Fire
Fire can bring out joy, laughter, awareness, and generosity while generating passion, enthusiasm and creativity. It encourages people to experience the world through sense and intuition more then just reason and intellect.
An excess of fire energy within a person can cause the person to feel jittery, anxious, restless, and arrogant with the need to control everything. Additionally, a person with an excess of fire energy can be impatient, impulsive, and greedy. In contrast, a lack of fire energy can lead to fatigue, lethargy, unoriginality, and a lack of motivation, concentration, and focus.
To help balance the fire element within you; light a candle, burn incense, or have a bonfire. Take a dance class, attend dance concerts, sing, and listen to music. Also, drink lots of water and substitute green tea for coffee(on occasion, not all the time). Slow bike rides and gentle jogs also help balance fire energy. To bring fire energy into harmony, chamomile is a stress relieving herb that can be used as well as inhaling lavender from a bottle or placing a few drops of scented lavender oil on a handkerchief. Getting a massage that uses smooth, rhythmic strokes can also be helpful in balancing fire energy, as well as going out on a sunny day and feeling the warmth and light of the sun.
Water
The water element is commonly associated with emotions. Water effortlessly changes shape and never loses it's essential character. If your water energy is strong then you are not afraid of difficult situations and you have a firm and unshakable sense of self as well as the ability to follow your path with strength, purpose, and determination.
If you lack sufficient water energy then you may be prone to be melancholy, whereas if you have an excess amount of water energy you may have an engorged sense of self. Additionally an imbalance in water energy can lead to moodiness and a volatile temper while a balance of water energy can create an inner sense of serenity and tranquility.
To find balance with water energy, dip your hands or feet into a bowl of water while you meditate, run a bath and soak for a bit, take a swim, or go for a walk in the rain(it's funner then it sounds). You can also listen to classical music or play a musical instrument. Another method to bring the energy of water into harmony is to fill a container with warm water, throw in crushed ginger, and soak your feet until the water begins to cool.
Earth
Earth is known for being fertile, nourishing, and solid. It is a stable and balancing force. The element of Earth brings forth compassion and forgiveness as well as a feeling of unity with the environment and the sense that we are at home and accepted wherever we are at any moment. Connecting with the Earth elemental energy will keep you grounded.
Balanced Earth energy is associated with patience, thoughtfulness, practicality, and hard work. People with insufficient Earth energy often feel insecure, overly dependent, always looking for attention and affection, and have trouble saying "no" to establish proper boundaries. Furthermore, people with a weakness in Earth energy may feel weak themselves.
To balance Earth energy you can sculpt clay and plant flowers or herbs in your garden or pots. Also, you can go for a walk along the beach, go hiking, or even play golf. Additionally, practice saying "no" clearly and without equivocation. Another way to bring the Earth element into harmony is to prepare your own meals using ingredients that are as fresh and close to nature as possible. In addition to this, try breathing in deeply and chant the mantra "om" or "aum" when you exhale. Mythologist Joseph Campbell explains that "Om is the sound nature makes when it is pleased with itself." Other ways to balance Earth energy are to drink lemon balm tea or other earthly drinks, eat vegetables and other earthly foods, and to get a Swedish massage.
Air
Air energy is associated with the power of the mind, the intellect, imagination, and visualization. At the same time, air energy is also associated with the spiritual. The breath is thought of as our connection to the universe, and most ancient of spiritual traditions use concentrating on the breath as a meditation technique.
A person with a balanced air element is friendly, knowledgeable, and persuasive. They trust life and are optimistic. With a disturbance in the air element, a person can have muddy thinking, be unfocused and easily distracted, and have trouble communicating thoughts and ideas. If the air element is out of balance your ability to give and take–from the inhalation and exhalation of breath, to the ingestion of nutrients and release of wastes, to the ability to maintain loving relationships and release toxic associations–is hampered. And that means your physical health will suffer.
To balance air energy, breath in deeply and as you exhale say "Ahhhhhhhhhh". Also, go for a hike in the mountains and write in a journal about everything you experience. The scent of fresh Eucalyptus is a reminder to breathe deeply and rhythmically. Whenever you take a bath or shower, use a brush to remove dead skin cells and allow the toxins to exit your body, thereby keeping the air energy in balance. Cleaning up and organizing are also activities that help restore harmony in air energy, as well as keeping lists of things that need to be done. Furthermore, good air flow within the home leads to good balance within yourself.
Balance with the Elements
|
