Five Element Theory & Framework
The ancient Chinese 3,000 years ago began the practice of acupuncture by observing the laws of nature and understood that the fundamental elements of nature – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water, create life's natural order.
The Five Element framework is ancient and Universal in what it embodies. It reflects a deep understanding of natural law, the Universal order underlying all things in our world.
Each of the Five Elements include categories such as a season, a direction, climate, stage of growth and development, emotion, taste, colour, sound etc. The Five Elements also include the internal organs in the human body, and the interconnected relationships between them.
This multi-dimensional view of life offers a diagnostic framework to recognise where imbalances—body, mind, emotions, and spirit lie.
Recognising Imbalance
Your Body is a Nature Reserve, Not a Machine.
Just as nature has seasons, your body has an internal climate. When your 'Wood' is parched or your 'Fire' is too high, you feel it as irritability, insomnia, or chronic pain.
While we embody all the Five Elements in us, there is only one ‘Guardian Element’ - the root of your constitution that defines you as you. When your ‘Guardian Element’ is nurtured, your body’s natural abilitiy to heal itself from stress and chronic pain is unlocked.
WOOD
The Surge of Growth
Do you feel ‘stuck’ or frustrated?
Usually shows as tension or migraines
FIRE
The Spark of Life
Do you feel ‘burnt out’ or joyless?
Often shows as insomnia or anxiety
METAL
The Breath of Life
Are you a ‘perfectionist’ who can’t let go?
Usually shows as skin issues or a lack of inspiration
EARTH
The Centre of Stability
Do you an ‘over-thinker’ who feels depleted?
Often shows as overthinking or bloating
WATER
The Source of Will
Are ‘running on empty’ and feeling fearful?
Usually shows as back pain or deep fatigue