A living spiral through the five elements of being
Ever since childhood, when I began practicing yoga, I felt there was more behind the breath than just air. Intuitively, I perceived life expressing itself through rhythms—visible and subtle, yet very real. I couldn’t name them back then, but I felt their presence.
Later, I discovered that those rhythms have a name: the five elements. And this knowledge doesn’t belong to just one system—it can be found everywhere: in Greek philosophy, alchemy, astrology, yoga and Feng Shui, and archetypal psychology. It’s a universal language of life—an inner, ancestral map.
I began to see that what I once called “outside” was not separate from what I experienced “inside.” That the forces of nature are not only reflected in external phenomena, but are living principles that structure our very being. We live in their rhythm, we breathe through them, we are made of them.
This vision is the foundation of transpersonal development. Because we cannot truly know ourselves only psychologically or emotionally. We need to understand ourselves on all levels: physical, energetic-emotional, mental, and spiritual. And the five elements offer us a living path—a descent from pure consciousness into manifestation and then a return to the deeper self.
I invite you to walk this spiral with me, starting from the subtlest element—Ether, the space of consciousness—and descending all the way to Earth, the place of manifestation. And then we’ll rise again, toward the light—toward the essence that unites us.
Ether – the space of consciousness, the quintessence
It all begins in silence. In the vast, undifferentiated field where there is no form, but infinite potential. This is the source—Akasha, ether, the subtle element of consciousness. Here arises the first intention—the subtle vibration (the Word) that gives birth to movement.
Compassion is the living expression of this space. When I learned to look at myself with gentleness, to let silence speak to me, I felt the true transformation begin. Ether is the dimension that receives everything without holding on to anything—the place where ego transcendence begins.
Air – the principle of movement and inspiration
From pure intention, movement is born. Air is the breath that opens directions and sets latent potential in motion. It is intangible and without permanent form. Air is associated with intellect and the supramental plane. Intuition and insight are the keys to this element’s beauty and magnetism.
When I breathe consciously, I allow myself to think differently, to see from a new perspective. Presence is the subtle form of this element—clear, vivid, invisible. Air gives me the perspective I need to observe without identifying. It is the beginning of conscious choice.
Fire – the spark of awareness and will
Air, animated by intention, gives birth to fire—the principle of focused energy, the force that empowers us to transform. Fire is the conscious plane: will, clear intention, deliberate action. It is where ideas become decisions, and decisions become purpose.
Authenticity is the expression of inner fire. To be myself, even in the midst of fear. To burn what no longer serves me. To ignite light in others through my own flame. Fire marks the beginning of the return to self—through conscious action.
Water – the emotion that feels and shapes
Fire melts the ice—it makes water flow, feel, and reflect. Water is the emotional body, memory, imagination, sensitivity. It is the relational, affective, and nurturing plane.
Introspection arises from this fluidity: the capacity to go inward, to feel without judging, to reflect within my own waters. Here, I learned compassion—toward myself and others.
Earth – tangible manifestation, action, embodiment
When emotion stabilizes, Earth appears. Matter. The body. Time. Tradition. It is the place where all the elements become embodied.
Here I learn patience, perseverance, simplicity. Thanks to the Water element, I’ve learned to socialize, to relate with empathy. I find joy in the safety offered by community and family. I feel grounded. Rhythm becomes ritual.
Here, personal growth intertwines with the wisdom of old behavioral psychology—where Maslow speaks of fundamental needs: safety, nourishment, relationships, purpose.
Is this all? Do we stop here?
The Return: From Form to Consciousness
When actions become expressions of values, when emotions are integrated, when will is guided by wisdom, when thought is clear and the inner space open—the return begins. Earth gives rise to stability. Water—to empathy. Fire—to courage. Air—to clarity. Ether—to inner freedom.
This is transpersonal development: a living spiral that carries you from matter to spirit, from personality to soul. You don’t have to do everything perfectly. You only have to stay open. To breathe. To feel. To write. To forgive. To choose. To give thanks.
The elements are within you. They are your steps. They are your being. And when you listen to them… life finds its voice.