The Five Element theory or system was mapped out between 2,000 – 5,000 years ago by Chinese Physicians. In this system, everything in the Universe is grouped into five elements or seasons, Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal. These physicians proposed that all people, their behaviour, emotions and health, are influenced by these elements and that people’s personalities can be distinguished by them.
Each element has a number of associations, including a season, an emotion, two bodily organs (one yin, one yang), a taste, and so on. For instance the Water element is associated with Winter. Energy has sunk into the earth, deep down to the underlying water. The Water Element organs are the bladder and kidneys, it’s primary emotion is fear.
Additionally, there is a Five Element body clock which tells us when each organ functions most strongly at a specific time of day, and correspondingly, at it’s weakest at the opposite time. This can give us clues as to why, for instance, you might wake at a specific time in the night, or why you feel thirsty in the late afternoons. It can also guide us to a regular routine that suits our physiology and gives up optimum chance for good health.
Each person has a primary element, or sometimes two or even three main elements.
Our primary element(s) contain our best qualities, but also can be an are where we most find ourselves out of balance. The most common way this can happen is through lifestyle – modern living often knocks the Five Elements out of balance. We can counter this and improve our health by eating healthily and appropriately for our elemental make-up, taking moderate exercise, finding a balance between activity and rest, and, if needed, getting help in the form of acupuncture or Five Element Reflexology.
If you want to find out about your Five Element constitution, you can take a quiz here.