Chinese 5 elements theory
Caitriona Mac Fhiodhbhuidhe
>
> Is anybody here familiar with the Chinese 5 Elements system? I've been
> searching for Reiki experts who know about it, but it seems that none of
> them are familiar with Traditional Chinese Medicine whatsoever.
>
> If you do, please let me know, I could use your help.
>
> Read all about it below if you're interested.
>
Reiki is of Japanese origins, not Chinese. Over the years, I've done a
bit of browsing WRT the 5 elements of which you speak, but am in no way
an expert. To discuss the topic, I'd have to go see if I've still got a
couple of books about it in the bookshelves.
Kitten
Thought108
nekt week to talk to i will ask him!
He does teach chinese Philosophy so i beleive he may be able to help, although
he is unable to use the internet!
If you live near the Wirral, England he is soon to start a chinese philosphy
course and he is also a published author of a Reiki and I Ching books.
Take care
Vicki
Fiona McCallion
Blessings
Fiona
Website: http://www.coerdelion.demon.co.uk
Distant healing list:
http://www.coerdelion.demon.co.uk/reiki_helplistinfo.html
Lee wrote:
>
> Is anybody here familiar with the Chinese 5 Elements system? I've been
> searching for Reiki experts who know about it, but it seems that none of
> them are familiar with Traditional Chinese Medicine whatsoever.
>
> If you do, please let me know, I could use your help.
>
> Read all about it below if you're interested.
>
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
> The Five Energies
>
> "The Five Elemental Energies of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water
> encompass all the myriad phenomena of nature. It is a paradigm that applies
> equally to humans."
> The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine
> (second century bc)
>
> The Five Elemental Energies (wu sing) represent the tangible activities of
> yin and yang as manifested in the cyclic changes of nature which regulate
> life on earth. Also known as the Five Movements (wu yun), they define the
> various stages of transformation in the recurring natural cycles of seasonal
> change, growth and decay, shifting climatic conditions, sounds, flavors,
> emotions, and human physiology. Each energy is associated with the natural
> element which most closely resembles its function and character, and from
> these elements they take their names. Unlike the Western and other systems
> of five elements, the Chinese system focuses on energy and its
> transformations, not on form and substance. The elements thus symbolize the
> activities of the energies with which they are associated.
>
> As manifestations of yin and yang on earth, the Five Elemental Energies
> represent various degrees of 'fullness' and 'emptiness' in the relative
> balance of yin and yang within any particular energy system. An ancient
> Chinese text explains this principle as follows:
>
> By the transformation of yang and its union with yin, the Five Elemental
> Energies of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water arise, each within its
> specific nature according to its share of yin and yang. These Five
> Elemental Energies constantly change their sphere of activity, nurturing and
> counteracting one another so that there is a constancy in the transformation
> from emptiness to abundance and abundance to emptiness, like a ring without
> beginning or end. The interaction of these primordial forces brings
> harmonious change and the cycles of nature run their course . . . The Five
> Elemental Energies combine and recombine in innumerable ways to produce
> manifest existence. All things contain all Five Elemental Energies in
> various proportions.
>
> Let's take a look at this idea in terms of the basic seasonal cycles of
> nature, which influence every living thing on earth. Water is the elemental
> energy associated with winter, when a state of extreme yin prevails. Winter
> is the season of stillness and rest, during which energy is condensed,
> conserved, and stored. Water is a highly concentrated element containing
> great potential power awaiting release. In the human body, Water is
> associated with essential fluids such as hormones, lymph, marrow, and
> enzymes, all of which contain great potential energy. Its color is black,
> the color which contains all other colors in concentrated form. In nature,
> Water is dissipated by excess heat; in humans, Water energy is depleted by
> the 'heat' of stress and excess emotions. The way to conserve the potential
> energy of Water is to stay still and 'be cool'.
>
> The next phase of the seasonal cycle is spring, during which the Wood
> element arises from the potential energy of Water, just as plants sprout
> from the ground in spring rains. This is the 'new yang' stage of the cycle.
> Wood energy is expansive, exhilarant, explosive. It is the creative energy
> of 'spring fever', awakening the procreative drive of sexuality. It is
> associated with vigor and youth, growth and development. In the human body,
> Wood energy is associated with the movement of muscles and the activity of
> tissues. Its color is green, the vibrant color of spring growth. Wood
> energy demands free expression and space for open expansion. Blocking it
> gives rise to feelings of frustration, anger, jealousy, and stagnation.
>
> Just as spring develops naturally into summer, so the aggressive creative
> energy of Wood matures into the flourishing 'full yang' energy of fire.
> This is the most overtly energetic phase of the cycle, during which the
> 'heat' of full yang energy is sustained. All life forms flourish in summer
> owing to the warm, stable glow of fire energy. Fire is related to the
> heart, which is the seat of human emotions and the organ whose constant
> warmth and pulse keeps blood and energy moving. Its color is red, the warm
> color of fire and blood. It is associated with love and compassion,
> generosity and joy, openness and abundance. If blocked it results in
> hypertension and hysteria, heart problems and nervous disorders.
>
> Towards the end of summer comes an interlude of perfect balance during which
> Fire burns down and energy mellows, transforming itself into the elemental
> energy of Earth. Neither yin nor yang predominates during this period;
> insead they are in a state of optimum balance. This is the pivot of the
> cycle, the fulcrum between the yang energies of spring and summer and the
> yin energies of autumn and winter. The Five Elemental Energies hum in
> harmony at this time, providing a sense of ease, wellbeing, and
> completeness. The Earth energy of late summer is the phase and the feeling
> celebrated in the song 'Summertime, and the living is easy ...' Its color is
> yellow, the color of sun and earth, and in human anatomy it is associated
> with the stomach, spleen, and pancreas, which lie at the center of the body
> and nourish the entire system. If Earth energy is deficient, digestion is
> impaired and the entire organism is thrown off balance owing to insufficient
> nourishment and vitality.
