Five Elements

Text Credit: 1993. 2007, Mantak Chia, “Chi Nei Tsang. Chi Massage for the Vital Organs”. Rochester, Vermont USA: Destiny Books. Page 22, 23: The Five Phases of Chi.

According to ancient Chinese theories the cyclical patterns of nature are reflected in our physical, emotional, and spiritual being. This relationship between the Universe (macro-cosmos system) and Humans (micro-cosmos system) is symbolized by the theory of the 5 elements, the 5 elemental phases of energy transformation. These phases can be observed throughout Universe and Nature.

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The 5 Element diagram show the Generating, Controlling, and Insulting Sequences of the 5 Elements. It also shows the Zang Fu organs, and a few key associations for each.

Photo Credit: “Sacred Lotus, Chinese Medicine” <sacredlotus.com/go/foundations-chinese-medicine/get/5-elements-cycle>

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In space, the elemental phases of energy transformation influence the motions of stars, planets, and more. On earth, they manifest the seasons spring, summer, late summer, fall, and winter. In humans, they affect the five sets of organs: Liver/Gall Bladder (element Wood), Heart/Small-intestine (elemen Fire), Pancreas/Spleen/Stomach (element Earth), Lungs/Large-intestine (element Metal), and Kidney/Bladder (element Water)

The physical elements found in Nature – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water – express the tendencies of energy in motion. Wood stands for generating and developing energy. Fire for expanding and radiating energy. Earth for stabilizing and centring energy. Metal for solidifying and concentrating energy, and Water stands for conserving, gathering, and sinking energy.

All forces that influence the cosmos simultaneously affect nature and humans. Each elemental transformation phase gives ‘birth’ to the next elemental phase and each phase also controls another phase of transformation. When in balance between themselves in our being, we feel healthy.

WOOD for example builds fire and controls earth (tree roots can break up earth). FIRE leftovers create earth and control metal (melt metal). EARTH creates elements, among other metals, and controls water (channel water). METAL (read: elements) melt into liquids/water and controls wood (can chop wood). WATER nourishes plants and trees and controls fire (extinguish fire).

When the elemental transformation phases are not in balance between themselves, a phase can cause sickness. The element that should be controlled can become imbalanced and excessive and next override the element that normally controls it (insulting sequence). For example, instead of Metal controlling Wood, the excessive Wood “insults” Metal, causing Metal to become imbalanced. Outcome is that we do not feel healthy anymore.

Emotions

The five-element theory of traditional Chinese medicine teaches that the five elemental phases of energy transition each are linked to internal organs, and that the phases are asociated with emotions; we thus atribute certain emotions to the internal organs that are associeted with certain elemental phases of energy transition.

WOOD is associated with anger (and we attribute anger to Liver/Gallbladder); FIRE is associated with joy (and we attribute joy to Small-Intestine.Hearth); EARTH is associated with anxiety (and we attribute anxiety to Spleen/Stomach); METAL is associated with sorrow (and we attribute sorrow to the Large-Intestine/Lung); and WATER is associated with fear (and we attribute fear to the Kidney/Bladder).

Element Emotion Chart

Photo Credit: Emotions of the 5 Elements, Pinterest <dynamis-heilpraxis.com>

The Abdomen (Trunc) holds the above decribed organs and the attribted emotions associated with the correspondending elemental phases are located in the next areas of the abdomen.

• ABDOMEN – Right Side – is affected by the transformation phase WOOD, which is associated with drive and anger/stress
• ABDOMEN – Top-part of Intestine – is affected by the transformation phase FIRE, which associated with anxiety and over-joy
• ADDOMEN – Upper Left Side – is affected by the transformation phase EARTH, which is associated with overthinking and with worry
• ABDOMEN – Lower Left Lateral Side – is affected by the transformation phase METAL, which is associated with grief/ sadness/ loss
• ABDOMEN – Deeper and Bottom-part – is affected by the transformation phase WATER, which is associated with willpower and fear

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