09/09/2026
The caption is where it gets good 👇
Examples! I should give you examples. It’s so rich it’s hard to break down without opening a wonderfully complex can of worms.
Each element is associated with an organ and its biological processes:
Fire = Heart / small intestine / triple burner
Earth = Spleen / Stomach
Metal = Lungs / Large intestine
Water = Kidneys, urinary bladder (and reproductive system)
Wood = Liver / gallbladder
***But really we’re talking about DYNAMICS - movement - that’s why it’s a bit more accurate to call them the 5 phases than the 5 elements - they’re 5 phases of transformation. When in harmony they fuel and counterbalance each other, when out of harmony, we see certain elements flare or diminish. If there is not enough water to control fire, we might see hot flashes, racing heart, headaches, insomnia, irritability. If wood is having trouble moving into fire, we might see nightmares, indecision, pain. If wood is overacting on earth we will likely see digestive upset in response to stress, acid reflux, bloating. If metal and water are out of whack we might see edema/swelling, shortness of breath, urinary issues, fatigue.
It’s a lens or way of looking at and understanding physiology and pathology in Chinese medicine. And it’s a really effective way of understanding and treating “subclinical” issues that mystify western medicine because it’s not severe enough yet to show up on labs, but you’re still feeling “off” and can’t explain why or know what to do to feel better. You are not broken, you do make sense, we are all a puzzle but that’s not a bad thing and we have just the tools to figure it out.