>
> As summer passes into autumn, the energy of Earth transforms into Metal.
> During the Metal phase, energy once again begins to condense, contract, and
> draw inward for accumulation and storage, just as the crops of summer are
> harvested and stored in autumn for use in winter. Wastes are eliminated,
> like winnowing chaff from wheat, and only the essence is kept in preparation
> for the nonproductive Water phase of winter. If the harvest fails or falls
> short, there may not be sufficient energy stored during Water/winter to
> generate a strong and healthy cycle in the following Wood/spring. Metal
> energy controls the lungs, which extract and store essential energy from air
> and expel wastes from the blood, and the large intestine, which eliminates
> solid wastes while retaining and recycling water. Its color is white, the
> color of purity and essence. Autumn is the season of retrospection and
> meditative insight, for shedding old skin and dumping the excess baggage of
> external attachments and emotions accumulated in summer, just as trees shed
> their leaves and bees drive drones from the hive at this time of year.
> Resisting this energy by clinging sentimentally to past attachments can
> cause feelings of melancholy, grief, and anxiety, which manifest themselves
> physiologically in breathing difficulties, chest pain, skin problems, and
> low resistance. Flus, colds, and other respiratory ailments are common
> indicators of blocked Metal energy, which is associated with the lungs.
> Just as Metal is a refined extract of Earth forged by Fire, so autumn is the
> season for extracting and refining essential lessons from the activities and
> experiences of summer, transforming them into the quiet wisdom of winter.
>
> And so the great wheel of nature turns in a continuous cycle of elementary
> energies, drawing all living things in its wake and proceeding in an orderly
> and rhythmic sequence:
> Wood > Fire > Earth >
> Metal > Water
> New Yang Full yang balanced yin & yang new yin
> full yin
> spring summer late summer
> fall winter
> Like yin and yang, the Five elemental energies maintain their internal
> harmony through a system of mutual checks and balances known as 'creative'
> and 'control' cycles. Both these cycles, which counteract and balance one
> another, are in constant operation, maintaining the dynamic fields of polar
> forces required to move and transform energies. The creative cycle is one
> of generation, like the relationship between mother and child. Water
> generates Wood by nourishing its growth; Wood generates Fire by providing
> its fuel; Fire generates Earth by fertilizing it with ashes; Earth yields
> Metal by extraction and refinement; Metal becomes liquid like Water when it
> is melted.
> The opposite force is the control cycle, a relationship of subjugation
> similar to that between the victor and the vanquished in battle. The
> Internal Medicine Classic describes the control cycle as follows:
> Wood brought into contact with Metal is felled;
> Fire brought into contact with Water is extinguished;
> Earth brought into contact with Wood is penetrated;
> Metal brought into contact with Fire is dissolved;
> Water brought into contact with Earth is halted.
>
> Whenever a particular elemental energy grows too strong, it tends to exert
> an excessively stimulating influence over the following element in the
> creative cycle, like a domineering mother over a child, and at this point
> the element which controls the excessive energy kicks in to subjugate it and
> restore harmony. For example, if Wood flourishes to excess, providing so
> much fuel that Fire burns out of control, Metal steps in to cut down the
> supply of Wood and thereby re-establish normal balance. The creative and
> control cycles maintain constant harmony and balance among the Five
> elemental Energies.
>
> [Image]
Gabriel
>
> Is anybody here familiar with the Chinese 5 Elements system? I've been
> searching for Reiki experts who know about it, but it seems that none of
> them are familiar with Traditional Chinese Medicine whatsoever.
>
> If you do, please let me know, I could use your help.
>
I work with the system of five elements almost every day. But I am far from
the point where I would say I know even the tenth part of what there is to
know. If I am able to help you, I'll try.
The system of the five elements is absolutely contained in Reiki in as far
as the basic positions cover most important points of access.
Lee
I need to know what kinds of crystals are associated with each element. Can
you help?
Gabriel
Can you help?
First of all let me give you this link.
http://www.topica.com/lists/Letter-from-China/ Dagmar Riley knows oodles
about the elements and medicine. I only work with them through Shiatsu. Here
are my two pennies' worth.
Crystals are basically Earth-Late Summer. A far as I know There is no
chinese crystal lore as we have it in the West. Okay, there are various
reasons to use Jade or Turquoise but it's different. What you *can* is to
use the crystals according to their colour taking their relative hardness or
the mood the create into consideration as well. So you could choose (as an
example!)
Water:
winter
black/darkblue
Onyx, LapisLazuli, Black Tormaline etc.
but also the Salt Sea Pearl for sadness, desperation and silence
Wood:
spring
green
Pertrified Wood, Emerald, Green Jade, Chryso-whatever, Verdelith etc.
Olivine (Peridot) is good too, for the release of old (winter) toxins and
the desire to bring on the new life
Fire:
high summer
red/ fiery orange
Fire Opal, Cinnabar, Ruby, Rubellite etc.
Red Agates, if you can find them....
Earth
late summer
orange/yellow/earthy brown
Imperial Topas, Elbaite, Amber, Jasper?, Citrine (real and not baked
Amethyst!) I often use Lingams and Sandstone
Metal
autumn
white
Crystal, Diamonds, White Marble.....Granite as a transition to Winter/Water
CHAMUNDI
circumstances; 1.air, water, fire earth, wood. 2.air, water, fire earth, gold.
