Finding Energy, Balance and Understanding with Nature’s Elements

Lying on a beach, strolling through woods, enjoying a blustery walk, or snuggling up in front of a roaring fire – these activities can instantly make us feel better.

We can bring ourselves back to balance by using the four elements as reflections of the different aspects of ourselves. Just as one of the elements is not more or less important than any other, no one part of ourselves is more or less important.

The heat of the sun, the earth beneath our feet, the air we breathe and the water we drink are essential to our existence. They exist in a harmonious balance and this balance is necessary for us and the planet to stay alive. Almost all cultures across the world accorded great importance to the 4 elements and the elements came to acquire powerful symbolism. By keeping the four elements in our daily awareness, we set into motion our internal healing which allows us to access the immense internal energy that is vital for change.

The elements are a great way to work on understanding and balancing your primary energy. This awareness can be a tool for helping you to identify personal behaviour patterns, strengths, challenges and what you wish to focus on in your development.

In Carl Jung's Psychological Types, four basic personality functions - feeling, thinking, intuition, and sensation (each with introverted or extroverted aspects) echo water, air, fire and earth. Our personality type is made up of one or more of the elements. Everyone has a different mix, which explains why we are such very different people.

• Air (thinking) represents intellect, mental intention, and connection to universal life force.
• Earth (sensation) represents grounding, the foundation of life, substance, connection to life path, and family roots.
• Fire (intuition) represents energy, a tool for transformation, connection to personal power, and inner strength.
• Water (feeling) represents emotional release, intuition, and inner reflection.

When we come to understand how the elements shape our minds, behaviours and emotions, we open the door to a deep and profound understanding of ourselves and those around us.

 

Understanding and Working with Missing Elements

Whilst your personality is influenced hugely by the dominant elements it contains, it is equally affected by the missing element. Developing greater personal insight allows you to understand your own nature and find true peace as you finally understand yourself on a far deeper level. For example, a person may have a predominance of fire, but lack water. This person may find that they have huge amounts of energy and passion but lack any depth in their emotional understanding of the people in their lives. Air might figure strongly in someone’s constitution, but they may lack Earth. This person may find they are constantly having new ideas and moving from project to project, but they can’t seem to stick to anything long enough to make a success of it.

 

With greater knowledge, it’s possible to transform your weaknesses into strengths by cultivating the missing element. You can achieve this by looking at the traits the missing element has, and then focus on developing yourself in these areas. When you understand the elements, the traits they provide and how their weighting deeply affects you, you can not only find peace with your own character type, but with those of others too.

Element Air

Associated star sign

• Gemini
• Libra
• Aquarius

Associated Personality Attributes

• Fast: They like to get things done quickly.
• Intellectual: They have a huge appetite for information.
• Communicators: They have a gift for teaching.
• Connectors: Air people are great at relationships.
• Fickle: Prone to changing their mind.
• Disjointed: Confused about what they want in life.
• Non-Conformists: They make up their own style and rhythm

Example Attribute if Lacking the Element

You may find it a challenge to communicate effectively. To cultivate the missing element, you may join a debating club or take a course in effective public speaking.

Working with the Elements

• Deep breathing
• Meditation
• Physical exercise

 Element Earth

Associated star sign

• Taurus
• Virgo
• Capricorn

Associated Personality Attributes

• Practical: They are grounded, they want results.
• Organised: They like checklists.
• Leaders: They have a specific style and don’t understand people that do things differently.
• Judgemental: If you are not like them, they think you have a problem.
• Control: They like things to be done their way.
• Solid: They will always get the job done.
• Loyal: When they love you, they really love you.

Example Attribute if Lacking the Element

• You may be disorganised around the home and work. To cultivate the missing element, may be in creating a system of order around you and de-cluttering your home.

Working with the Elements

• Getting your hands dirty
• Gardening
• House plants
• Forest bathing
• Walking

Element Fire

Associated star sign

• Aries
• Leo
• Sagittarius

Associated Personality Attributes

• Expressive: They love to express themselves.
• Fun: They are the party lovers, the ones who want the music cranked up.
• Edgy: They can be blunt.
• Open: They say what others are thinking.

Example Attribute if Lacking the Element

You may find your energy and determination to succeed can be somewhat weak. To cultivate the missing element, you may focus on doing things that excite you and have a target, such as taking up a new sport, fitness challenge or study.

Working with the Elements

• Burn incense and candles
• Meditation
• Open fires
• Sunbathing

Element Water

Associated star sign

• Cancer
• Scorpio
• Pisces

Associated Personality Attributes

• Authentic: What they feel is real.
• Intuitive: They know what they can trust and can’t trust.
• Reclusive: Sometimes a recluse.
• Unsocial: Water people can struggle to socially interact
• Sensitive: They have a deep level of sensitivity
• Imaginative: They possess a rich imagination
• Loving: They care and connect with others

Example Attribute if Lacking the Element

You may find it difficult to empathise with the emotions of other people. To cultivate the missing element, you could spend time doing activities that stimulate your own emotions and empathy, such as watching emotionally moving films.

Working with the Elements

• Cold showers
• Taking a bath
• Going in a hot tub
• Wild swimming
• Drinking more water
• Garden water feature

 

Liane Low's Bio

As a Play Therapist and Consultant for the development of specialist services for children, young people, families and adults, Liane is committed to providing opportunities for people to thrive. Liane understands the benefits of staying playful and is always on the lookout for opportunities for laughter and lightness as she moves through her day. 

 

 

Liane’s articles will offer an opportunity to increase your awareness of play and creative mediums and tools, to support reflection and increase self-awareness.