Earthing Element : Absence

What is the Earth element about – is it a 5th element squeezed in at the end of summer or some transitional period between the seasons ?

What is not complete about the 4 elements which so clearly define NESW ?

In my opinion Earth is basically descending through the dantien.

The 4 elements are indeed complete in this universe of presence, but presence needs to be balanced with absence.   Coming into being.  Surrendering out of being.

The 4 elements come into being form the energetic source of the universe, but for true balance there needs to be movement back down through the source into the area of existence that is on the other side.

One way to practice is at the end of each of the 4 elements is to descend the element down through the dantien until you feel it as much above as below, like an hourglass.

This creates stability, otherwise the balloon of the element will float away.

And according to some authors the true future of our existence is to descend our existence into absence, and so over-cultivating chi is actually in opposition to this goal.   Laozi who talked of becoming utterly useless to society and staying in the low unwanted places, was existing down in absence.   The when the form of the body is destroyed, you still exist because your existence is on the other side.  If you have cultivated your chi to gigantic levels … I am not sure what happens when your body dies ?  Is the goal to remain inside this decaying body ?   There are many fables warning about such things, old pimpled witches who have to use glamour to appear young, because they have clung on too long.  And perhaps this is why the water systems are favoured because of their natural surrendering downwards which are in harmony with reaching the true exit of immortality.