3.air, water, fire earth, metal. Personally use the 5 elements air, water,
fire, earth and space but the system I use is not Chinese.
BB, bH
Chamundi
Amelia T. Smith
Five Elements in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Amelia
--
<father...@mindspring.com>
Ask me about 5-element Shiatsu.
Gabriel
Intestine
Stuart Vernon
Gabriel wrote:
> metal and air have the same qualities in this connection.
> Lung/Large Intestine
While we're on this sort of relevant subject, I'm of the impression
that certain times of day relate to certain organs ... one of which I
seem to be aware of is that between 11am and 1pm is 'heart' time ..
I ask because I do disciplined self-treats twice daily .. before going
to sleep and on waking ...
The qualitative difference is quite amazing in that the first is a cool,
sort of ethereal experience and the second, as soon as I start the
self-treat, I begin to sweat buckets .. and how ..
And no, I wasn't pissed before I went to bed, and no, it's nothing to
do with the central heating timer or the duvet or Xena on the bed ... I've
already analysed that ... :)
So are mornings more focussed on the physical as opposed to the
mental?
Opinions?
Stuart
Marie I Cochran
Evenings Reiki is mellower, not as intense, but just as 'strong'
Mornings Reiki is like a flame-thrower! And I seem to get energized and
emerge more alert than if I have to get up and take on a project after an
evening self-Reiki session.
I don't know if this has to do with 'heart' or not... haven't thought of it
that way.
Blessings
Marie O:-)
sue
>While we're on this sort of relevant subject, I'm of the impression
>that certain times of day relate to certain organs ... one of which I
>seem to be aware of is that between 11am and 1pm is 'heart' time ..
>
>I ask because I do disciplined self-treats twice daily .. before going
>to sleep and on waking ...
>
>The qualitative difference is quite amazing in that the first is a cool,
>sort of ethereal experience and the second, as soon as I start the
>self-treat, I begin to sweat buckets .. and how ..
>
>And no, I wasn't pissed before I went to bed, and no, it's nothing to
>do with the central heating timer or the duvet or Xena on the bed ... I've
>already analysed that ... :)
>
>So are mornings more focussed on the physical as opposed to the
>mental?
In the type of acupressure I'm learning, we use the 5 element theory for
treatments. One of the `rules' (there are several, but none are written in
stone, it all depends ;->) is that you treat the meridian opposite on the
clock to the one giving you problems at the same time of day as the one you
have problems with. So for heart, you would treat its opposite, the gall
bladder, during the morning hours. The heart is weaker from 11pm-1am, so
maybe
it's clearing or too much during the evening.
Don't know if this added anything or not...... <g>
namaste, sue
Gabriel
<<So are mornings more focussed on the physical as opposed to the
<<mental?
TCM doesn't make any differentiation between physical and mental. You as a
human are one, and therefore both at the same time.
Stuart Vernon
> TCM doesn't make any differentiation between physical and mental.
> You as a human are one, and therefore both at the same time.
Oh Gabes .... you're splitting hairs ... be careful ... you haven't got too many
of them ... :)
Yes, of course, but there's a waxing and waning n'est-ce pas? In flux, as
it were?
Stuart
Stuart Vernon
sue wrote:
> In the type of acupressure I'm learning, we use the 5 element
> theory for treatments. One of the `rules' (there are several, but
> none are written in stone, it all depends ;->) is that you treat
> the meridian opposite on the clock to the one giving you problems
> at the same time of day as the one you have problems with. So for
> heart, you would treat its opposite, the gall bladder, during the
> morning hours. The heart is weaker from 11pm-1am, so maybe it's
> clearing or too much during the evening.
Interesting ....
> Don't know if this added anything or not...... <g>
More bifurcated thought process ... thanks ... :)
Stuart
Gabriel
too <<many of them ... :)
uhm, yes?
<<Yes, of course, but there's a waxing and waning n'est-ce pas? In flux,
as
<<it were?
Hun, duh I don't get it. What I was talking about, was that to TCM it
doesn't make sense to talk about physical versus mental. For instance: in
TCM the ability to learn from experience, harvests, late summer, the colour
yellow, the sweet taste, singing to relieve tension, the gift of taste as
such, nourishing actions, the element earth, the fleshy parts of the body,
the spleen meridian and the spleen itself are the same thing.
AND if I split hairs I have twice as many of them then don't I??
--
______________________________________________
http://www.gabrielsgarden.de
http://www.reiki-ryoho.de
______________________________________________
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt, and
Dance like you do when nobody's watching.
(anonymous)
Stuart Vernon
Gabriel wrote:
> > Oh Gabes .... you're splitting hairs ... be careful ... you
> > haven't got too many of them ... :)
>
> uhm, yes?
Well .. visibly anyway ... :)
> > Yes, of course, but there's a waxing and waning n'est-ce pas?
> > In flux, as it were?
>
> Hun, duh I don't get it. What I was talking about, was that to TCM
I wasn't talking about TCM; simply from an experiential experience .. I
expected an explanation ... :|
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious ..
> AND if I split hairs I have twice as many of them then don't I??
*If* you can find them in the first place, Oh Holy Hirsuteness ... ;)
Stuart
Constance Cook-Core
presents me with a to-do list that I had forgotten. Evening reiki prepares
me for rest and sleep. Same with a few other reiki friends that I've spoken
with.
ccc
"Marie I Cochran" <ma...@mygardenangel.com> wrote in message
news:3AC212DA...@mygardenangel.com...
KCHarvey
"Stuart Vernon wrote:
> While we're on this sort of relevant subject, I'm of the impression
> that certain times of day relate to certain organs ... one of which I
> seem to be aware of is that between 11am and 1pm is 'heart' time ..
