The Five Elements

The below brief descriptions highlight some of the general correspondences and associations of the Five Elements. They show you places where the Five Elements can touch your life and give you awareness of when your life may be out of balance. Meridian Touch movements are a part of restoring balance to ones life when an elemental energy is not what it should be.

Earth

The Earth elements has its life associations, the emotions of worry and sympathy. It creates the spleen and the stomach organs. The season created by Earth is Indian summer and the colors created are brown, yellow and orange. Earth deals with our digestion, reproduction and nourishing capabilities. Are we being fed to a healthy satisfaction? Are we getting the love, nourishment, and attention that we need to feed our entire being? If we are hungry, or starving for what we need to be whole, our Earth element will be out of balance. The idea of “earthiness,” being grounded and secure are in the Earth element as well. The ability to be nurturing and compassionate are marks of a healthy Earth element in our lives.

Earth Meridian exercises aid in balancing the following:
Stomach and spleen ailments, digestive problems, menstrual problems, worry, feelings of instability, obesity

Metal

The Metal has its life associates, the emotions of grief and sorrow. It creates the lungs and the large intestines. The season created by Metal is autumn and the color created is white. Metal represents us in our capacity to let go. Our ability to draw in what we need and to let go when it is the proper time. After that special person is gone from our lives, do we still yearn and pine for them? Do we grieve in a health way and let go, or has grief consumed our lives? It also represents how we communicate, how we exchange the environment in both the animate and inanimate worlds.

Metal Meridian exercises aid in balancing the following:
Colds, allergies, respiratory problems, constipation, diarrhea, depression, grief, sorrow

Water

The water element has its life associations, the emotion of fear and phobic behavior. It creates the kidney and the bladder. The season created by Water is winter and the color created is black and blue-black. Water deals with purification and elimination. Being able to discern what we need from what we don’t, and allowing what doesn’t serve us to depart. Water is also our root, our source. It’s where we come from, our history, ancestors, and family. Our source is precious. It sustains us in every way. If we abuse our source, pollute the “water” from we drink, then we will suffer greatly on all levels. Are we burning the candle at both ends? Using excesses of food, drink, partying, sex and other stimulation to keep us going? If so, we will burn up our precious water source and shorten our lives.

Water Meridian exercises aid in balancing the following:
Kidney and bladder problems, swelling and bloating, high blood pressure, fear and anxiety, dryness of the body and joints

Wood

The Wood element has as its life associates, the emotions of anger and hostility. It creates the liver and the gall bladder. The season created by Wood is spring and the color created is Green. Wood deals with our planning and decision capabilities. Is our vision clear enough to make clear decisions and choices in our lives? If not, our Wood energy may need some tending to. Our creative side is also expressed in Wood, like the newness of life that issues forth in springtime. We are all creative beings. If we do not create, we die inside.

Wood Meridian exercises aid in balancing the following:
Liver and gallbladder ailments, arthritis, vision problems, migraine headaches, expressing or quieting anger

Fire

The Fire element has as its life associations, the emotions of joy and happiness. It creates the heart and the small intestines. The season created by Fire is summer and the color created is red. Fire deals with how we interpret and assimilate things that come into our lives. How we “take things to heart” and how we let those things affect us on every level. Fire also relates to our Spirit. Having Spirit is essential to any type of growth, change or healing. If you do not have the Spirit to believe in your healing, if you have “lost heart” in your struggle, change or healing for you is almost impossible. Have you lost your heart, your Spirit, your joy? Giving attention to your Fire needs will bring it back.

Fire Meridian exercises aid in balancing the following:
Blood and vascular concerns, speech impediments, digestive problems, lack of joy or warmth in your life, lack of or overabundance of sweating