Discovering the Elements
I see the world in elements now.
It’s like learning a new language, my mind connecting once-dormant regions of my brain to read energy and see the building blocks of the universe reflected back to me in the constitution of my own body and being.
Earth. Water. Fire. Air. Ether.
When we look to the natural world, we can see the elements animating everything around us. It was easy to see and experience these elements while in Costa Rica, which is like a playground for exploring the elements in their fullest expression, so abundant in their raw, untamed form: rich, black soil giving life to abundant food forests (Earth); gushing waterfalls and afternoon downpours that carve rivers through the landscape (Water); the Sun’s strong rays beaming down, hotter here, so close to the equator (Fire); the morning breeze that ripples through palm trees who whisper and sigh (Air). Most of all, there is the felt sense that all of life is delicately interconnected by a universal thread of existence, that there is a Spirit, God, or force bigger than us orchestrating harmony, so obvious in the breathtaking beauty and thriving, symbiotic ecosystems there (Ether).
Everything in nature is a combination of the elements, so it is no surprise that our bodies are a home for the elements as well. While I now take this knowledge to heart as truth, I must remember how I truly did not possess this understanding before taking Kis Botanicals’ “Discovering the Elements” course.
Kis Botanicals offers Indigenous-inspired herbal products and cultural experiences from the jungle of Costa Rica.
As someone who is greatly interested in holistic health, herbalism, earth regeneration and spirituality, I wanted to study with Kis because I felt that my work and passions lacked a constitutional framework to contain and guide these modalities. I had a basic understanding of “this herb is good for that” and understood how different tools like embodiment practices, nutrition, meditation, and earth connection could bring healing to people. But what I was really seeking was the ability to read energy in order to match unique individuals to the unique medicine that could bring them into balance. Because we’re all different, right? The elements manifest differently in each and every one of us, and what brings me harmony and balance is not necessarily what is going to bring you into balance.
Seeing health through an elemental lens is nothing new; in fact, practically every healing tradition draws upon some version of the elements to better understand the body and disease. Ayurveda combines the elements in the three doshas of Vata, Kapha, and Pitta, while Traditional Chinese Medicine looks to the flow of “qi”, or life force energy, between the five elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Kealy’s work draws upon Polarity Therapy, a school of thought and way of life that includes energy-based body work, diet, exercise, self-awareness, and love of self and others to remedy the “one true disease,” the disturbance or blockage to the flow of energy in relation to the five elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether.
The five elements form the basis of ancient traditions the world over, like Ayurveda. Photo credit: Ahigherbalance.com
Whatever healing system you draw from, there is a common thread that ties together cultural traditions the world over: we are merely energetic expressions of the Divine (or God, Spirit, Source, the Universe, whatever name resonates with you), and true health springs from bringing the dynamic energies of the elements into balance with an understanding that everything is connected.
I personally really resonated with the five elements as Kealy taught them to us because they are self-evident in the natural world and thus easy to understand in our bodies. Day by day, we went through each element, first understanding what the element is, where and how it presents in the environment and in our bodies, how it shows up within us when it is in balance, excess, or deficiency, and different ways to work with this element through foods, herbs, and hands-on energy work. By approaching the material from so many different angles and tangibly feeling the element within my own body, I gained a holistic understanding of each.
EARTH
Getting our hands dirty on our experiential Earth day, planting trees and sampling soil from different areas of Kis Botanicals’ farm property.
The course combined educational material and experiential days, wherein we would go out and experience the element with our senses in Mastatal and the surrounding area. On our Earth element day, we crumbled and massaged soil from three different areas of Kealy and Solin’s farm property with our bare hands, which helped me better understand how this element manifests within us when it is in balance or deficiency: a person who is deeply connected to their community is stronger and more vital, just as soil crisscrossed by roots and mycorrhizal networks is healthier and more robust than dry, crumbly earth that falls through your fingers.
We observed tropical birds in flight with a local guide, and as I watched these colorful creatures take in the world from a bird’s eye view, I could draw the link between balanced Air element people who are great visionaries and thinkers to the Air element as it shows up in nature.
AIR
It was such a treat to get to go out and observe birds at dawn with our local guide Marcos from Siempre Verde.