The info I have is:
11am - 1pm Heart
1pm - 3pm Small Intestine
3pm - 5pm Bladder
5pm - 7pm Kidney
7pm - 9pm Pericardium
9pm - 11pm Triple Warmer
11pm - 1am Gallbladder
1am - 3am Liver
3am - 5am Lung
5am - 7am Large Intestine
7am - 9am Stomach
9am - 11am Spleen
Kent
Stuart Vernon
KCHarvey wrote:
Ah ... thank you very much, Kent ... :)
Stuart
Constance Cook-Core
I've been reading this thread, but I'm a bit confused.
Does this schedule imply that if someone has an ailment related to one of
the organs then the better time to treat them is around or within the
referenced time frame for the organ? Does this apply to each time zone
individually, or does it have to be offset from, say, GMT? Isn't the
pericardium the area around the heart, and why would it be different than
treating the heart? What the heck is a Triple Warmer? From the time frame,
I'm hoping it's like a triple Scotch at the end of the day ;-).
I feel awfully ignorant here, because I have never heard of body
parts/organs having their own time of day. Perhaps there is a book someone
can recommend that would fill in at least part of my great void of education
in this area.
Thank you!!
Namaste,
ccc
"Stuart Vernon" <st...@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
news:memo.20010330...@sandy.compulink.co.uk...
Amelia T. Smith
> Does this schedule imply that if someone has an ailment related to one of
> the organs then the better time to treat them is around or within the
> referenced time frame for the organ? Does this apply to each time zone
> individually, or does it have to be offset from, say, GMT? Isn't the
> pericardium the area around the heart, and why would it be different than
> treating the heart? What the heck is a Triple Warmer? From the time frame,
> I'm hoping it's like a triple Scotch at the end of the day ;-).
Oh Boy ... My understanding of Five-Element Theory is that what we're
seeing are names that we associate with organs, but which Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM) associates with Organ Systems (more a function
for some of those names than a particular organ) - so Triple Warmer is
actually sort of shorthand for The Three Burning Spaces. And the Three
Burning Spaces cover the area on our trunks from Collar bone to Pubic
bone. Essentially, IMO, it's the space(s) where all of our internal
organs reside.
And, yes, the Pericardium is a sack around the Heart. In TCM, those 12
"organs" are also considered "Officials", and have ... Titles. The
Pericardiums's title is "Heart Protector".
The times of day associated with the organs represents the Peak Time
for that organ function in accordance with their Five Element Correspondence.
I hope I am not adding to confusion ... see possible reference tome below.
> I feel awfully ignorant here, because I have never heard of body
> parts/organs having their own time of day. Perhaps there is a book someone
> can recommend that would fill in at least part of my great void of education
> in this area.
_Between_Heaven_and_Earth:_A_Guide_to_Chinese_Medicine_ by Harriet
Beinfield and Efrem Korngold. ISBN 0-345-37974-8 (Note: I haven't
finished this one, but I like what I've seen so far.)
My exposure to TCM has been through my schooling for Five Element
Shiatsu (as opposed to Zen Shiatsu, or Eclectic Shiatsu, or Some Other
Shiatsu). The texts used at my school (other than the manuals,
written/compiled by Faculty) are either Five Element Shiatsu specific,
or they are Acupuncture texts/references. I'm STILL trying to wrap my
mind around a lot of the theory, or let the theory insinuate itself
into my mind - not sure which is more appropriate!
I don't think ignorance on the part of someone who hasn't studied TCM
is unwarranted, or bad, Constance. <Deity> knows, I must plead
ignorance about much of Reiki! That's why I'm here, lurking on this
newsgroup ... (to learn about Reiki).
Amelia
Constance Cook-Core
complex, though.
Namaste,
ccc
"Amelia T. Smith" <father...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:3AC53360...@mindspring.com...
William H. Lambdin
> Does this schedule imply that if someone has an ailment related to one of
> the organs then the better time to treat them is around or within the
> referenced time frame for the organ? Does this apply to each time zone
Hello Connie; my sister.
No. Ch'i cycles through the body on a 24 hour rhythm for natural healing and
repair. You can treat them any time.
6 of the 12 primary meridians are yin, and the other 6 are yang.
> individually, or does it have to be offset from, say, GMT? Isn't the
> pericardium the area around the heart, and why would it be different than
The timezone makes no difference. Your natural body rhythms are re-set at
dawn.
Yes; the pericardium is the tissue around the heart.
The Heart meridian terminates on the little finger of the right hand.
The Pericardium meridian termines in the index finger of the right hand.
> treating the heart? What the heck is a Triple Warmer? From the time frame,
> I'm hoping it's like a triple Scotch at the end of the day ;-).
There is no physical organ associated with the triple warmer (triple heater)
meridian It allegedly controls the metabolism, and it terminates on the
fourth finger of the left hand.
> parts/organs having their own time of day. Perhaps there is a book someone
> can recommend that would fill in at least part of my great void of
education
> in this area.
The BEST illustrations of the 12 primary meridians, and 8 QI vessels (that I
have seen) is in "The Root Of Chinese Qigong" Dr. Jwing-Ming Yang. I do NOT
recommend this book for beginners. It has 13 different breathing patterns.
Some breathing patterns build Qi very quickly and leading to an overload.
ILY: Two Bears: Wah doh Ogedoda
Reiki Master/Teacher Seichim Master Shaman
CHAMUNDI
<father...@mindspring.com> writes:
>Interesting ... I've only "met" wood, fire, earth, metal, water as The
>Five Elements in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
>
I read too much!
BB, bH
Chamundi
Constance Cook-Core
Controversial Bookstore and see if I think there is merit in reading it, or
just buying it to have the diagrams around. I love learning about new-to-me
things.
