Spring is here and, in Chinese medicine, this time of year relates to the Wood Element. The seasons are intrinsic to Five Element acupuncture, which is why I recommend a seasonal tune-up treatment. At this time of year, we can check in on the Wood Element’s Liver and Gall Bladder meridians, and our overall balance, which […]
Autumn is here and, in Chinese medicine, this time of year relates to the Metal Element. The seasons are intrinsic to Five Element acupuncture, which is why I recommend a seasonal tune-up treatment; liken it to servicing your car – your body and mind benefit from regular maintenance too! Therefore, checking in on the status of […]
The two officials of the Water element are the bladder and kidneys. Makes sense right? Between them they govern the major aspects of our vital fluids. They’re of the greatest importance to the whole of the body and other officials, as none of them can function without water. The kidney official is known as the […]
Water completes the cycle of the 5 Elements and is shown here by the Chinese character of Shui. This is symbolic of the main current of water flowing through the middle, with little streams whirling out from it. Water corresponds to the season of winter and the direction of North. A Water element type would […]
The organs of the Metal element are the lungs and large intestine. These officials are interrelated, as one brings goodness and vitality into the body and the other expels the waste and bi–products. The lung takes the energy from the outside of the body to the inside, it takes what it needs from the air […]
Moving on to the Metal element today… Remember the character for Earth? It’s found within the Chinese symbol for Metal ‘Jin’ (pictured). There’s an extra line representing further depths of the earth and the two dashes are indicative of gold nuggets buried deep underground. The ‘roof’ shape is covering these hidden riches. Metal corresponds to […]
The Earth element is all about nourishment and nurturing, about taking on board food and digesting and distributing it around the body. This is done by its two officials; the stomach and the spleen. As well as nourishing the body we must also look after the mind and spirit equally. It’s important for us to […]
The Chinese character for Earth (pictured) is Tu and represents the subsoil, topsoil and the vertical line shows the sprouting plant. Earth, in Classical 5 Element Acupuncture, corresponds to late summer – a time of harvest and abundance. The equally ancient practice of Feng Shui links Earth to the directions North East, South West and […]
Unlike the other elements the fire element has four officials. These are the heart, which is the supreme controller and the small intestine, which is in control of transforming matter, separating the pure from the impure. Also, the pericardium – the heart protector and lastly the triple heater is the official of balance and harmony. […]
So, do you resonate with the Wood element or know someone who does? Maybe you’ll feel a stronger connection with the next element – Fire. ‘Huo’ is the Chinese character for Fire (pictured) and it’s symbolic of dancing or fire rising. Representing the summer, South and the colour red, a Fire type can be described […]
