The Five Elements
A core concept in the Ayurvedic view of the body and the larger universe is the presence of the five elements, known in Sanskrit as the ‘pancha mahabhutas’.
They are in fact the building blocks of the doshas and combine to form Vata, Pitta, and Kapha respectively. The foods we eat also contain combinations of the elements and influence the energetic effect each substance will have when consumed. This is the roadmap of the Ayurvedic diet we spend so much time navigating. As we learn to better identify the elements as they express within and around us, we learn to make better choices and also realise our potential to live in a way that brings us more ease and energy.
The elements are:
space or ether (akasha)
air or wind (vayu)
fire (tejas)
water (jala)
earth (prithvi)