Namaste,
ccc
"William H. Lambdin" <two_...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:9a3h6l$opj$1...@slb2.atl.mindspring.net...
Lee L.
"Gabriel" <char...@t-online.de> wrote in message
news:99uoav$sdr$04$1...@news.t-online.com...
Lee L.
Looking at 'your' model, I'd imagine the 'Space' element could basically be
summed up as Water (black, void, cold, fear, death, formless... all
characteristics of Water).
As for 'Air', I'm getting mixed signals on this one. Some say that it's the
same as Metal, while other say it's part of Wood. Looking at the process
"Metal becomes Water", this could mean (white) clouds condense and become
water which falls from the sky into the ocean (black). Of course, Wood
needs air to breathe, but in the control cycle 'Metal cuts Wood', which
might have something to do with 'breathing practice' (Chigung). Also,
'Earth contains Metal', which could also mean 'Earth contains Air'. Can
somebody elaborate?
Anyhow, just look at what the Chinese model provides and (please) tell us if
you find anything as tightly regimented as these '5 elements'...
(Which isn't gonna happen! So have faith in this one!)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The Five Energies
Physiological applications
An ancient Chinese adage says: 'A tree grows from the roots.' Yin and yang
and the Five Elemental Energies form the main roots in the Taoist tree of
health, and the entire edifice of traditional Chines medicine and physiology
is based upon the foundation of these energy principles.
The Five Elemental Energies and their cycles provide a practical working
model through which the interrelationships betwen the human body and the
natural environment may be understood and controlled. They also illuminate
the internal functional relationships between the body's various vital
organs and explain how external elements such as foods and medicinal herbs
influence the organs and their functions. All aspects of human health,
including physiology and pathology, diagnosis and therapy, are rooted in
this remarkably reliable system of polar forces and cyclic energy
transformations.
The traditional Chinese view of human physiology differs significantly from
the Western view in that the chinese have always focused attention on the
function rather than the form of the vital organs. The Western medical
practice of studying human physiology based upon anatomical locations of
various organs as revealed in dissected cadavers makes no sense to Chinese
physicians, because cadavers have no living energy and their organs are not
functional. how can a dead body reveal anything significant about the
dynamics of living energy? Furthermore, in addition to their biological
functions and anatomical locations, the Chinese concept of 'organs' aslo
includes the specific type of energy that infuses each organ, as well as the
energy meridians that channel organ energies to and from other parts of the
body.
Over the ages, Chinese physicians discoverd two fundamental principles which
govern the vital organs and regulate their functional relationships. The
first principle is that all the major organs are called zang or 'solid'
organs and are involved primarily in functions of 'collecting and storing'.
The matching yang organs are called fu or 'hollow organs' and deal mainly
with functions of 'movement and transformation'. There are six zang and six
fu, matched in six yin/yang pairs, and each one is regulated by one of the
Twelve Major Meridians.
The second principle is that each of the six pairs of organs is governed by
one of the Five Elemental Energies, with Fire controlling two pairs. The
creative and control cycles of these energies orchestrate the funcitonal
relationships between the organs and determine how external environmental
energies influence internal conditions. Internal conditions are in turn
reflected externally by the color, tone, and texture of 'the five apertures
and five tissues', such as eyes and ears, skin and hair, which thus provide
handy tools for diagnosing disease.
In the Chinese system, everything ultimately boils down to energy, a view
which modern Western physics is beginning to verify. Therefore, the Chinese
approach to human health and physiology accounts not only for the effects of
obvious visible substances such as microbes and toxins, blood and bile, but
also for the invisible and even more pervasive influences of emotions and
energies that have a direct impact on the human energy system. As the
energy therpaist Dr. John Veltheim puts it: 'Science tells us that
everything is energy and that matter is nothing more than energy in a
different form.' The Five Elemental Energies and their cycles provide an
intelligible formula for diagnosing and correcting the energy disorders that
lie at the root of most human ailments, and for taking preventive measures
to avoid such disruptions before they occur.
Since the chinese view differs so significantly from the conventional
Western view of human physiology, a brief review of each of the twelve vital
organ systems and their functions according to traditional Chinese medical
practice is in order here, so that Western readers may gain a proper working
perspective on the subject. We'll run through the organs according to the
Five Elemental Energies, first describing the associated 'solid' yin organs,
then its 'hollow' yang partner.
Heart: Fire-energy yin organ
The heart is called the 'King' of the organs. The Internal Medicine Classic
states: 'The heart commands all of the organs and viscera, houses the
spirit, and controls the emotions.' In Chinese, the word for 'heart' (hsin)
is also used to denote 'mind'. When the heart is strong and steady, it
controls the emotions; when it is weak and wavering, the emotions rebel and
prey upon the heart/mind, which then loses its command over the body.
Physiologically, the heart controls the circulation and distribution of
blood, and therefore all the other organs depend upon it for sustenance.
Thoughts and emotions influence the function of various organs via pulse and
blood pressure, which are controlled by the heart, where emotions arise.
Internally, the heart is functionally associated with the thymus gland,
which is located in the same caivty and forms a mainstay of the immune
system. Extreme emotions such as grief and anger have an immediate
suppressive effect on the immune system by inhibiting thymus function, a
phenomenon that has long been observed but little understood in Western
medicine.
Externally, the heart is related to the tongue, to which it is connected by
the heart muscle. The color and texture of the tongue thus reflect the
condition of the heart. Speech impediments such as stuttering and mutism
are often caused by dysfunction or imbalance in heart energy. Facial
complexion, which is a direct reflection of blood circulation, is also a
major external indicator of heart function. Fire energy makes the heart the
dominant organ of summer, during which season the heart must increase
circulation to the surface in order to dissipate excess body heat.
