Meditations on the Five Elements
We live in landscapes and landscapes live in us. Dr. Christopher Chapple, author and professor of Indic Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, shares how the classical teachings of the East reveal the interconnection between the human and nature and how we can participate in the healing of the earth.
Dr. Christopher Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology and founding Director of the Master of Arts in Yoga Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He has published more than twenty books on topics that include studies of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Yoga, and religion and ecology including the book we discussed on this program, Living Landscapes: Meditations on the Five Elements in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain Yogas. He has received many grants for his research and serves on numerous advisory boards worldwide. Dr. Chapple is dedicated to the teaching of the whole person, body, mind, and spirit, through the modalities of book learning and experience as provided in Yoga traditions.
WEBSITE: www.bellarmine.lmu.edu/yoga
THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Dr. Chapple’s energy, love and passion for the teachings of Yoga really shines through in this program. His focus on the five elements and the importance of understanding their place in our own lives and that of all creation brings us to a greater understanding of our connection, in this world, as one with all of life. We can see ourselves as integral with the environment around us, showing us that we are not here to use and abuse the environment but to care for it as we care for ourselves. The poetry and scripture that Dr. Trujillo quoted from his book, made this program a sacred space. Just for an example regarding the earth element, Dr. Chapple used the example of just in our own homes products of the earth such as wood and cotton make up the structure of our homes and much of our furniture. Our relationship with food reminds us of our relationship with the earth. We remember fields where our food comes from and we honor the labor of many people who bring the food to our table. He had many beautiful, touching examples and reminders of how the other elements of air, fire, water and space affect our lives in very deep and profound ways.
DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I enjoyed our meditations on the five elements, particularly how they relate to the earth, our bodies, and the yoga tradition. I appreciated the way Dr. Chapple shared his experiences of the five elements, both in the book and in our conversation. For the fire element, it was helpful to contemplate fire as both the sunrise and as our desire and will. For the element of space, I loved thinking about the space that we can create for ourselves and others through our yoga practice. A quote from his book: "Through yoga practice and meditation, one can shift the mood or general feeling tone of a situation from agitation and anxiety into a place of understanding and acceptance. This inner space permeates the body and breath...Creating and maintaining auspicious space serves as the hallmark of yoga practice.”
PREVIOUS EPISODES WITH DR. CHRISTOPHER KEY CHAPPLE:
Living Liberation: The Yoga Sutra Part Two
The Clear Jewel: The Yoga Sutra Part Three
Patanjali’s Step-by-Step Approach to Spiritual Realization and Conscious Living
Both, And: The Inclusive Worldview of the Bhagavad Gita
In Praise of Mother Earth