How The Five Elements Balance Each Other
It's interesting to see how the five elements balance each other.
Starting with the element Water.
Water controls Fire, while Fire will control Metal. If Water is weak and fails to control Fire, then Fire's action on metal becomes excessive. Therefore, the Metal is weakened.
This would have an impact on the rest of the cycle.
Inevitably if more than one element fails to fulfil its controlling / restraining duties, the imbalance can become much more severe and damaging.
Earth .. How the five elements balance among themselves ...
In Chinese medicine concepts, the element Earth is associated with:
- the Spleen and Stomach,
- the mouth, lips and muscles,
- the colour yellow,
- summer, and
- Dampness.
Therefore, a yellow skin tongue would suggest a problem with the Spleen, or with Damp. Its associated emotion is worry; its spiritual association, called 'Yi' in Chinese. 'Yi' means'the consciousness of possibilities'.
Metal .. How the five elements balance among themselves ...
Metal is associated with:
- the Lungs and Large Intestine,
- the nose, body hair and skin.
Its colour is white, and it is related to Dryness, the autumn, and pungent tastes.
Its emotion is grief; Lung ailments can be closely linked with sorrow or bereavement. Its spiritual association is 'Po' in Chinese. In Chinese, 'Po' is that part of our soul which reflects our animal desires and wants.
Water .. How the five elements balance among themselves ...
The element Water is associated with:
- the Kidneys and Bladder,
- the ears, bones and head hair.
Its colour is black, and it is linked with winter and Cold. Blackness around the eyes will often suggest a Kidney deficiency; a grey face may suggest invading Cold. Its emotion is fear, and its spiritual association is 'Zhi'. In Chinese, 'Zhi' means wisdom or will-power.
Wood .. How the five elements balance among themselves ...
Wood is linked to:
- the Liver and Gall Bladder, and to
- eyes, tendons and nails
Therefore, eye problems are often treated with Liver herbs. Its colour is green and its season is spring; it is also linked with Wind. Its emotion is anger (the phrase 'gungho' means 'Liver Fire' in Chinese), and its spiritual association is 'Hun'. In Chinese, 'Hun' means virtue, benevolence or kindness.
Fire .. How the five elements balance among themselves ...
Fire is associated with:
- the Heart and Small Intestine,
- the tongue,
- the complexion and
- blood vessels.
It is linked to Heat and summer, and its colour is red; a ruddy complexion will suggest Heart Fire. Its emotion is joy or mania. The Heart is associated with the soul, and a person whose life lacks a spiritual dimension may be at risk from heart disease.
| |
Wood |
Fire |
Earth |
Metal |
Water |
| Nature |
| Seasons |
Spring |
Summer |
Late Summer |
Autumn |
Winter |
| Directions |
East |
South |
Center |
West |
North |
| Colour |
Green |
Red |
Yellow |
White |
Black |
| Climate |
Wind |
Summer Humidity |
Dampness |
Dryness |
Coldness |
| Change |
Germinate |
Grow |
Transform |
Harvest |
Store |
| Tone |
Jiao |
Zheng |
Gong |
Shang |
Yu |
| Human body |
| Solid Organ (Zang) |
Liver |
Heart |
Spleen |
Lung, Nose |
Kidney, Ear |
| Hollow Organ (Fu) |
Gall bladder |
Small Intestine |
Stomach |
Large Intestine |
Urinary Bladder |
| Tissues |
Tendons/nails |
Blood vessels/ Complexion |
Muscles/Lips |
Skin/Body Hair |
Bone/Head Hair |
| Body Fluid |
Tears |
Sweat |
Saliver |
Mucus |
Urine |
| Five Senses |
Eye (Sight) |
Tongue (Speech) |
Mouth (Taste) |
Nose (Smell) |
Ears (Hearing) |
| Sound |
Shout |
Laugh |
Sing |
Cry |
Mourn |
| Emotions |
Anger |
Joy |
Thinking |
Melancholy |
Fear |
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