Small intestine: Fire-energy yang organ
Known as the 'Minister of Reception', the small intestine receives partially
digested food from the stomach and further refines it, separating 'the pure
from the impure', then assimilating the purified nutrients and moving the
impure wastes onwards to the large intestine for elimination. Associated
with the heart by Fire energy, the small intestine controls the more basic
emotions, as reflected in the Chinese term duan chang ('broken intestines'),
which is equivalent to the English term 'broken heart'. Its energy meridian
runs into the head, where it influences the function of the pituitary gland,
the 'master gland' whose secretions regulate growth, metabolism, immunity,
sexuality, and the entire endocrine system.
Liver: Wood-energy yin organ
The liver is called the 'General' or 'Chief of Staff' and is responsible for
filtering, detoxifying, nourishing, replenishing, and storing blood. The
liver stores large amounts of sugar in the form of glycogen, which it
releases into the blood stream as glucose whenever the body requires extra
infusions of metabolic energy. The liver receives all amino acids extracted
from food by the small intestine and recombines them to synthesize the
various forms of protein required for growth and repair of bodily tissues.
The liver controls the peripheral nervous system, which regulates muscular
activity and tension. the inability to relax is often caused by liver
dysfunction or imbalance in Wood energy. Liver energy also controls
ligaments and tendons, which together with muscles regulate motor activity
and determine physical coordination. Liver function is reflected externally
in the condition of finger- and toenails and by the eyes and vision. Blurry
vision is often a result of liver malfunction rather than an eye problem,
and even Western medicine recognizes the symptomatic yellow eyes of liver
jaundice.
Through its association with Wood energy, the liver governs growth and
development, drive and desires, ambitions and creativity. Obstruction of
liver energy can cause intense feelings of frustration, rage, and anger, and
these emotions in turn further disrupt liver energy and suppress liver
function, in a vicious self-destructive cycle.
Gallbladder: Wood-energy yang organ
Known as the 'Honorable Minister', the gall bladder is in charge of the
'Central Clearing Department'. It secretes the pure and potent bile fluids
required to digest and metabolize fats and oils, and its energy provides
muscular strength and vitality. It works with the lymphatic system to clear
toxic by-products of metabolism from the muscular system, thereby
eliminating muscular aches and fatigue. In the chinese system, the common
tension headache is caused by obstruction in the gall-bladder meridian,
which runs up over the shoulders and back of the neck to the top of the head
and forehead. Hence such headaches are usually accompanied by neck and
shoulder tension.
The gall bladder governs daring and decisiveness. In Chinese, the word for
'daring' is da dan ('big gall'). The English language also acknowledges
this psychophysiological relationship with the phrase 'a lot of gall'. An
old chinese adage states: 'The gall bladder is daring, the heart is
careful', which reflects the stimulating generative influence of Wood to
Fire.
Spleen and pancreas: Earth-energy yin organ
In Chinese medicine, the function of the spleen organ-energy system includes
the pancreas. Called the 'Minister of the Granary', the spleen and pancreas
control extraction and assimilation of nutrients from food and fluids by
providing the digestive enzymes and energy required by the stomach and small
intestine. They regulate the quantity and quality of blood in circulation
and coordinate with the kidneys to control fluid balance throughout the
system. Spleen energy commands extraction of energy from stomach to lungs,
where it is blended with energy from air to form True Human Energy. The
spleen directly influences and is reflected by the tone and condition of
muscle tissue. Weak limbs and muscluar atrophy are indications of deficient
spleen energy.
Spleen and pancreas condition is reflected externally by the color and tone
of the lips: reddish moist lips indicate strong spleen function; pale dry
lips are a sign of weak spleen function. the mouth is the spleen's external
aperture, and temperamental moodiness is its associated emotion. The
Chinese term for 'bad temper' is 'bad spleen energy', a psychophysiological
association also reflected in the English term 'splenetic'.
Stomach: Earth-energy yang organ
The stomach is called the 'Minister of the Mill' and is also known as the
'Sea of Nourishment'. Because it is responsible for providing the entire
system with postnatal energy from the digestion of food and fluids, it is
regarded as the 'Root of Postnatal Life'. In addition to digesting bulk
foods and fluids and moving them onwards to the small intestine for
extraction and assimilation of nutrients, the stomach also extracts pure
postnatal energy from foods and fluids, and in coordination with spleen
energy it transports this food energy through the meridian system to the
lungs, where it combines with air energy from breathing. This is a function
of the stomach not acknowledged in Western medicine, which focuses only on
the biochemistry of digestion and does not recognize the bioenergetic
aspect.
Governed by pivotal Earth energy, the stomach is responsible for extracting
and balancing all Five Elemental Energies from foods and fluids ingested
through the mouth, which it shares with the spleen as its external aperture.
Any dysfunction of the stomach results in an immediate deficiency or
imbalance in the nourishing energy channelled from the stomach to other
organs.
Lungs: Metal-energy yin organ
Known as the 'Prime Minister', the lungs control breath and energy and
assist the 'King' heart with the circulation of blood. The Internal
Medicine Classic states: 'Energy is the commander of blood; when energy
moves, blood follows. Blood is the mother of energy; where blood goes,
energy follows.' This intimate relationship between breath and pulse, blood
and energy, is the basis of Chinese breathing exercises.
