“And how is one not negligent of discernment? These are the six properties: the earth property, the liquid property, the fire property, the wind property, the space property, the consciousness property.”
MN 140
The 6 elements
- Earth: hardness
- Water: liquidity
- Fire: temperature
- Air: motion
- Space: the feeling of space
- Consciousness: awareness and the mind
How to practice
- Begin in a comfortable, relaxed and alert posture that is aligned with gravity.
- Bring attention to the whole body all at once.
- Observe any hardness and solidity felt throughout the body and experience. Let this perspective grow clearer and stabilize.
- Notice how hardness is not “me”; hardness is experienced as hardness no matter where it is present inside or outside the body.
- Observe any liquidity felt throughout the body and experience. Let this perspective grow clearer and stabilize.
- Notice how liquidity is not “me”; liquidity is experienced as liquidity no matter where it is present inside or outside the body.
- Observe any heat or temperature felt throughout the body and experience. Let this perspective grow clearer and stabilize.
- Notice how temperature is not “me”; temperature is experienced as temperature no matter where it is present inside or outside the body.
- Observe any sense of movement felt throughout the body and experience. Let this perspective grow clearer and stabilize.
- Notice how movement is not “me”; movement is experienced as movement no matter where it is present inside or outside the body.
- Observe any hardness and solidity felt throughout the body and experience. Let this perspective grow clearer and stabilize.
- Observe the sense of space that solidity, liquidity, heat and movement can occupy or take place within. Let this perspective grow clearer and stabilize.
- Notice how space is not “me”; space is experienced as space no matter where it is present inside or outside the body.
- Observe awareness and the sense of mind. Let this perspective grow clearer and stabilize.
- Notice how mind is not “me”; these experiences are also impersonal and come and go within awareness.
- Once all of the elements are seen through, observe and learn from this direct experience.