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The five elements are movements and changes of the Qi energy in the body mind and spirit. They represent specific aspects or phases of movement of energy in the natural world and our physical body or mind and our spirit. Every living thing is energy and we are all affected and connected to the world we live in. The weather is an easy example. In the coolness of the winter months, we need to dress appropriately. It gets darker earlier and longer. We tend to stay inside our home more frequently. So how does this affect our energy? Like all seasons our energy is affected differently. As the environment we live in changes and we respond to its ever-changing effects with our body, mind and our spirit, health, moods, diet, and so much more. Responding to the changes in a way that corresponds to nature then we will stay healthy.
The five elements in Classical Chinese Acupuncture are Earth, Fire, Wood, Water, and Metal; these are the elements of change. These elements correspond to the energy in each season.
Just like seasons, our energy must transition from one season to another in a corresponding manner. If one goes from winter to summer it creates an imbalance. Balance is not about being still or level. Balance is about constant movement of energy in a specific pattern that keeps things healthy and strong. When energy or movement stops, there is stagnation or disease. Wellness cannot maintain flow if one is stuck, stagnant, or indignant. The nature of balance is about continual change and transformation and the elements explain the complete cycle how the relationships and patterns of energy unfold.
To find these elements all we need to do is to look outdoors. Look at the world we live in. Take a walk!
There are specific qualities that correspond to each element. Each of the five elements correspond with a particular season, meridian, time, body function or organ, direction, emotion, sound, color, odor and more.
One of the easiest ways to understand the element is how they are associated with each season. As we know, each season has a quality that uniquely expresses it. These qualities in nature are the characteristics of the movement of energy. These characteristics affect our action, how we dress, think and feel. Our whole being; our body, mind and spirit is affected by the season and its changes. We are affected by the past and the changes that we have made. We continue to grow and mature in our lives and make the best decisions with the knowledge we have. But………
……when these elements are out of balance the natural flow of the season and the energy that is present at that time is affected and all things that follow. It can affect the seasons to come and the elements with all the corresponding characteristics associated with the element. For example: During the winter if the snow should stop the building of water reserves for the reservoirs suddenly stops. In the following spring and summer months our reservoirs will be so low that we may not have enough water to nourish our plants or have clean water to drink. We can wee this in the canyons where the water is low in the creeks and rivers and reservoirs. In our bodies, if we do not replenish our own water source we can become dehydrated and develop other associated problems like constipation or dizziness. If our minds do not have the mental reserves to draw from and become forgetful or one may develop confusion.
Acupuncture accesses the energy through particular points to keep the flow of the energy balanced and moving.
A certified Five Element Licensed Acupuncturist will diagnose the causative factor to determine which element is not working at its peak performance and determine the treatment that will assist the flow of energy back to its original state of health.
The Fire Element
The Earth Element
The Metal Element
The Water Element
The Wood Element