The Five Elements

This five elements are used, in both Chinese culture and philosophy and in Chinese medicine specifically, to describe all aspects of natural phenomena. Each element refers to certain aspects of nature and existence. The five elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.

WOOD

Wood relates to Spring and has an outward momentum. The colour associated with Wood is green (think of nature emerging in Spring) and the direction is east. The organ is the liver and the surface organ is the eyes (think hay fever or people getting angry and having red, bloodshot eyes). Weather-wise, wind relates to the wood, and the taste is sour. The emotion most closely associated with wood is anger.

FIRE

Fire relates to Summer and the south and the emotion is joy. Fire is very much about communication and laughter, and the surface organ is therefore the tongue. The organ is the heart, and the colour is red. Weather wise, fire relates to heat, and the taste is bitter (like dark chocolate or some types of lettuce).

EARTH

Earth is grounding and all about being centred, relating a lot to digestion and food. Earth is also very empathetic, and can be classically associated with careers such as teaching, nursing, and social workers. Emotionally and intellectually, Earth is associated with thinking and study but also with worrying. Its colour is yellow, and its organs are the digestive organs. On the surface, it relates to the mouth.

METAL

Metal is west and Autumn and the colour white. It relates to the lungs and the skin and is contractive and inward-looking – just like nature retreats inward in the autumn. It can be important in establishing boundaries and determines how vulnerable we may be to psychic and emotional influences from other people and also how capable we are to withstand the airborne bacteria and viruses associated with acute infections. The emotion is depression or sadness, and we may sometimes see this in people, who have suffered a loss or disappointment from which they have never recovered – their lungs almost collapse with the emotion and their shoulders fall forwards and their posture contracts upon the weakened lungs.

WATER

Water is winter and the north. It is cold and black/dark blue. It relates to the kidneys, which are the lowest organs in the body. The emotion is fear. The water taste is salty. Water can be very powerful and foreboding but in subtle, quiet ways.