Five Basic Elements - the Panchamahabhutas

The Ayurveda classifies everything in the universe including human body as being composed of five basic elements, or the Panchamahabhutas. These are specifically, earth, water, fire, air and vacuum (ether).  What something "is" is expressed through the combination of the elements. The sea, for example, has an abundance of water, whereas a mountain, an abundance of earth. Each contain all five elements but are expressed by their dominant constituent. The human body is meant to be perfect harmony of the five elements.

Earth is matter in its solid state, and is stable. It manifests itself as rigidity, stability, and durability, in the body. The "hard" parts of our bodies, the, teeth, bones, rigid cells and tissues are corporal
Manifestations of the element earth.

Water is matter in its liquid state, and is unstable and changeable... Most of the human body is composed of water. Water is in fact, our blood, lymph, and all other body fluids that travels through our vessels, move between our cells and, bringing oxygen (energized air), removing wastes, controlling temperature, transporting body self-defense bodies and, chemical information to each and every cell.

Fire is the element (known as form without substance) that has the capacity to change the state of matter. This applies to changing solids to liquids, or liquids to gasses, even solids to gasses (sublimation) Fire is the basic energy that. Digests foods (and converts the food into energy itself),
powers muscles, energies the nerves, even binds all the body's components together.

Air is matter in its gaseous state, and exists without form. Air is ultra dynamic, and is the medium for the body's exchange of energies. Air must be present for element of fire to express its power...

Ether is the medium of elemental expression. Ether is characterized by sound (or vibration) and specifically gives rise to the other 4 elements. Modern physicists reject the concept of ether, but in fact, classify it under other names and definitions. Ayurveda says the ether is also the void between objects.

These five elements will appear in various proportions to suit the needs and requirements of the diverse structures and functions of the holistic body. Our growth and maturity of the holistic body is somehow contingent on food. As food, is composed of the five elements, as it is reduced to the various basic states of each element, has the power to replenish the like elements of the body. Ayurveda considers that a human is the assemblage of the five great elements (building blocks) plus the mind and spirit.