I began to feel the elements within myself and honestly observe the areas in my life and body where I was in and out of balance. I learned that I’m quite fiery--always go, go, go do, do, do, with an ability to quickly digest both food and experiences to rapidly integrate and grow from all that I’m taking in. However, like a mere spark from a campfire that gives rise to a forest fire, my productive and more masculine fire element can easily get out of balance and lead to burn out, overpowering and snuffing out the more feminine water qualities of stillness, emotions, and intuition. I know now more than ever how important it is for me to connect to the Water element through meditation, creativity, and embodiment practices.
So much can affect our elemental makeup, like childhood experiences, trauma, our environment, our diets, our relationships, and even our ancestors, so this course was a deep dive into holistic healing from every angle, using the elements as a framework. I really enjoyed tasting herbal teas made from local plants with Solin, Kealy’s husband who identifies as an indigenous Huetar native to that region of Costa Rica. Better understanding the energetics of plants--what is mucilaginous and moistening vs. hot and spicy, for example--helps me in my explorations as a novice herbalist, which is a basic skill I feel we should all possess!
Me connecting to my Water element at a local waterfall—much needed to cool down my Fire!
Most of all, what I feel I gained from this course was a deeper relationship with my own intuition and connection to Spirit. Kealy was constantly encouraging us to trust our own intuition, and I now have a more curious and reverent approach to those gut feelings or inner voices that arise, knowing that there is worth and merit there to draw from and dig deeper. Kealy’s profound gifts as an herbalist, energy healer, and teacher create a supportive and immersive container that is founded upon a very grounded, nature-based spirituality. I think I can speak for all of us on the course when I say that her loving, compassionate, and non-judgemental nature allowed us to feel safe and held while diving into material that can be deeply personal and emotional at times. Learning about the elements gave me a deeper capacity for compassion, both for myself and others.
Additionally, having Solin’s unique perspective from his indigenous roots was such a powerful complement to Kealy’s teachings. He has inherited this wisdom from the land and his ancestors, who had no choice but to read nature’s intricacies and depend on the medicinal plants for survival. His connection to the local plants is unparalleled, and it was an incredibly sacred opportunity to learn from a native Costa Rican in the place where his lineage has been closely co-evolving with that environment for generations.
Our plant walks and tea tastings with Solin were one of the highlights of the course. His connection to these local plants is so special and runs deep.
Discovering the Elements with Kealy and Solin as our guides during our two week course in Mastatal was an initiation into remembrance, of remembering the language of the universe and reclaiming that which has largely become lost in our modern culture. Though I was coming to this elemental framework for the first time and learning a wealth of new information everyday, the course material almost felt familiar because of how innate this wisdom is to all life on earth. I continue to integrate this wisdom in my daily life as I pay closer attention to the elements in nature, myself, and people around me.
Abbey, Cam, Dewey and I have now all taken Kealy’s Elements course, and this wisdom has been fundamental to our founding of the Integra Collective. Our five core values that drive our work are based on the five elements. Just as the elements shape our environment and our bodies, we want the elements to shape and guide our work in the world providing education, hosting events, and building community around more regenerative ways of being. We were honored to host our first Convergence of intergenerational changemakers at Rancho Mastatal just prior to Kealy’s course, where we dived into topics like permaculture, ecological justice, nonviolent communication, yoga and more. I don’t believe we would be where we are today if not for Kealy’s wisdom, and we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to keep sharing what we have learned in our own unique way. As I begin my career as an integrative health coach working with folks one on one, I am also incorporating different modalities from the Elements course to complement my background in holistic health and help clients find greater wellbeing in their lives.
Another plus from the course was making lifelong friends, and a lifelong mentor in Kealy.
The more we can appreciate and integrate the elements into our daily lives and work, the greater harmony we will find in ourselves, our communities, and the planet. It truly feels like the most potent medicine of our times. Kis Botanicals’ course is exactly the wisdom you need if you are interested in connecting more deeply with yourself and nature, stepping into your role as a holistic healer, and creating a thriving world for future generations. The world needs more of us, and Discovering the Elements is the perfect place to start.
By Bailey McNeill
Bailey took Kis Botanicals’ course “Discovering the Elements” in Mastatal, Costa Rica in July of 2022. Kis Botanicals is offering another Discovering the Elements course in Mastatal June 11-17, 2023, which you can learn more about HERE
