The 5 Elements

Existence or Cosmos is made up of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air and
Ether. All these elements are different forms of the same Existential Energy which we call
God.

The basic thirst of man is to find a connection with this Existential Energy. All religions
have been born with the idea of finding a connection with Existence through the five
elements.

Let us examine how this is achieved:

Take the first element – the Earth element. Idol worship is nothing but trying to find a
connection with the Existential Energy through the Earth element. Idols are made up of
earth or clay. Through worshipping idols, we are actually trying to find a connection
through the Earth element.

Here, one point has to be clearly understood: We are not worshipping the idols; we are
worshipping through the idols. If this point is understood, there will not be so much of
fight and fanaticism over forms and idols. The Energy that everyone is worshipping is
one and the same. This has to be very clearly understood.

Next, we come to the water element. It is a spiritual practice to take bath in sacred rivers.
This is actually a technique to try to realise the Existential Energy through the water
element.

We perform so many fire rituals at our homes and temples. This practice is to
realise the Existential Energy through the fire element.

The fourth element is the air. Chanting mantras is nothing but trying to connect to
the Cosmic Energy through the air element. When we chant, we are playing with our
breath, which is nothing but the air element.

Finally, we come to the element which is the subtlest form of the Existential Energy – the
Ether element. Meditation is nothing but trying to connect to Existence through the ether
element.

The earth element is the first plane of tuning ourselves to the Energy and ether is the final
plane of tuning. We can start with the earth element – idol worship, but we tend to get
stuck there and there starts the problem.

You can start education with a kindergarten school, but you cannot stay in kindergarten forever,
can you? In the same way, you can start with idol worship so that you have something tangible
when you try to connect to the Cosmic Energy, but you have to ultimately graduate from it and
start meditating to fine tune yourself with Existence.

Once you start doing this and experiencing the joys of meditation, you will find yourself
expanding and exploding in all directions - 360 degrees.

Ritualistic worship always draws tight boundaries around you. It keeps you in a closed circle.
But once you have had a taste of meditation, you will start becoming an expanse. Then, when
you go back to rituals, you will look at them from a different dimension!

If you understand the underlying concept of the five elements, you will be able to enjoy
Existence continuously instead of getting stuck in different forms of worship. So, just try
to understand this and start resonating with Existence!