• 5 Elements

    The Five Elements, showing the Cycle of Creation (outer arrows),and the Cycle of Destruction (inner arrows).

    Define the Five Elements and their associations

    The 5 elements is a bit of a misnomer, it would be better called the 5 phases cycle, as the wu xing is often translated. The 5 elements -water, wood, fire, earth and metal each have a profound effect on one another, either creative or destructive, eg: water nurtures wood, wood nurtures fire, fire creates earth, earth creates metal metal condenses water – this is the creative cycle. The destructive cycle- wood penetrates and destroys earth, earth absorbs and destroys water, water puts out fire, fire melts metal, and metal chops wood.

    In essence these elements are a study of relationships and influence in nature, and how they are reflected in the human body-they have a profound effect on health in that they are reflected in the various organ meridians(see my list above- elemental associations) and this cycle of nurturing or controlling(creating or destroying) is used in TCM

    Elemental Associations:

    Earth

    Late summer (Indian summer),Balanced, rounded, yellow, sympathy, nourishment, introspection, and the home. Organs –stomach and spleen. sweet flavor,

    Metal

    Autumn, white, structure, communication, harvest, grief, the afternoon, bringing in and letting go organs- Lungs and large intestine. Dry,worry, nose, hair,skin. Pungent/spicy

    Water

    Winter, black ,night, emotions, body fluids, fear ,cold ,conserving resources, organs-kidneys and bladder.Salty

    Wood

    Springtime, green, birth, morning, developing goals, will power, anger, organs –liver and gall bladder.sour taste

    Fire:

    Summer, Red color. joy, laughter, vitality, growth, ,: organs –heart, small intestine, pericardium, triple warmer. bitter flavor

    Meridian relation to 5 elements:

    The 12 organ meridians.

    1. Heart Organ meridian :

    Partner: Small intestine

    Elemental association: Color red, Heu sound, Joy ,Shock-Orderliness and peace emotions, Fire, Summer.

    –facilitates versatility of spiritual faculties, unites and coordinates all meridians, governs the Shen! –associated with depth of communication, speech and the thyroid.

    2. Small Intestine Organ meridian

    Partner: heart

    Elemental association: Color red, Heu sound, Joy ,Shock-Orderliness and peace emotions, Fire, Summer.

    3. Spleen/pancreas Organ meridian

    Partner: Stomach

    Elemental association: Color yellow, Hoo sound, Pensiveness-empathy Trust emotions, Earth,Late Summer.

    (affinities to unifying -blood &unify chi of food and air- thus important for vitality)

    4. Stomach Organ meridian

    Partner: Spleen

    Elemental association: Color yellow, Hoo sound, Pensiveness-empathy Trust emotions, Earth,Late Summer.

    (Everything taken in(processed sights sounds smells etc- passes through this organ meridian, not just food!)

    5. Lung Organ meridian

    Partner: Large Intestine

    Elemental association: Color white, Seeahh sound, anxiety-sorrow-courage emotions, Metal, Autumn.

    6. Large intestine Organ meridian

    Partner: Lung

    Elemental association: Color white, Seeahh sound, anxiety-sorrow-courage emotions, Metal, Autumn.

    7. Kidney Organ meridian

    Partner: Bladder

    Elemental association: Color dark blue/black, chroee sound, Fear –Wisdom emotions, Water, Winter.

    8. Bladder Organ meridian

    Partner: Kidney

    Elemental association: Color dark blue/black, chroee sound, Fear –Wisdom emotions, Water, Winter.

    9. Liver Organ meridian

    Partner: gall bladder

    Elemental association: Color green, shhhu sound, Anger-kindness emotions, Wood, Spring.

    10. Gall bladder Organ meridian

    Partner: Liver

    Elemental association: Color green, shhhu sound, Anger-kindness emotions, Wood, Spring.

    11. Pericardium(circulation/sex) Organ meridian

    Partner: triple warmer

    Elemental association: Color red, Heu sound, Joy happiness, Shock-Orderliness and peace emotions, Fire, Summer.

    12. Triple warmer Organ meridian

    Partner: pericardium

    Elemental association: Color red, Heu sound, Joy happiness ,Shock-Orderliness and peace emotions, Fire, Summer.