The word element has now come to define matter at its atomic level. It is said to be made up of protons, neutrons and electrons. We have made all these scientific facts, with our highly specialized contraptions.
That’s why we conceive now the ancients as somewhat off as to their defining the elements into the following four, Earth, Wind, Water and Fire. But you have to ask, why then is this four-fold concept of the make up of the universe prevalent amongst advance and not so advance cultures in the ancient times? Cultures which didn’t have even the slightest connection or contact with each other.
Earth, Wind, Water and Fire.
We can reconcile the modern and ancient ideas into a unified concept of our universe. One thing’s for sure, the first three are clearly phases of matter; how they exist in the world. The last one, fire, clearly represents the other face of the universe, energy.
The universe as we know it is made up of four things, matter and energy, and time and space.
The ancients apparently have a keen sense of the first pair, but what about the other two?
In some cultures there is a fifth element. One with many names. Unlike the fundamental Earth, Wind, Water and Fire, whose identities and definitions remain constant in all cultures, the fifth one is very elusive. The Chinese called it the Chi or life force, to some it is Spirit, to others, Sanity or Emotions, and to some Soul.
Although technically these things are different, they have a sort of coherence. Life is flow. It has a start and an end. It has been considered the greatest measure of time. Definite. Precise. Real. And before it there is nothing and after it there is nothing. Space. Life and its course clearly is Space and Time condensed into a more tangible form.
You see, the ancients got it all figured out. Our universe is made up of these elements. Earth, Wind, Water, Fire and Spirit. Could it be that their concepts of balance and interactions between these elements actually have its corresponding modern fundamentals?
Chi and psionic powers.
Will, soul and spirit.
Dark forces.
Unified existence.
What other things are there for us to discover?
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