Unified Mind 
In the system of yoga there is talk of the Tattwas, the elements. Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether. In Sanskrit their names are Prithvi, Apas, Agni, Vayu and Akasha.
We are made up of these, have them all in our constitution, and exhibit their qualities in different ways. Different combinations of Tattwas make different people.
In week one of term 2 this year I touched on this concept, really just ringing the bells around awareness of the qualities of the earth element. Other elements were touched on in the following weeks of that term.
The qualities come out, or become seen both internally and externally. I hope to cover these to some degree over the coming weeks.
Earth/Prithvi
Earth is under your feet and provides stability. Stability is a good general word for it, as awareness of it in different aspects of yourself, will display stability or lack of it in those areas.
If the earth is moving under your feet, your world is unstable. If it is solid, it provides stability upon which all things physical can be built, though it also supports stability internally – mental and emotional. If grounded, times of external instability are met with an internal stability that can see it as an adventure or ride it like a wave. If ungrounded, insecurity or fear may result. So perception is also affected by the Tattwas.
The physical practices that build core strength in the body provide the platform that supports everything from breathing to running, lifting, sitting still etc. If you do them, the physical structures and systems become supported.
Beyond the physical, the mind is also supported as they are intrinsically linked, the bodymind. Body feeling good/strong/supple, mind feeling good/strong/supple. Breathing practices – pranayama, and meditation, form stability in this realm too. If the body is tense, the mind is tense – experiencing the tensions/symptoms of the body. If your body is feeling good, it doesn’t talk to you through your mind. It works the other way too, with mental tensions causing the physical to become tense, ‘issues in the tissues’ as they say.
Subtle/internal grounding comes from awareness of yourself, aware that you are aware. Knowing that you are aware of your experience lets you see that you are not the symptoms arising from your experience. From here, you can adjust your expression.
When you are not conscious of yourself, not able to ‘remember yourself’, then the elements will express themselves through your reactions, and you’ll be along for the ride.
You might like to think of it like this…
Your automatic response to a particular situation or event might be with the fire element, heated. While it will be expressed, you might see the other elements present to some degree, maybe like this.
Someone is organising work to be done that is urgent, a manager, maybe your manager! Your feelings (water) may be offended by the curt (fire) manner of your manager as he/she lays down the framework (earth) of what is to be done. She speaks quickly about many aspects (air), there is not much stillness or space (ether) for you to get a word in.
This raises the fire in you – if you are aware of yourself, grounded (earth), this fire combined with earth can be like a foundry, a place where fire is used/directed, to make useful tools, like swords! In this case a mental sword. Becoming more alert, sharpening the awareness (mental sword) that can cut through the upcoming reactions, and discern what is really happening inside and out – observing your feeling (water) in relation to the event, giving space for responding rather than reacting.
Fire likes a result, now. If unchecked and allowed to overheat the foundry will explode, especially if air is added to fuel the fire in the form of unaware verbal expression. Like a volcano, releasing the pressure and heat with harsh consequences.
So with that imagery, with earth and fire as a foundry, it is possible that I could fashion a discerning sword (sharpen awareness/mind) consciously, or it could create an explosion if the fire is unguided, emotions and mind reacting. Heat, known as Tapas, can temper steel, and the mind. This is guided use of fire . If you are unaware you could lose your temper instead.
Earth qualities might include a liking of structure, the status quo, establishment, tradition; Being practical, centred; Having square hands, strong jaw, square shoulders…
There are many other ways earth can be described and seen in people, like when someone inexperienced skates on an ice rink and attempts to bring stability by tensing their whole body.
You can utilise feeling(water) capacity to bring the stability of earth, or any other quality, into your experience. You might use your imagination…
In the yogic philosophy Prithvi is depicted as a yellow square, the Prithvi yantra, and is the Tattwa of Mooladahara Chakra.
This post is tagged agni, akasha, apas, awareness, earth, elements, feeling, feeling good, fire, meditation, mind, mindfulness, pranayama, prithvi, qualities, stability, steadiness, tapas, Tattwas, vayu, water air, witnessing, yoga
