According to Ayurveda everything in the universe is contained within the five elements. The first step down from consciousness into the world of matter from the subtlest energy particles to the bulk of our flesh is composed of these elements.

It is incorrect to consider the five primal elements – space, air, fire, water and earth – as elements in the scientific sense of the word, as no element ever appears in its purest form. The elements are intermixed and found in varying proportions within the minutest subatomic phenomenon. They are principles that provide the impetus for the creation of grosser materials and do not literally represent common understanding of the meaning of the words, space, air, etc. Water for example is not only the chemical H₂O, it represents a cohesive, binding, cooling entity. English equivalents many a time cramp the multiple levels of meaning that pervade Sanskrit words.