The Five Elements—Foundation of the Awaken Your Roots

The idea of the elements has been part of our psyche, our hopes and dreams over the centuries. Through experience with both the natural world and the imaginal world that pierces the veil of our three-dimensional reality, we’ve created myths, archetypes, philosophies, religions and lore replete with fairies, gods and demons, of earth, water, fire, air and space who whisper to us and whom we call upon for strength and inspiration. When things go wrong, even in these more “sophisticated” days, we still often ponder whether the affliction or obstacle has arisen because we’ve ignored, offended or abused these elemental deities and forces. We can’t dismiss this kind of thinking as mere mental illness or throwback to a more primitive, superstitious way of viewing the universe. Rather, it’s our connection to the unseen, that realm of subtle energies where form meets emptiness, where human hearts connect with a rich, magical world of possibility that’s always available—so long as we learn how to listen, understand and interact to bring this magic and mystery into our lives.

 

In the description of fairies, pixies, gods and goddesses of the elemental realms, one of the most pronounced features mentioned is their hair; the windswept hair of air fairies, the silky smooth strands of water goddesses, the white or blazing manes of fire deities, the bountiful, flowing hair of earth spirits. And, in both East and West, when tales recount creativity and the enchanting unknown, they frequently reveal three types of ladies, each having special connection to the elements; hags, witches, and princesses.

Fairies, Hags and Princesses 

In the case of hags and witches, we in the West tend to take a more negative view. For example in the fairy tale “The Tinder Box,” a hag who tells a soldier where he can find three chests of money and her special little box, is beaten to death by him. He keeps both the money and the little box, which ends up being a coffer of elemental magic, allowing the soldier to create anything he so desires. In the East, hags are often diviners of unseen knowledge. They appear to the person who needs their message and then vanish back into the ethers. Thus, they are innately related to the element Ether. Even their hair is out of control, long, frizzy and shooting out in “ethereal” disarray.

 

As for witches, they are the master alchemists, mixing and blending botanicals and all manner of things, for good or evil—depending on their inclinations. In the West, they are decried and maligned, not so much because what they do is good or bad, but for their ability to do it in the first place! In the East however, it all comes down to intention. So witches, as well as shamans, are called upon for their wisdom and mastery of the elements. Being a hair shaman myself, I am passionately honored to be in their company! And the hair of witches? Sometimes it’s like that of a hag, but other times it is thick, bushy, exotic or sometimes long and flowing. In the East are many colorful and semi-wrathful female deities, with strikingly exotic heads of hair, who are called upon for any number of activities, for wisdom, for protection or for inspiration.

 

Finally, we have the princesses. In both West and East they are always dressed beautifully and with an exquisite coiffure. But what I observe in the West is more subdued. The princess is reigned in, her elements controlled. She is rendered powerless and reduced to eye candy— ultimately fulfilled only by marriage and subservience to her lord and master, not to mention society and occasionally mean in-laws! The myth persists in Hollywood, where well-financed princesses are locked in toxic prisons of pharmaceuticals compulsively ingested, bodies surgically altered and hair abused in the name of fashion. In the East, a princess is one who is embellished, with more added to magnify and demonstrate the balance of elements she embodies. She is a genuine monarch, truly divine. In my days at Kenneth’s, I saw both kinds of princesses and can tell you it was a lot more interesting to be around the latter kind! I have been equally graced by hags and witches, as dear friends or acquaintances.

 

Although we consider stories of hags, witches, and princesses just relics of the past, they are in truth strong archetypes that endure. And there are to this day entire systems of healing that fully recognize magical power with elemental energies. Such as the ones I was exposed to that inspired me to formulate Morrocco Method: Chinese medicine and Ayurveda.

 

Healing, Hair and Elements 

Going beyond lore and archetypes, the term “element” makes most of us think of something akin to a building block. Those with a science background will have a frame of reference involving the periodic table, whose components are considered the building blocks of Nature.

But like fairies, gods and demons, when the Five Elements are described in Chinese

Medicine and Ayurveda, they are considered much more dynamic. A great macrobiotic master, Michio Kushi, explains that this term “element” really signifies something moving, dynamic—an essence always in transformation—a flow from one state into another that can be identified, but never isolated. It is like asking the question, is light a wave or a particle? The answer is, it depends on how you look at it. In the systems of Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, elements are described as identifiable states of being.

 

The Five Elements are Ether, Fire, Earth, Air and Water. There is an orderliness in every aspect of Nature that can be explained in terms of these Five Elements; the way they flow into one another, support each other, even how they may inhibit or destroy one another. According to Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, all things seen and unseen, whether animate or inanimate, are a combination of all Five Elements. The number five meaningfully recurs throughout the natural world. There are five principal tastes: sour, bitter, sweet, salty and umami; five sensory organs: eyes, skin, mouth, nose, and ears; five main body fluids: tears, blood, lymph, mucus and urine; five hair types: head, pubic, facial, body and eyelashes/eyebrows; then five fingers to a hand, five toes to a foot, etc.

 

I have coordinated all Morrocco Method hair care products with Nature’s Five Elements, and infused the finest elemental ingredients into them. All contents are listed on every bottle or jar, and the website has information explaining what you need to understand about using the Five Elements for your hair to “be all it can be.”

 

The five phases of hair care in Morrocco Method’s Hair Awakening are: lengthening, strengthening, thickening, root work and beautifying. How do these five relate to the Five Elements?

 

For growth and Lengthening of hair, use products and techniques associated with the element Water.

 

For Strengthening hair, do the same with products and techniques associated with the element Air.

 

For Thickening hair, the element Earth is key.

To support Root Work, utilize the element Fire.

Finally, to Beautify hair, seek out products and techniques connected with the element Ether.

 

The products and lunar haircutting chart put strong, lustrous, beautiful hair within everyone’s reach. I also encourage you to explore Ayurveda to further enhance your hair and health. It’s helpful to know the Ayurvedic dosha classification for your hair:

Vata hair is generally dark in color, average in quantity and sometimes a bit coarse or tightly curled. Generally, there’s a tendency toward dryness and brittleness, so a greater likelihood for split ends and/or flakiness. In age, vata hair will be gray or salt-andpepper.

 

Pitta hair is generally blond or red with a straight, fine texture. A moderate amount of oiliness characterizes pitta hair, with a tendency toward thinning and baldness. Premature graying or becoming totally white with age are both possibilities.

 

Kapha hair can range from dark to light in shading; it’s usually wavy, thick and oily with a tendency toward becoming greasy. It slowly changes to gray or white with age.

 

Testimonials:

“For many years, because of a very hectic work schedule, I wore my hair very short, never having the time to take care of a regular length hair style. After learning the Morrocco Method, I realized that I could have healthy, beautiful, long, feminine hair without time consuming, unnecessary fuss . Following this method of proper brushing, scalp invigoration and using the natural holistic hair products, I now enjoy a carefree, thick, luxurious head of hair that takes only minutes a day and best of all, my husband loves it. Thank you, Anthony Morrocco, may your method bring as much happiness to other women as it has to me.” – Norma, Director of Publicity and Promotion, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

 

“I finally found the lost key to my whole health environment and it was my hair. The Morrocco Method has helped me revitalize my scalp and now I am enjoying a magnificent fullbodied head of hair.” – Sybil, Fountain Valley, California

 

“The Morrocco Method Hair products have Transformed my hair in just three weeks! It’s now Alive with good texture, sheen and bright color. It feels and looks so much better, coming from dull, drab, dead looking to Alive and Vibrant again. You are truly doing a great service to us all with your new shampoos and method. God bless!” – Dee, New Hampshire