Journey Through the 5 Senses: Ether

Moving from the stability of earth, through the flow of water, the passion of fire, and lightness of air, we reach the element that makes everything else possible: ether or ‘space’. Ether is both nothing and everything at the same time. It’s stillness, yet it’s the very thing that makes all movement and life possible. 

Referred to as ‘akasha’ in Sanskrit, ether is the element that comes first in yogic thinking. Ether is without the firmness of earth, the coolness of water, the heat of fire or even the movement of wind. It is therefore the very essence of ‘emptiness’. The space element is the most subtle of all elements. Within our bodies we can recognize the space element literally anywhere there is space; the sinus cavities that allow for our voices to resonate, the space in the lungs that fills with air, and space in the stomach before a meal. 

Ether & the Throat Chakra

The space element is directly connected to the throat chakra or ‘Vishuddha’, ‘place of purification’. The throat chakra is located at the base of the throat, along with the larynx or ‘voice box’. This chakra is linked to our ability to speak and be heard, but also our ability to truly listen. It is also about self-expression, speaking honestly and openly, and knowing that our voice matters. The throat chakra is often a place where energy becomes ‘blocked’, especially if we were repeatedly told to ‘be quiet’ as a child.

Blockages in the throat chakra may manifest in our being overly shy or experiencing chronic throat soreness. We may also be afraid to sing in public and feel as though we have to hold back from expressing ourselves fully. To encourage more energy flow throughout this vital space, it’s important to practice speaking the truth. Expressing your emotions to someone you trust, singing and chanting are all beneficial. As is caring for your throat with herbs like thyme and licorice, and good quality honey. 

Practices to connect to the Ether Element

Touch: Awareness of space

Many practices like body-scan meditations and guided relaxation focus on feeling sensations within the physical body. To tune into the idea of space, we need to shift our state of mind and our focus away from the physical. Rather than focusing on the breath, or other things we can feel, we need to change our focus onto aspects we can’t feel. To become more aware of your connection to the space element, first tune into the qualities present in your body – warmth, coolness, heaviness, lightness, movement and stillness. Then bring your focus to the space around your body. Notice the temperature of the air, sounds you can hear, and the light in the room you’re in. Shifting attention between the body and the space around us can help bring about a sense of being more connected to the world around us. It can give the mind a break from stress and chatter. 

Taste: Bitter

The bitter taste is the only taste with a link to the ether element. This is primarily because of its ability to cleanse and create more space in the body. This taste helps scrape ‘ama’ (loosely referring to ‘toxins’) from the tissues, as well as gently cleansing the digestive system and gut. The bitter taste helps clear excessive elements from the rest of the body; removing excess fire element and heat, reducing water retention, and purifying the blood too. It can help support a healthy liver, which in turn can kick-start the body’s ability to naturally ‘detox’ from any excess impurities. Try adding more bitter foods to your diet with greens like chicory, chard and dandelion, as well as dill, fenugreek, turmeric and cumin seed. 

Sight: Light

We may not be able to see ether but it’s the substance that allows light to travel through space. To connect to light, try to incorporate more sunlight into your day. Being out in nature, and in the sunlight has been proven in many medical studies to have so many health benefits, such as improving immune health, bone strength, and enhancing longevity. Exposing the body to sunlight is also an important way for the body to absorb vitamin D; it also helps to regulate our moods, just think back to the first nice spring day and how it makes you feel!

Try to get outside as early as possible, or head out for a walk between 8am and 11am. When we expose our eyes and skin to sunlight in the morning, this triggers all the cells in the body to ‘wake up’, and re-sets our body clock. By doing this, we also ‘switch on’ the digestive system at the right time, enhance our ability to focus, and prime ourselves for a better night’s sleep. 

Smell: Sage smudging

Ether element is all about creating space, clarity, and lightness. A great herb to use when we want to refresh and re-set, or remove stagnant energy is sage. Sage smudging is an ancient ritual, established in Native American culture, but now widely practiced across the world. Sage has the physical properties of being antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and can even help clear unwanted smells from a room. It helps clear energetic ‘blocks’, removes old energy from a room, and is said to purify our own energetic body.

To sage smudge at home, light a stick of sage and walk around the room in a clockwise direction. Visualize old energy leaving the space, or chant the ‘Om’ mantra linked to this element. To help cleanse and clear your own energy, pass the sage stick over your body. if sage smudging seems to “out there” for you, there are more normal ways you can get the benefits of sage. Light a sage scented candle, or maybe diffuse sage essential oils. You could also prepare sage tea, wait for it to cool to room temperature (make sure it’s definitely not still hot!), then dip a face cloth in the tea and use it to wash your body.

Sound: Raise your vibration

Everything in the universe is made up of vibrational frequencies, and while some are beneficial, others can be detrimental to wellbeing. If you’ve ever heard the term ‘raise your vibration’, there’s a good reason why! Our bodies and all of our organs are primed to resonate at specific frequencies. When those frequencies are ‘out of tune’, we may experience low moods, anxiety, stress, and illnesses.

It’s useful to reflect upon the things you feel may be pulling your vibrational state downwards; it could be a damaging relationship, too much time indoors, unhealthy foods, or an environment full of clutter. How can you reduce these things in your life? Next, reflect upon the things you feel raise your vibration; this could be spending time in nature, cooking, dancing, or charity work. How can you priorities these things and add more of them to your life? 

There are also specific frequencies we can use to elicit different brain states. To encourage a sense of love and compassion, search online for songs and sounds played at 528Hz, or try listening to one here. For a better night’s sleep, Theta sound waves can be helpful. If you need to focus, or want to try sound meditation try Binaural Beats that contain 14Hz, which can enhance memory and concentration. Next time you are feeling out of sorts, try playing a playing music at one of these frequencies.

Pranayama: Brahmari Breath 

Practicing Brahmari Pranayama or ‘bumble bee breath’ is a great way to calm the nervous system. It’s kind of fun, because it can feel a little silly, but it also resonates the sinus cavities in the head. The practice involves making a long ‘hmmmmmmm’ noise on the exhale. It vibrates the throat and vagus nerve, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the ‘rest and digest’). When we activate this nerve, we are able to calm the mind. Give this breathing technique a try next time you feel stressed out, maybe just shut the office door first :D