Warning: This article is rooted in the principles of Ayurveda and is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle, especially if you have a chronic condition, please consult your healthcare provider or a certified nutrition specialist.
With this topic, we bring the series of articles devoted to Ayurvedic primary elements to a close. The earth element, or Prithvi Mahabhuta, is the last element we have to cover, but this doesn’t decrease its significance in any way. Of all known elements, earth is the roughest and hardest. Its roughness allows our body to function in a stable way and maintain alignment with the established order. Despite this, Prithvi is not a stern overseer, but a reliable and strong foundation for our physical and mental wellbeing.
The previously mentioned hardness and roughness are the obvious qualities of this element, but Prithvi is also cold and immobile, with a generally sweet taste. As you already know, each element corresponds with a certain chakra. Those familiar with the structure and theory of the subtle body will easily guess which chakra is linked to the earth element upon seeing the description of these qualities. Undoubtedly, the root chakra - muladhara. From this chakra, kundalini starts to rise upward through the energy channels. It is essentially the basis, the foundation, without which energy cannot rise.
The earth element is also represented with a visual symbol - a yantra, which in this case is a square. The color of the bhuta is yellow, and its bija mantra is “lam.” As previously noted, this primary element is responsible for stability in our body; without it, the musculoskeletal system, our teeth and muscles, are unable to function. The health of our hair and nails, as well as qualities like endurance and physical strength, also depend entirely on the earth element.
To properly maintain Prithvi, we must follow the recommendations that align with our dosha. In this case, aromatherapy can be useful - even by simply inhaling the scents of nature, you provide invaluable support to this element. Earth loves calm and regularity, so by refraining from sudden movements, thoughtless words and brash actions, you are ensuring proper functioning of the earth.
What purpose does this element serve? Let’s imagine that you have a certain object necessary to you - therefore, you must have a place to set down or store this object. The earth element is this place where you can preserve the effect of your practices, both physical and spiritual. Strong earth will withstand these accomplishments and allow them to multiply. What will happen if there is a lack of Prithvi in the body? Take an ordinary twig, apply a little effort and you’ll see it snap in half. This happens due to a deficiency of hardness, and this exact fracture can occur in the physical or spiritual body if it lacks sufficient Prithvi. Earth is what gives cohesion and form to an object.
Prithvi appears in everything, starting with inanimate objects, such as the devices from which you are reading this text, to living beings. It is closely related to scents; any structure, even the most tough, possesses a scent. Someone may say that glass, for instance, doesn’t smell like anything. Rocks don’t have a distinctive smell either, right? But if we break any of the above objects, the dust raised by Vayu will enter our nose, making us realize that, surprisingly, rock also has a scent of its own. Here, we can conclude that the body part associated with the earth element is the nose.
It is our sense of smell that allows us to instantly determine if a product is healthy and good for consumption, and this is not entirely about freshness or physical appeal. Try inhaling the aroma of a food product or cooked dish - you’ll find an immediate desire to consume one food, while another will appear repulsive. Your inner self will immediately tell you that eating two or three chili peppers isn’t a feat worth trying; at the same time, you’ll understand the benefit of several apples or peaches for your health with the help of your nose. The earth element is drawn to sweets, but it still shields us from danger by following the main incentive of muladhara - personal safety. If you lose your sense of smell or experience discomfort in your bones or joints, Prithvi has sounded the alarm.
Here, it is important to remember that large muscle mass does not guarantee the wellbeing of a practitioner. Prithvi fills up the volume established by Akasha, so muscles can be quite big, but bones can still be fragile and fracture very easily. Emotionally, a person with strong earth qualities stands firmly on his feet, feeling a stable foundation underneath; he is self-confident and composed. But if the earth element prevails in your body, you will receive the entire muladhara “package”: laziness and unreasonable fears, a tendency for unnecessary accumulation, and excessive materialism.
Reduced flexibility, the desire to sleep longer, and decreasing appetite all stem from excessive earth qualities in our bodies. On the other hand, deficiency of Prithvi reduces muscle tone, increasing weariness and the need for rest, which only further worsens the situation.
It is interesting to note that the importance of the earth element is highlighted more than once in Vedic sources. For instance, the Markandeya Purana states that the earth became the thighs of the Goddess Kali - the Great Goddess’s very foundation. Prithvi is also reflected in Buddhism: in the Pali Canon, it shames the demon Mara for doubting Siddhartha’s purity and abilities.
Prithvi is so respected that some yoga schools today dedicate separate asana sequences to honor this element, such as the dynamic complex Prithvi Namaskar in kriya-yoga, which includes 18 sequentially connected asanas.
There is an opinion that earth is the source of kundalini, and it’s impossible to argue against this. We all remember where the mythical serpent, described by great yogis of the past, arises in our subtle body. Someone may suppose that strong earth alone guarantees the rise of energy. However, this perception is fundamentally wrong; there is a reason why five elements exist, not only one. They are all interconnected - each subsequent one stems from the previous. According to ayurveda and yoga, energy will flow quickly and safely if and only if a person develops harmoniously.
Practitioners must be “grounded” firmly in yoga and ayurveda before tackling the elements - there have been well-known and publicized occurrences when people tried to awaken kundalini in unconventional ways, either out of ignorance or due to a lack of knowledge. These experiments led people to madness and brought nothing but physical and psychological trauma. Because of this, it is necessary to work carefully and attentively with any energy, subtle or not. Otherwise, the impact will hit us quickly and suddenly, and few of us are ready to take such a blow.
Based on personal experience and stories of other practitioners, I’d like to wish everybody a sober assessment of your inner selves and your capabilities, both physical and spiritual. Take more care in your words and actions, be more attentive to your inner self and listen closely to your body. As the Buddha said, “be your own light.” As you strive toward harmonious and comprehensive development, follow the prescribed recommendations of Ayurveda in your practices. Do not fear mistakes, but don’t give up in the face of adversities either. Create in yourself a firm intention for self-development; let the mighty Vayu lift up only bright thoughts and proper ambitions, let agni burn bright in your eyes and turn all fears and worries to ash, and let jala endow you with peace and harmony. Take time each day to make yourself a little bit better, so that tomorrow, as sacred scriptures say, “may all beings in all the worlds be happy.”
The views expressed are based on traditional Ayurvedic texts and do not constitute medical advice.