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.
- 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.
