All living and non-living matter in the universe is made up of five fundamental elements that are called Panchamahabhuta. The five great elements in Ayurveda are ether/space (Akasha), air (Vayu), fire (Agni), water (Jala), and earth (Prithvi). Ayurveda focuses on bringing these five elements into balance, both internally and externally, to bring about superior health. Most simply, we use opposites to balance. For example: if you are frequently hot, you need cooling foods to balance; if you are lethargic often, you need stimulating foods and movement to balance. As we move through life and the seasons of our own life, we need to change our routines, diet, movement and treatments to adapt naturally to these different seasons. Just as we change wardrobes when the seasons change externally!

Ayurveda believes disease (or dis-ease in the body) starts with an emotional response followed by physical symptoms. For that reason, the primary focus is looking at root causes over just treating outward symptoms. The root cause comes down to the elements that exist within us and identifying how they are out of balance. For example, if the fire element is out of balance in an excessive way it can show up physically as rashes and redness on the skin, infections, burning, inflammation, headaches, acne or other skin problems. These are all heat related issues linked to the element of fire. In our personality, excess heat will show up as intensity, competitiveness, being highly critical or judgemental, fixations, impatience or frustration. 

Every person has all of the elements to a greater or lesser degree. For instance, someone with an abundance of the air element is probably more intellectually oriented in life. Those with a predominance of water, filter their experiences more through their emotional nature. People who have a predominance of the earth element are more physically oriented. In the body, each element is associated with different tissues and functions. In the mind, the elements are also associated with personality characteristics. 

The Five Great Elements exist within all of us, and they all combine to form what is known in Ayurveda as a Dosha which forms your overall Constitution. The Dosha is the basic governing principle that forms differently in each individual’s overall makeup, in Ayurveda we call this your constitution. There are 3 Doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha and the combinations of theirs, which are predetermined from the moment of your conception. Having an Ayurvedic consultation can guide you to understand what your Dosha is based on a series of questions about your lifestyle, food habits and energetic levels. The following 5 elements formulas are meant to harmonize the excess or deficiency of the elements within ourselves. You can use an element formula to balance either the abundance or deficiency of a given element.