Breathing controls cellular respiration, and shallow irregular breathing is
therefore a major cause of low vitality and insufficient metabolism. The
lungs also control the skin, which 'breathes' via the opening and closing of
pores and is responsible for adjusting body temperature through persperation
and shivering. The skin is where the radiant energy of resistance emanates,
forming the first line of defence against noxious environmental energies
such as heat and cold. Flu and the common cold are caused by impairment of
radiant skin energy's capacity to resist external invasion, and symptoms of
these diseases usually settle in the lungs and bronchial tract. Pallid skin
and poor complexion are common indications of weak lungs. The nose is the
external aperature of the lungs and the gate of breath. A clogged or runny
nose is another indicator of ailing lungs.
Breathing directly controls the autonomous nervous system, and this
relationship is the basis for almost every system of yoga and meditation.
By regulating the autonomous nervous system and governing energy and pulse,
breathing forms a direct bridge between body and mind and may be utilized to
keep the two in balance.
Large intestine: Metal-energy yang organ
The large intestine is called the 'Minister of Transportation'. It controls
the transformation of digestive wastes from liquid to solid state and
transports the solids onwards and outwards for excretion through the rectum.
It plays a major role in the balance and purity of bodily fluids and assists
the lungs in controlling the skin's pores and persperation.
Coupled with the lungs by Metal enrgy, the large intestine depends on the
lungs for movement via the expansion and contraction of the diaphragm, which
works like a pump to give impetus to peristalsis by regulating abdominal
pressure. Thus sluggish bowels may be stimulated and constipation cured by
deep diaphragmic breathing and by tonifying lung energy. Conversely,
congested lungs and clogged bronchial passages may be cleared by purging the
bowels.
Kidney: Water-energy yin organ
Known as the 'Minister of Power', the kidney is regarded as the body's most
important reservoir of essential energy. The original prenatal energy (yuan
chee) which forms the basis of life is stored in the kidney organ-energy
system, which is why the kidneys are also known as the 'Root of Life'. In
the Chinese view, the kidney organ system also includes the adrenal glands,
which consist of the adrenal medulla and the adrenal cortex. These glands
sit like hats on top of the kidneys and secrete a wide range of essential
hormones that regulate metabolism, excretion, immunity, sexual potency and
fertility. Destruction of the adrenal cortex is fatal. The kidney system
also includes what the chinese call the 'external kidneys': the testicles in
men and the overies in women. Thus the kidneys control sexual and
reproductive functions and provide the body's prime source of sexual
vitality, which the Chinese regard as a major indicator of health and
immunity.
The kidneys themselves are responsible for filtering waste metabolites from
the blood and moving them onwards to the bladder for excretion in urine.
Along with the large intestine, the kidneys control the balance of fluids in
the body. In addition, they regulate the body's acid-alkaine balance (pH)
by selectively filtering out or retaining various minerals.
The kidneys, particularly the adrenal glands, are especially vulnerable to
damage from excessive stress and sexual abuse. In the Chinese view, such
damage is a major cause of immune deficiency, low vitality, and sexual
impotence.
The kidneys control the growth and development of bones and nourish the
marrow, which is the body's source of red and white blood cells. Weak
kidney energy is therefore a prime cause of anemia and immune deficiency.
The Chinese view the spinal cord and the brain as forms of marrow, and
therfore poor memory, inability to think clearly, and backache are all
regarded as indicators of impaired kidney function and deficient kidney
energy.
Kidney vitality is reflected externally by the condition of head and body
hair and is associated with the aperture of the ears. Tinnitus (ringing
ears) is thus a sign of kidney dysfunction. The kidneys are the seat of
courage and willpower, and therefore any impairment in kidney energy results
in feelings of fear and paranoia. Intense fear can cause involuntary
urination, a phenomenon also known to Western medicine.
Bladder: Water-energy yang organ
The bladder is called the 'Minister of the Reservoir' and is responsible for
storing and excreting the urinary waster fluids passed down from the
kidneys. As an organ the bladder has only this function, but as an energy
system the bladder is intimately related to the funtions and balance of the
autonomous nervous system. That's because the bladder energy meridian runs
along the back of the body from head to heal, with two parallel branches
flowing along each side of the spinal column. These four branches of the
bladder meridian exert a direct influence on the sympathetic and
parasympathetic trunks of the autonomous nervous system, whose condition of
modern life, overactivates the sympathetic system, causing tension and pain
along the spine and its periphery. This tension and pain may be relieved by
stimulating the flow of energy along the spinal branches of the bladder
meridian. such stimulation induces total relaxation by switching the
autonomous nervous system over to the restful, restorative parasympathetic
mode. Chinese massage therpay focuses primarily on these four spinal
branches of the baldder meridian because of their direct influence over the
autonomous nervous system, which regulates all the body's basic vital
functions.
Pericardium: Fire-energy yin organ
Known as the 'King's Bodyguard', the pericardium is the heart's protective
sack. Although it is not recognized as an organ in Western physiology, it
is regarded in chinese medicine as a Fire-energy organ whose psecial
function is to protect the heart. Not only does the pericardium provide the
heart with physical protection, its energy also protects the heart from
damage and disruption by excessive emotional energies generated by the other
organs, such as anger from the liver, fear from the kidneys, and grief from
the lungs. In the Chinese system of health, extreme outbursts of the Seven
Emotions are regarded as powerful disruptors of internal energy balance and
major causes of disease. Without the pericardium to protect it, the heart
would be subject to injury from the radical fluctuations in energy caused by
every emotional up and down of the day.
The pericardium also helps regulate circulation in the major blood vessels
that run in and out of the heart. Emotionally, pericardium energy is
related to the loving feelings associated with sex, thereby linking the
physical and emotional aspects of sexual activity. It does this by moderati
ng the raw sexual energy of the kidneys with the all embracing love
generated by the heart.
