The water element Print
Written by Ayurvéda portál   
 A vízelemWater element is the 4th element in the creation process according to Ayurveda. Man would think that this is the most obvious element, but we will notice that it is not that simple. As it was true for the rest of the elements, the water element is not equal with the water which can be found in the nature, and it has spiritual aspects also. 

Ayurveda calls water as Jala, and it’s one of the most obvious but not the most important characteristic is the fluency. Due to the creation process (clotting of gunas) this element is defined by the the proportion of the three gunas.

The water element has minimal self-awareness function, so the sattva, the principium of light is present only in very low level. Therefore the water element can not exist in itself, it is dependent from the other elements. Existence of water element requires the existence of the elements preceding it in the creation process. Rajas (principium of mobility) is present in the water element less than average, since the motion of the water is limited. Tamas is present in the water element higher than average, because the consciousness (sattva) is present only low level, and because the water element has strong bonding to the other elements. From rajas and tamas perspective we can scale it between fire and earth element. 

The spiritual water

In the soul the water element is represented as a stick together force, a binding force, and this is the most important characteristic of the water: it holds together. The well controlled (harmonizing with the other elements) water means harmonic relationships, harmonic family to man. In it’s harmonic form it is described by faithfulness, in it’s disharmonic form it is described by disloyalty or by an excessive affection. The instability caused by a strong fire element or an excessive air element, which is able to transform the slow moving of water into a fast but meaningless movement. A harmonic earth element is able to keep the bandages of the water under control, but an excessive earth blocks man’s relationship-building ability. If  man has conflict in a relationship (parent, child, partner, friend, or other) it is sure that water element gets injured, and the same is valid for child-undertaking conflicts. Of course the quality of water element not only characterize the relationships but every contacts to all existing entities, like insisting on objects, animals, ideas, or fear from them belongs to the range of the water element.
 
In case of uncontrolled water element -similarly to the other elements- it turns into a destructive element. Man like this builds up so strong bonds to any kind of existing object, animal, or other person, which is fussy for himself also and for the other people who are in contact with him. Of course the inverse situation can also happen, when uncontrolled water breaks one or more contact with his beloved ones.
 
Too much water in man cause exaggerated affection, overheated sexual appetite, ability onto disloyalty, addictions. Too little water usually evolves because of the fears of reproduction, which may express in fear from the opposite gender, fear from undertaking a baby, fear from sexuality and fear from other person due to conflicts between them.
 
The main characteristic of the water element is the solidarity, unfortunately, many people just confuse this -because of the uncontrolled nature of this element- with people or groups of people getting bonded for bodily aims, so in these cases water in man became wavering as sea. But in people, who forms community for spiritual reasons, the water becomes smooth as the water of the summer lake and they are capable to build harmonic and lasting relationships without any affections. 

Physical water

In body those systems belong to the water element where the connection of two organs or two cells happens. One example is the blood vessels. Generally all body fluid belongs to the range of the water element, and apart from them the fat and the bone-marrow. In the body the water element controlls the lubrication-, oiling, like the lubrication of the joints.
 
The kidney regulates the water balance, so this organ is the scene of the interpersonal conflicts. People with kidney problems have unsolved relationship conflicts for sure. I met some people with kidney-cancer, who confessed that they suffered these kind of partnership problems traumatically.
 
It is folly for sure that you have to drink water when you are not thirsty, as the science keeps this today. On the one hand because of that thirst as a control is in your body in order to warn you if your water balance decreases, and on the other hand you need to believe that your body warns when you are totally dehydrated, but it warns exactly when it is needed. And it is also not suggested to generalize these kind of statements because for example Kapha type people has excess of water, so in their case extra water consumption can hurries illnesses. 

The appearance forms of the water

As formation does not exist without earth element, body does not exist without water element. In nature everything is water which is fluent, so all the elements has a ‘water’ state between the melting and the boiling point. The next appearance of water element is the sweet and salty flavour. In sweet flavour the earth element is present, so earth and water increases the body together. In salty flavour the fire is present, so the salty flavour controls the water element (known, what kind of effect salt has on the water balance), so this is the case when modern science and thousand years old Ayurveda meet.
 
The hearing, the touch, the sight and the tasting belongs to the water element, and among these the tasting is the one that does not have a relation with the elements preceding him in the creation process.
 
The appearance of the water works the same way in the physical world and in the body as in the soul. It is not for nothing that our body contains about 70% water, if we had no water in ourselves we would only be dust and ash as the saint books keep recalling it. As you may knead a handful sand into a hard mud dumpling if you add some water, the human body is kept together a bit more complicated bindings. To avoid misunderstanding I notice here that the atomic bandages are also from the water element, here the difference is obvious between the water can be found in nature and this water element, although there are overlaps between them.
 
Make sure that fear from reproduction does not rule in yourself. Be lonely if you decide consciously, give up sexuality if you decide so, give up undertaking a baby if you decide so, but do not be afraid, because the deficiency of the water element brings instability onto your life if you are afraid.
 
Some Buddhist monks, who mix the resignation with fear, cannot be freed how Buddha taught, because they are not free. I myself talked with Buddhist monk, whose blood pressure went up immediately about the word sex, and he forcefully explained to me that it is not correct. His nervousness talked about the fact that he did not resigned, but denied it and is afraid of the sexuality, but he may not see light till then in any case. If I do not have desire, I can talk about sexuality any time with anyone, without having extreme emotions. The mentioned monk - although he considered himself as holy - was more immature spiritually, than the man who did not give up reproduction, rather went through it honestly. You should rather be weak but honest, than appearance strong, but liar. For the first man, Christ is there as a saviour if he does not get rid of the material world, but the second man will not have this hope until he is not converted.