As Tai Chi is a dance of balance,
balancing the Yin and Yang in Us.
Elements in Motion is a dance of ;
that exist within AllAir, Fire, Water, and Impermanence.
Harnessing ;
contained within Us,
we create a framework for motion in this world.
When I take a look at myself, I see that there are parts of me that are like Earth;
very solid, like these bones, teeth, nails, muscles, etc...
And I see of course that there are places in nature that are Earth;
there is soil, there are mountains, etc...
When I take a look at myself, I see that there are parts of me that are like Water;
Blood is constantly being cycled through the whole body via the heart
And I see that there are places in nature that are Water;
there are streams and lakes and rivers and oceans!
I look at Water and Earth and I see mostly internal motion
Earth stays still and erodes slowly as Water flows all around it and through it
In nature, I see that Fire helps animate Water and Earth, creating external motion
State changes, Water boils, Rock turns into lava, and motion happens.
I see the same thing in my body.
I see that there is some energy that is setting me in motion, and to me this is fire.
We can look at this fire as soul, however, I prefer to just use passion.
I see that when I am in passion, I am in motion.
Passion sets me in motion, fire sets me in motion.
In nature, we see that to breath, fire needs air. No air, no fire.
In the body, I see the same thing. I breathe air into my lungs, all of my cells are filling with oxygen, and now there is energy to sustain this fire that is moving me forwards.
I see that this air creates a space, and that this air sustains life, in self as in nature.
So as I look at my body, and as I look at nature, I can see all 4 elements at play.
What I also find is that each of these is always changing.
Air is being recycled, in and out, and eventually breathing stops and the air is gone.
Fire is always changing in intensity, and one day, our fire burns out.
Water comes and goes, recycling, and then one day, all our water dries up and is gone.
Earth is solid, not changing much, but this too shall pass. Our nails grow and we cut them off, our skin eventually falls away as new skin is born. Eventually, our body will decompose back into soil.
We live and therefore we die. Impermanence is a truth of life.
And in this, we see that this impermanence is a very constant thing.
This Ever-changing nature is a part of who we are, it is this fifth element.
And so then, is death an end at all, or just a transformation?
Does a cloud end? Or does the cloud just transform, and fall back to the Earth as rain?
Take a look at these elements, can you see them in yourself and in nature?
What do you see? Don't take my word for it, take a look and see what you find!
And now take what you see, and dance with it!
As you integrate, find a free flow, and find your own unique expression of this.
Dancing, tai chi, chi gong, yoga asanas, we have so many different systems of movement;
Can we utilize this framework of the 5 elements, and integrate it deeply through motion.
Our motion may be very still, as Earth.
Our motion may be very flowing, as Water.
Our motion may be active and energized, as Fire.
Our motion may be full of space, as Air.
And within all of this, our motion is forever changing.
This is elements in motion; this is dancing in harmony
Mahalo for reading yahll :)