The 5 Elements Cycle in life and death

I have been immersed in the most profound way, by incredible statues of sacred deities and symbols in the ancient misty forests in the Okuni-in Cemetery high in the mountains in Koyasan, Japan.

Interestingly, the stupa monuments, with the 5 different shapes, 5 tiers and the Sanskrit letters inscribed on them represent the 5 elements taught in Buddhism, from the bottom up - earth, water, fire, wind and space. The representation is the 5 elements that form the body of the cosmic Buddha and our own bodies in the physical world and in death of course an integration with the divine elements becomes possible and absolute.