The Five Element Form

The Five Element Form is part of an ancient tantric yoga practice known as Tattwa Shuddhi Sadhana.  This practice was shared with Peter Clifford at the Kamakhya Tantric Temple in Assam in Northern India.  Peter is the only known yogi entrusted by his teachers to impart the knowledge to teach the Five Element Form to his own students.

The Form is a sequence of flowing movements resembling traditional vinyasa yoga asana, tai chi and chi kung.  It connects us to the five elements of earth, water, fire, air, and akasha or spirit.  The Form uses breath, creative visualization and healing colors and sounds in a powerful, transformative physical and spiritual practice that unites the Pancha Koshas.  

The Five Elements

Traditional Ayurveda recognizes that five elements provide the foundations for the entire physical world.  The elements of earth, water, fire, air and akasha are the building blocks of the universe and are present in all organic and inorganic substances including the human body. 

The earth element is physically represented in the human body in the legs.  It represents grounding, strength, structure, stability and support.  The water element is represented in the body from the pelvic bowl to the diaphragm.  It is associated with the qualities of fluidity and gracefulness, the ability to flow around obstacles, to change direction when appropriate and never feel stuck.  The fire element is represented in the solar plexus region and is associated with creativity, free will and transformation.  The air element is represented in the lungs and is associated with life and vitality.  Akasha, or space, is the element of connection. Acknowledgement of akasha means that you never feel alone because you understand that you are always connected to a greater consciousness than your own.

Connecting with the five elements reminds us of our relationship to the universal whole and allows us to draw on the strength of all the elements of the universe in our daily lives.

Origins of the Form

The exact origins of the Five Element Form are lost in the history of Northern India.

In the ancient text the Shiva Swarodaya 1-3-1, Devi asks Shiva how the universe was created, how it changes, how it dissolves, and what determines the universe.

In 1-4-1 Shiva says that creation takes place due to the Tattwas (five elements). It is sustained by them and finally dissolves into them because the Tattwas are the origin of the universe.

It is believed that in the mountains where Yogis would retreat into caves, sometimes for years, to meditate and seek enlightenment that they would experience many negative effects on their health and vitality from the long periods of inactivity, cold weather, winds and rain. Realising that their students also suffered from the same conditions, often falling asleep from fatigue and illness during their lessons and meditations, yogis developed a series of tantric yoga exercises created from simple village tasks, dance and the nature surrounding them to rejuvenate and energise the  students. One of these exercises was the Five Element Form.

Benefits of the Form

The Five Element Form is a connecting and empowering practice.  Its purpose is to enhance the qualities of health and vitality and to promote your natural abilities to heal and rejuvenate so that you can discover your amazing true potential.  Practiced at the beginning of each day the Five Element Form will:

• Change your mind’s perspective of your daily activities empowering you to actively create situations that enhance the quality of your life
• Physically tone, stretch and strengthen the muscle body 
• Enhance personal health and vitality by creating tissue pumps that promote the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids in the organs and tissues of the body
• Increase the volume and quality of the breath which promotes energy and vitality 
• Create a calm meditative state that promotes the release of mental stress and anxiety, creating space for reflection, contemplation and creativity.