Through each of its five elements, known for their characteristic qualities, nature is a human being's best guide and teacher. As much as it is known as a bountiful giver and nourisher, it is as much known for its strength and firmness. Elements of water are known to keep a low profile all the time, flowing towards a low lying surface. It is known to take the shape of whatever it is poured into, to meander its way through difficult terrains and yet meet its final destination, the sea. Depending upon the temperature, it can change its form to water vapour or solidify into ice. It is said that a person who learns to master the art of adjustment and flexibility can never be subjected to the wrath of water, for he has befriended it. Element of fire is known to have a unique capacity of burning away or finishing the unwanted. Unlike water that gets dirty while purifying the human body or belongings, or the air that becomes toxic at being subjected to pollution, fire detoxifies without losing its original nature. It is for this reason that ores are treated to it for purity, clothes are disinfected in the sun and rubbish is burnt away. The power of meditation is like the fire which finishes the past waste and negative traits of a soul and frees it completely of the bondage of karma. Similarly, air breathes life into everything on earth. It is a natural transporter and carrier. Temperamentally it is known to soothe, and to lift up spirits. It, along with the sky, or space as it is called, teaches the importance of the element of freedom. The vast expanse of sky holds the uncountable stars and their galaxies, planets and satellites, which automatically and silently follow a cyclical pattern of revolutions and rotations. The human body is the closest form of external nature. Our ancestors believed that the body of a person who has imbibed the lessons demonstrated by five elements of nature can never be hurt by the wrath of nature. This is so because the natural environment is an extension of our internal nature and the disturbance in the latter is finally replicated in the fury of nature. Natural disasters and upheavals are becoming common because along with using the resources of nature, humans have bypassed the other lessons that it has to teach. So what we need to understand is that, closer the man is to nature's benevolence, the more bountiful she becomes.
The writer is a spiritual educator and popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal and the UK. He can be contacted at nikunjji@gmail.com / www.brahmakumaris.com
