Four/IV/Quadri

Ok, so there are five of us that make our newly formed women's group that we call the Chino-Latino Posse.  We are new travel buds and this was our first get-together after our European trip last month. We're already making plans for next series of trips that could include India, and Cuba just to name a few places.  I am so happy to have met these four special women who are educated, talented and beautiful with such diverse backgrounds.  One from Chile, one from China and two from Mexico. Except for Yan we are educators with a zest for exploring and experiencing various cultures from around the globe.  

I always did like the number four and even more so now.  Some things about that magic number that I found on Wiki...

• Four is the sacred number of the Zia, an indigenous tribe located in the U.S. State of New Mexico.
• in Buddhism there are 
• Four Noble Truths
• Dukkha – The Noble Truth of Suffering
• Samudaya – The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering
• Nirodha – The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
• Magga – The Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering

There are four great elements that have special meaning to me and it exists in my backyard  and there are four corners of white concrete blocks that pay homage to the four elements of earth, fire, water, air as well as the four cardinal directions of east, south, west and north.

Four primary elements[edit]

In canonical texts, the four Great Elements refer to elements that are both "external" (that is, outside the body, such as a river) and "internal" (that is, of the body, such as blood). These elements are described as follows:

• Earth element (pruṭhavī-dhātu)
  Earth element represents the quality of solidity or attractive forces. 

• Water (or liquid) element (āpa-dhātu)
  Water element represents the quality of Liquidity or relative motion.

• Fire element (teja-dhātu)
  Fire element represents the quality of heat or energy. 

• Air (or wind) element (vāyu-dhātu)
  Air element represents the quality of expansion or repulsive forces. 

Thus, it is no wonder that I feel a special bond for my four friends.  Of special note there are...

Fifth and sixth elements[edit]

In addition to the above four elements of underived matter, two other elements are occasionally found in the Pali Canon:^[11]

• Space element (ākāsa-dhātu)

• Consciousness element (viññāṇa-dhātu)

 The fifth element is also important as in the photo linked above in the text- my sis Kym (twin sisters of different mothers) is pictured as she joined our possee last month while traveling to Holland and Germany! Thus four became six and our consciousness element was enlightened.  I am forever grateful for the light they each give.