Wu Xing ( 5 Elements in Chinese Medicine )

For the purpose of this blog, Im not going to explain too much about the 5 elements of chinese medicine. I would like to explain what does it mean and why for me it is the basis of my work.

The five traditional Chinese elements are Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal. These are the five basic forms of energy, which are constantly being transformed from one into another throughout the natural world. This is a very organized scheme, and its very similar to the way nature works, does it sound crazy that our bodies act in a similar way? Nature is about creation and transformation, and so we are. 

If we think about the seasons of the year or phases then it could become clear the characteristic of each element:

• Wood/Spring: a period of growth, which generates abundant wood and vitality

• Fire/Summer: a period of swellness, flowering, which overbrews with fire and energy

• Earth: the in-between transitional seasonal periods, or a separate 'season' known as Late Summer or Long Summer - in the latter case associated with leveling and dampening (moderation) and fruition

• Metal/Autumn: a period of harvesting and collecting

• Water/Winter: a period of retreat, where stillness and storage pervades

I believe that nature is wise, and that nature in us is wise enough to make us heal by ourselves. A massage or any therapy that is oriented to keep your body in balance is something that in my opinion should be practiced often along with meditation and exercise. We shouldn't wait till we are ill or very sick to start taking care of us. Like in nature we go through many phases in our lives, but allowing those phases to happen and continue the cycle will help us to live the way we truly mean to. 

We can also see these elements as characteristics of our personalities. Are u stiff and strict as metal? are you like fire burning up easily? Are you like a river, a pond or a puddle? Are you so flexible that the air breaks you easily? Are your feet well rooted in the ground?

In Shiatsu, we work with the 5 element theory in the body. Each organ and also emotion is related to it. And remember that emotions affect our bodies. Bad emotions will most probably cause sickness while happy and love emotions will improve everything :)