From Albert Einstein, the world’s best-known scientist, to one of the greatest mystics of all time, Siddhartha Gautama (known as Buddha), point to nature as an inexhaustible source of wisdom; a kind of gateway to the deep realms of self-knowledge and a broader understanding of all that surrounds us.
Einstein says: “Look deep into nature and you will understand all things a little better” and Buddha adds: “If we could see the miracle of a single flower, our whole life would change”.
The question is: How do we learn to look at nature and realize what it’s telling us? The answer is as simple as it is difficult: By pausing. Is it possible to notice the fine details of autumn leaves when we are in a hurry?
In times of busy schedules and freetime overloaded with notifications inviting you to watch the latest series, getting intimate with nature requires a sincere intention and the determination to say “no” to the many stimuli from the system. It is a self-made luxury.
Fortunately, this is a luxury available to everyone. Even in the most overcrowded city on the face of the Earth, there is a patch of sky to behold, a square of grass to enjoy, and some tree bark to get up close to. It is a matter of looking again, in a different way, perhaps as we never did before.
The properties of the elements that make up nature are also qualities that live in us. For example, the fluidity of the element of water is related to the ease with which we humans can move and adapt as situations require.
However, our balance is often obstructed by our undeniable tendency for extremes; we exceed or fall short; we simply struggle with the infamous “right balance”. Following that example, if we “flow too much” with what is presented moment to moment, we may at some point need to take a break to plan, structure, and prioritize. If we “flow too little”, then we may become rigid and resistant to unexpected changes (which always happen). We certainly need a balance.
While we are excited by promising tips, we know: achieving balance is not a one-time fix. Balance is dynamic: it is lost and regained. It may vary in frequency and intensity, but the very nature of our lives is changeable, and change always brings challenges to maintaining harmony.
The proposal is as follows: To re-encounter nature that surrounds us in order to recognize the nature within ourselves, that we already are, and to appeal to its intelligence when we are going through difficult moments. We can specifically take the characteristics of the 5 elements of nature as a reference (air, water, earth, fire, space) and use them as a guide to recognizing which element we are acting from, and observe which one we need to “make up for ” in order to find a balance.
In other words, it is a matter of understanding: what a given situation demands of us, and what skills (inspired by the elements) need to be activated and/or developed to overcome the obstacles that stand between us and our well-being.
It is worth asking ourselves: Does this situation need me to be firmer and harder (like earth) or to be more flexible (like water)? Am I unmotivated and do I feel that it is time to ignite passion and enthusiasm (like fire)? Is it time to integrate my professional activity with my true vocation (space)?
Let’s look in detail at the properties of the elements and the questions each one raises:
- Air
Air is light, volatile, mobile, clear, invisible. It is related to thoughts and mental activity. Observing the air you can ask yourself: What inspires me? What do I need to gain clarity on? Am I going in the right direction? What new ideas do I need to generate and/or what old ideas do I need to rethink? What activities, people, habits would make me feel lighter?
- Water
Water is fluid, soft, cool, constant. It is linked to feelings and connections with other people. Contemplating water you can ask yourself: What do I need to make more flexible? In which areas do I need more freshness? With whom do I need a better quality personal connection? What is asking me for more sensitivity and empathy? Where do I let go of control and simply trust?
- Earth
Earth is solid, heavy, stable, firm, slow. It is associated with concreteness. It invites you to ask yourself: What do I need to structure? What would I like to substantiate, “get down to earth”, even calendar and create a plan of action? Is it time to slow down? What needs my patience to take root and grow stronger? In which aspects would it be of interest to let myself be supported or be a support for someone else?
- Fire
Fire is dynamic, hot, mutable, changing. It is usually associated with transformation. It is a lively call to answer: Where do I need to gain drive and start something new? What is asking me to energize and/or accelerate the pace? What aspects are asking for change? Where do I find motivation, enthusiasm? What attracts, interests, or excites me? What risks am I willing to take, in spite of fear?
- Space (ether)
Space is empty, subtle, and universal. It is probably the most difficult element to recognize. It is intimately related to the notion of unity, of wholeness. It questions us, asking: How can I be more coherent? How can I improve my integrity? What does my intuition say about this situation? What could I do or not do that would allow me to live in a more harmonious and peaceful way?
We can turn this exercise into a game that allows us to see, whenever necessary, which quadrant we are in and which question-stimulus can help us to return again to our axis, to our center. It is an invitation to try, with an open heart and with the conviction that will lovingly accompany us on the way, to regain our balance.
Working on our internal selves has the capacity to regenerate tissues, like a plant, and to foster our personal development as change-makers, and, as if that were not enough, it has a clear positive impact on the outside world which needs it so much.
