth does not cooperate with you, you are not getting anywhere. If the body does not cooperate, whatever aspirations you may have, you will not get very far. Unless you are completely detached from the physical, it will determine just about everything in your life.

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