Ether

Ether or Space is the first element from which all others emerged. In the human body, many spaces are aspects of the Ether element — the spaces in the mouth, nose, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, abdomen, thorax, capillaries, and tissues are all examples of Space.

Ether is the medium through which sound is transmitted and is related to the function of hearing. The sensory organ of hearing is the ear. The organ of action associated with hearing is the mouth and vocal cords, which produce sound. The subtle element (tanmatra) of Ether is shabda (sound).

Akasha means all-enclosing, all-pervading, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. All-pervading Ether serves as the common factor or "home" for all objects in the universe. Ether is the first expression of Consciousness and the basic need of bodily cells. In the development of matter, Ether comes first.

Ether is expansive, empty, and has no resistance. It provides freedom in which to move — without Ether there is no love or freedom. Ayurveda holds that within Ether there is a pure presence of spiritual energy that manifests as nuclear energy.

The qualities (gunas) of Ether are: clear, light, subtle, soft, and immeasurable. Its actions (karmas) include vibration, expansion, non-resistance, freedom, love, and the descent of intelligence into the heart of the matter. Its tanmatra is sound, and its type of energy is nuclear energy. According to Vaisheshika, there is only one atom of Ether and it is universal — unlimited, eternal, and formless, it cannot be perceived directly but can be inferred as the substratum of the quality of sound.