On the Lap of our Eternal Mother – Earth (Element-I)

The bondage between a Mother and Child is deep-rooted, divine and is beyond any describable words. Mother is a symbol of Love, Care and Nourishment. This not only holds true for our biological or Karmic Mother but also for our Mother Earth. Just as how a Biological mother provides the Seed (Ovum), Earth (Uterus) & the Nourishment (through Blood) and develops her offspring, so does our Mother Earth. She develops, supports and sustains all life forms in this physical world. Undoubtedly She requires the support of other elements like Water, Air, Fire & Space for the sustenance of all life forms. The Five elements namely Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space are called Pancha Mahabhutas. The theory of Pancha Mahabuta states that everything you see in the physical world or creation is made up of these Five Elements.

Five Elements- Earth

Yes, anything and everything in Nature is made up of the Five Elements. Understanding the Five Elements will help us in understanding the Laws of Nature and gain better Health, Vitality, Power, Knowledge, Wisdom, and Happiness.

From the human perspective, right from the Pre- Germinal to Embryo, from the Embryo to the Foetal stage, from the Foetal stage to Childbirth, from our Birth till our Geriatric stage and even beyond our life form the role of Five elements- Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space cannot be overlooked or underestimated.

To enjoy a sound Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Health it is highly essential to have the Five Elements in balance. Any imbalance either in excess or deficient disrupts our Health in its comprehensive term – Physical, Mental, Emotional & Spiritual. Each of these elements is interrelated to each other. Some share a positive, supportive relation like Earth and Water, while some share an obstructive relation like Fire and Water. In this blog post/ article, we will analyse and learn the fundamentals of the Earth Element exclusively. We shall see about the other Elements in the forthcoming posts.

The characteristics of the  Earth element are cool, stable, heavy, dry, rough, dense and hard. By Earth, we refer not only to Soil but everything that is Solid. As Earth represents a solid matter, it is the one that gives form to the human body, and to all the creations in the Universe. 

Tanmatra

The Earth element is responsible for forming the solid structures in our bodies such as bones, teeth, nails, flesh, skin, tissues and hair. It gives strength and shape to our body. The rudimentary or subtle element, known as “Tanmatra” in Sanskrit, that is associated with the Gross element Earth is “Smell”. The sensory organ associated with Smell is “Nose” which is harder compared to other sensory organs.

Personality

Let us begin by exploring the traits of an “Earth Personality”. If your personality is dominated by Earthly characteristics then you are someone who is nurturing, caregiving and generous- the characters ingrained in a Mother. No wonder we call Her as Mother Earth isn’t it? You are sincere and trustworthy and can easily make friends. You don’t set boundaries for yourself in exerting your energy for others’ happiness and well-being. You are empathetic, compassionate and have a very systematic and practical approach. You have good counselling skills but are not initiators. 

The Earth people always love their “Nests”. You may always look forward to returning to your Nest- your Home. In fact, it is very difficult to get you out of your home. (Most loving mothers have this characteristic right?!!! My mother too was no exception to this trait!!!)

On the other end, you tend to be stubborn and refuse to change even when you ought to. It is difficult to win you in arguments. You are prone to overthinking and worry.

Organs

The Earth element takes control of the Stomach, Spleen and Muscles which are basically the digestive and structural systems in our body. The taste associated with the Earth element is Sweet and the associated colour is Yellow. The emotions associated with the Earth element are Worry, Anxiety and overthinking.

Earth and Water Integration

The Earth element insulates the body with a healthy fat layer with the help of the water element. The integration of Earth and Water element is called Kapha in Ayurveda which is responsible not only for solidity but also for the right amount of body fluids.

Balanced Earth Element

When the Earth element in the body is clear and balanced, you feel emotionally stable, grounded, confident but flexible. Clear, focused decisions can be made and the same can be executed.

Earth nourishes our body and makes us robust, agile and stable through the foods we consume. Proper consumption of food and the elimination of wastes from the body is highly essential for maintaining the balance of the Earth element.

Imbalance

When the Earth element is in excess or when there is a “Surplus Imbalance”, you may feel dull, stubborn or depressed. Poor digestion and lack of clarity in perceiving things are the outcomes of this imbalance. 

If excess Earth element is taken into the body by means of over-eating it naturally leads to obesity. Also when too much Earth is released during the excretion of wastes, as it happens in Diarrhea, it weakens the body structure.

On the other hand when there is a lack of Earth element or “Deficient Imbalance”, you may feel anxious and irresponsible. You may not be able to perceive reality and may feel irritable or less caring towards self and others. 

Deficiencies in the earth element in the body lead to weak tissues and bones. It may also reduce body fat and as a result, the body’s ability to regulate the body temperature is affected and you may feel cold very easily. Also, when too little earth is released, as it occurs in Constipation, it leads to the accumulation of toxins in the body.

We already noted that the subtle element or Tanmatra associated with the Earth is the smell. Imbalance of the Earth element is also indicated by problems associated with the ability to smell. Both Diarrhea and Constipation may have a negative impact on the ability to smell. While excess imbalance can clog the sense of smell, a deficient imbalance can lead to weakness of the structures responsible for the smell. To strike a balance of the Earth element and to enjoy overall health and a good sense of smell, you should have healthy eating habits and waste elimination processes from the body.

Earth Element Foods

The Earth element is found in large amounts in grains, nuts, legumes, fruits and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, beets, yams, turnips, cucumbers, apples, cherries, dates, grapes, peaches, bananas, papayas, mangoes, almond, coconuts, etc. These foods provide stability and strength and help restore the body tissues. 

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, iced drinks, refined sugar, deep-fried and fatty foods, artificial sweeteners, processed foods and dairy products as they may affect the digestive system.

Care for your Stomach and Spleen Health

• Just as Mother Earth, the Stomach feeds the other organs by providing the necessary energy to perform their respective functions. Hence it’s imperative to take good care of the Stomach and Spleen to ensure proper energy flow and functioning of other organs.
• The Earth element-time is from 7 am to 11 am. 7 am to 9 am is the Stomach time and thereafter it is the Spleen time. During the Stomach time, maximum energy is available to digest our food. Hence it is important not to skip your breakfast. From 9 am, the Spleen distributes the nutrition and carries out the appropriate metabolism activity.
• It is suggested to eat freshly cooked, warm food as the Stomach is the lover of warm food and beverages.
• One of the prerequisite conditions for healthy digestion is to eat when you are hungry. So, if you have to utilise the maximum benefit of the digestion time from 7 am to 9 am, it is highly recommended to finish your dinner by 7 pm maximum so that your stomach doesn’t overwork during night time as most of the body healing takes place during your sleep in the night time. Also, you can make use of the optimal digestion time in the morning by having early dinner. 
• The sensory organ associated with the Stomach is Mouth. Any imbalance in the Stomach function gets reflected as problems in the mouth such as blisters, mouth ulcers, bleeding gums, bad breath, etc. If your body shows these symptoms, it’s probably time for you to take care of your Stomach.
• Similarly, if your muscles are weak or tire fast or cramp easily it indicates improper functioning of the Stomach and Spleen.
• Likewise, if you crave for sweets, the taste which is associated with the Stomach, it’s time to extend your care to your Stomach.
• Chronic worry, over-anxiety, and overthinking impair the Stomach and Spleen functions, so Don’t Worry!!! Be Happy!!! Spread Happiness and Enjoy your Life to the  Fullest!!!

If you are interested to watch a video about the Earth Personality type, here’s an interesting one from Youtube.

https://youtu.be/JNH6Dpn-nJ4

With Divine Love,

Swarnalatha