Our Council’s holistic, 4 Element Thinking perspective sets us apart from other civic and health-oriented groups. This perspective suggests that for fullest health, for our mental and spiritual wellness, we need to get out in Nature – and be physical within its natural domain.
The 4 Element Thinking perspective helps us realize that there is something powerful in Nature which balances our modern world. Further, it lets us see that imbedded in all the complexity of the modern world are two pairs of opposing ideals-principles-values – two pairs of yin:yang opposites – that play out in our human condition.
In Nature these two pairs of opposites are seen as the Fire:Earth, and Air:Water polarities. Together they build Nature’s “four elements”.
Four Element Thinking makes a convincing case that each of the four elements of Nature expresses one of the most primal of principles, which the Creator, the Spirit of Life, evolution — call it what you want — used to fashion this mighty Creation of ours.
Once you understand these four principles you can see them repeating on every level of Creation. In this way, 4 Element Thinking helps you to identify two pairs of opposing principles, which create a pattern that all parts of Creation follows.
Nature is part of that Creation. Its elements – Fire (the sun), Air, Water and Earth (the terra firma under your feet) – help us to recognize and appreciate important things that need to be in balance on the various levels of our life.
These four principles show up as four important needs we each have. We each have a need for some idealism in our life (Fire), a need to grow upwardly intellectually (the Air Principle), a need to have passions (the Water Principle), and a need to physical (the Earth Principle).
The Fire:Earth set of principles presents itself as the spiritual:material poles of Creation, as idealism:pragmatism, even as nerves:bones.
The Air:Water pair of principles show up as the how and the why, the logical and the poetic, the scientific and the religious, the male:female, self empowerment: interconnectedness.
The point not to be lost in all this is that there is something about being out in the natural world that connects our body, mind and spirit to these four principles. And clearly, we do not have to be conscious of these four principles to draw upon their vitality-inducing energies.
But at the same time, 4 Element Thinking makes the point that the more you understand these simple four principles, the more your life becomes interesting, inspired, energized and productive.
We believe that once you understand how the four elements of Nature give physical expression to a set of four primal, “spiritual” principles, you will have more appreciation of Nature, and want to honor it more with how you live your life.