Triple burner: Fire-energy yang organ
This organ-energy system, which is not recognized in Western physiology, is
called the 'Minister of Dykes and Dredges' and is responsible for the
movement and transformation of various solids and fluids throughout the
system, as well as for the production and circulation of nourishing energy
(ying chee) and protective energy (wei chee). It is not a single
self-contained organ, but rather a functional energy system involved in
regulating the activities of other organs. It is composed of threee parts,
known as 'burners', each associated with one of the body's three main
cavities: thorax, abdomen, and pelvis. An ancient Chinese medical text
states: 'The Upper Burner controls intake, the Middle Burner controls
transformation, the Lower Burner controls elimination.'
The Upper Burner runs from the base of the tongue to the entrance to the
stomach and controls the intake of air, food, and fluids. It harmonizes the
functions of heart and lungs, governs respiration, and regulates the
distribution of protective energy to the body's external surfaces.
The Middle Burner runs from the entrance to the stomach down to its exit at
the pyloric valve and controls digestion by harmonizing the functions of
stomach, spleen, and pancreas. It is responsible for extracting nourishing
energy from food and fluids and distributing it via the meridian system to
the lungs and other parts of the body.
The Lower Burner runs from the pyloric valve down to the anus and urinary
tract and is responsible for separating the pure from the impure products of
digestion, absorbing nutrients, and eliminating solid and liquid wastes. It
harmonizes the functions of liver, kidney, bladder, and large and small
intestines and also regulates sexual and reproductive functions.
Some medical researchers believe that the Triple Burner is associated with
the hypothalamus, the part of the brain which regulates appetite, digestion,
fluid balance, body temperature, heartbeat, blood pressure, and other basic
autonomous functions.
While each organ in the body has its own unique structure, anatomical
location, and biological activity, it is their functional interaction as a
complete organic system that countes in the Chinese system of health care.
Harmony among the Five Elemental Energies of the organs and balance between
their yin and yang aspects form the foundation for health and vitality,
while functional disharmony and energy imbalance are the prime causes of
disease and debility. Unlike modern Western medicine, which treats diseases
of individual organs based upon isolated symptomatic disorders, Chinese
diagnosis and therapy are based on the functional interrelationships between
all the organs as a whole system, in which diseases are often traced to root
causes far removed from where the obvious symptoms appear. Focusing on
funciton rather than form requires a thorough understanding of how the human
energy system operates, and this in turn enables the physician to track down
root causes of disease and effect lasting cures, rather than simply
providing symptomatic relief.
Just as each season and each organ is governed by one of the Fice elemental
Energies, so each medicinal herb in the Chinese pharmacopoeia is associated
primarily with one of the Five Energies, and this association is indicated
by the herbs' dominant flavor. The energy and flavor of the herb determine
its 'natural affinity' (gui jing) for the organ associated with the same
energy, as well as its therapeutic effect on that organ, as follows:
Wood > sour > astringent > liver-gall
bladder
Fire > bitter > energizing >
heart-small intestine
Earth > sweet > detoxifying >
stomach-pancreas-spleen
& balancing
Metal > pungent > dispersing >
lungs-large intestine
Water > salty > diuretic >
kidneys-bladder
The Five Flavors are also used in traditional Taoist 'Five Elements'
cooking, which combines various foods and condiments according to the
creative and control cycles of the Five Elemental Energies and their natural
affinities with associated organs. Thus sour foods are prescribed for weak
livers but proscribed for overactive livers, owing to their affinity for the
Wood energy of the liver. Pungent Metal-energy foods stimulate the lungs
and large intestine, salty Water-energy foods have a diuretic effect on the
kidneys and bladder, and so forth.
sue
>Hello Stuart,
>Just letting you know that the pancreas is also associated with the spleen
>and they are often listed together(spleen/pancreas)
>Also, the Pericardium has many times been reffered to as "Circulation Sex"
>meridian (circ.sex), but I don't remember ever seeing them together...?
>
>Can any officials in the house tell me; is it Triple Warmer (TW), Triple
>Heater (TH), or Triple Burner (TB) ?
>I'm quite sure it's not the last one...
It's any and/or all of those... including the last one. The idea is that
it's
connected to the body's `thermostat', regulating body temperature.
>Did you know that the Chinese consider the brain as another form of marrow,
>since it is, afterall, a connective tissue inside a 'hollow bone'..?
Interesting...
namaste, sue
>> The info I have is:
>>
>> 11am - 1pm Heart
>> 1pm - 3pm Small Intestine
>> 3pm - 5pm Bladder
>> 5pm - 7pm Kidney
>> 7pm - 9pm Pericardium
>> 9pm - 11pm Triple Warmer
>>
>> 11pm - 1am Gallbladder
>> 1am - 3am Liver
>> 3am - 5am Lung
>> 5am - 7am Large Intestine
>> 7am - 9am Stomach
>> 9am - 11am Spleen
>>
>> Kent
sue
>"Metal becomes Water", this could mean (white) clouds condense and become
>water which falls from the sky into the ocean (black).
It's usually thought of as the metal collecting or attracting water, like
dew
forming on a mirror out in the open.
Of course, Wood
>needs air to breathe, but in the control cycle 'Metal cuts Wood', which
>might have something to do with 'breathing practice' (Chigung).
And a metal ax cuts wood.
Your ideas are a bit more `flowery' than a practical application of the
control cycle, but there may be some merit to them.
Just got Daniel Reid's book; am looking forward to reading it.
namaste, sue
Lee L.
Air is in placed relation to the elements.
This just in....
There are always two sides to Control
Water Harnesses & Extinguishes Fire
Wood Splits Opens and Holds the Earth
Fire Melts & Tempers Metal
Earth Absorbs and Holds Back Water
Metal Splits Open and Fastens Wood.