five elements

The Maha Bhutas: Exploring the Five Great Elements

According to Vedic science, when Spirit (Purusha in Sanskrit) takes form as life, it is called Prakriti. Prakriti is composed of five elements, known as the Maha Bhutas, which range from the finest to the grossest: space, air, fire, water, and earth. In Sanskrit, they are called Akash, Vayu, Agni, Jal, and Prithvi, respectively. Every individual is a microcosm of nature and, as such, contains all five elements. Let us explore each of them.

Understanding the Doshas: Your Ayurvedic Mind-Body Constitution

The doshas are the three primary mind-body constitutions in Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old sister science to yoga. Ayurveda teaches that everything in the universe is composed of five elements: earth, water, air, fire, and space (also called ether). These elements combine in different ways to form the three doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha.