Ayurveda recognizes qualities, or attributes in all matter that interact with each other. These qualities are grouped together in ten pairs of opposites. These qualities serve to give a deeper understanding of the five elements of nature.
Hot and Cold
Heat is the primary quality of Fire and thus Pitta. The remaining elements, lacking their own source of heat are inherently cold.
Moist and Dry
Moist is the primary quality of the Water element, with the other elements being inherently dry.
Heavy and Light
The qualities of heavy and light vary by the density of the particular element. Earth, being the most dense, will be heavy, followed by water. Fire, Air and Ether are inherently light.
Gross and Subtle
Again, these qualities relate to the density of an element, with Earth being gross, while the lighter elements like air and ether being subtle.
Dense and Flowing
Earth has the most density of all the elements. Density is important in several qualities of an element, with density decreasing on a scale from Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether respectively.
Static and Mobile.
Movement, mobility and motion are qualities behind Air. The other elements, lacking internal motion are static.
Dull and Sharp
Sharpness is a quality of the lighter, less dense elements, Fire, Air and Ether. This sharpness can be penetrating and direct. The heavier elements, Earth and Water are dull.
Soft and Hard
Being soft is is a quality of Water. The other elements, lacking Water tend to be hard in nature.
Smooth and Rough
Water has a quality of smoothing things out. The other elements will tend to roughness as they are dry.
Cloudy and Clear
Clearness is a quality of the lighter elements, Fire, Air and Ether as they are less dense. Earth and Water on the other-hand are cloudy.
