The 5 Elements as the 5 Layers of Reality

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 explained that reality is divided into the Physical and Metaphysical Domains.
We defined reality as the metaphysical structure that forms from the waves emanated by nodes or vortices on each other. This is similar to an entity-relationship diagram.

This means that perception is the basis of reality. Since our perceptions are either physical or metaphysical, then there can be both physical and metaphysical reality.
Having only 2 kinds of reality accounts for all phenomena whether physical of metaphysical. But it does not explain the details or dynamics behind those phenomena.
To get more accuracy with minimum complexity, we subdivide reality into 5 Elements as what was done by the ancient Greeks, Indians, and Chinese.
Rank | Name | Greek | Hindu | Chinese | Vietnamese | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Aethereal | Aether | Akasha | 水 (still water) | Thủy | ||
2 | Spatial | Air | Vayu | 木 (moving wood) | Mộc | ||
3 | Radiant | Fire | Tejas | 火 (expanding fire) | Hỏa | ||
4 | Convertible | Water | Jala | 土 (changing earth) | Thổ | ||
5 | Material | Earth | Pritvi | 金 (solid metal) | Kim |
Currently, Modern Physics knows only 3 of these 5 Elements as the Strong, Weak, and Electromagnetic Forces.
Superphysics | Physics |
---|---|
Aethereal | Pseudo-science |
Spatial | Gravitation |
Radiant | Electromagnetic Force |
Convertible | Weak Force |
Material | Strong Force |
This is because physicists impose a limitation on themselves to ignore or avoid metaphysical perceptions like ideas, feelings, and spirits. This in turn is because their minds favor the material and crude perceptions as being universal or common to all.
Layers with a Hierarchy
Section 1b explained that the metaphysical is superior to the physical since physicality itself is the effect of metaphysicality.
This manifests in the 5 Elements as the upper Elements being superior to the lower ones.
For example, Modern Physics tells us that:
- gravity can affect light, but light cannot affect gravity
- electromagnetism can affect iron, but ordinary iron does not exert electromagnetism
- a mass of iron can exert a small amount of gravity, but not enough to affect light
It follows that the forces have a hierarchy, wherein:
- gravity is superior to light (electromagnetism)
- electromagnetism is superior to matter (strong force)
- dark energy as the atomic space (which we call the aetherspace) is superior to gravity
However, the concept of the ancient Greek Elements did not have hierarchy built-in. Instead, they used the center or mean.
If a set of any 3 numbers has a mean, the mean is to the 1st number just as it is to the last number.. If the universal frame was just a surface with no depth, a single mean would have sufficed to bind together itself and the other terms.

Timaeus
Timaeus by Plato, Chapter 3
We use the concept of Influences or Gunas to impart the idea of a center or mean for each Element.
This is why we rename the “Elements” into “Layers” in order to impart:
- the hierarchy within the 5 Layers
- the subdivision of each Layer into 3 Sublayers
An analogy is a Photoshop image which is made up layers that are on top of each other.

For example, the reality of a rock is made up of layers of properties are perceived together in the identity of the rock:
- The aethereal idea of the rock
- The volumetric space occupied by the rock
- The color of the rock as the light bounces off of it
- The intermolecular forces that hold the rock together
- The contact forces that prevent the rock from going through the ground
We put these Layers into a hierarchy
- Aether Layer
- Air Layer
- Fire Layer
- Water Layer
- Earth Layer
We then expand these into 15 to account for the Spiritual-Social, Biological, and Material aspects of Nature.
Rank | Spiritual and Social | Biological | Material | Assigned Number |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Causal | Aether | Aethereal | 5 |
2 | Essential | Air | Spatial | 4 |
3 | Astral | Fire | Radiant | 3 |
4 | Subtle | Water | Convertible | 2 |
5 | Crude | Earth | Material | 1 |
The assigned numbers are what the Greeks gave to the Elements or Layers. This is why we call the Causal or Aetheral as the 5th Element or Layer.