Wednesday 7 February 2018

Wisdom from Traditional Chinese Medicine – the Five Elements Theory


- by Dr. David Coppola, Holistic Doctor, DC, Author
An excerpt from his book "The Wisdom of Emotions - Building Genuine 
Happiness and Finding Inner Peace," 

Traditional Chinese Medicine gives us what is known as the five elements 
theory to help us better understand the flow of qi (energy) and the flow of life. 
Presumably, the theory is about how to accept and appreciate change. The five 
elements theory presents us with an opportunity to reconnect to concepts 
associated with fire, earth, metal, water and wood. By learning the concepts that 
arise from the five elements theory, we can better shape our behaviors and more 
consistently perform acts of kindness and self-love in the New Year ahead.
The five elements are: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood.

Fire
The element of fire reveals to us the modus operandi for living a 
passionate, fun and exciting life. Fire is a source of rising energy to keep us 
enthusiastic and stimulated to learn and grow. The positive emotions associated 
with fire are joy and happiness. The Big Bang Theory, what can be likened to a 
giant explosion or ball of fire, helps us better understand the formation of this 
beautiful, breathing planet Earth. As we explode inside, our passions generate 
energy in the form of self-expression, and our passionate expression (our 
personality) spreads enthusiasm. Both our energy and our enthusiasm are 
capable of enlightening everyone who comes into contact with us.

Earth
The element of Earth reveals the challenging issues of self-worth and self-
trust. When we are focused on what we don't want, instead of what we do want, 
we tend to become overwhelmed with anxieties and worries. There develops an 
intense wanting for things to be different. This whirling sense of longing leads to 
the depths of hopelessness sooner or later. One of the secrets to building 
genuine happiness is simply being happy with what you already have. 
Imbalances in our Earth element lead to feelings of guilt or shame. Guilt and 
shame are a result of living by someone else's values. Bring yourself to accept 
and appreciate who you are and what you bring to this world. Find a way to love 
yourself unconditionally. This is a healing practice that will nourish your heart and 
soul, and help keep you balanced and grounded on this magnificent planet we 
call Earth. 

Metal
The metal element helps us tap into the characteristics of strength, 
durability, flexibility and longevity. Metal reminds us to be bright and shiny, which 
means to be smart and project a fun-loving, light-hearted attitude. Our immune 
system is linked to this element, so nurture your understanding of the concept of 
bending but not breaking. Viruses and bacteria will be opportunist when we are 
rigid and rusting with dogmatism.
The flexibility property of metal tells us to be open to what others have to 
contribute. When we are influenced by a hardened prejudice we are closed off 
from others and unable to embrace life—in this state, we inadvertently resist 
change. The characteristics and behaviors I am describing are warning signs 
telling us to let go and become more flexible with our views of what we consider 
 right or wrong.

Rumi's mystical poetic verse states this eloquently:
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
 there is a field. I'll meet you there. 
He goes on to say:
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about…
even the phrase "each other" doesn't make any sense.

Be less judgmental and let go of your dogmatic tendencies. Breathe new 
life as you become more aware of the benefits of accepting others' individuality 
and how we can cooperatively embrace each other's uniqueness. As we learn to 
accept others, we can truly appreciate our differences. As you become more 
accepting you start to be attracted to more and more people. Consequently, you 
welcome fresh, new relationships that help you learn and grow and ultimately 
feed your bliss.

Water
There is nothing on this earth that flows like water. When we think of the 
water element and what it can teach us, we need to acknowledge a sense of flow 
in daily life. Think about a tall cylindrical glass of water filled to the brim. Now, 
pour that water into a shallow bowl. If we look at the three-dimensional shape the 
water has taken, it now resembles a welcoming smile. The point is that it is the 
same water, just a different shape. This is a mental and visual lesson in 
authenticity. Water is true to itself; it adapts and flows like we do. Be yourself and 
act out of respect for yourself and those in your presence. There is nothing more 
beautiful in a human being than his or her ability to be authentic.

Wood
Picture yourself as if you are a tree. Your trunk is your body, you are 
rooted in your individuality, your branches are your friends and family, and your 
leaves are your experiences during this lifetime. Imagine now that these leaves are reflecting upon months of exposure to troubling times, stressful situations and 
lack of light in your life. Take a lesson from nature. Like the leaves fall in autumn 
so that new buds can blossom in the spring, so too can you let go of negative 
experiences and detrimental distractions that block you from feeling joy. Spring 
will come. You can, once again, thrive. The most important thing I'd like you to 
take from this discussion is the understanding that your leaves can be transient relationships, exposure to incidents, and touch-and-go moments of awareness. 
These are processes that take place daily and that foster life. Let go of things or 
situations that are out of your control.
Make the conscious choice to let go of anger, fear, resentment, hate, 
jealousy and desire for revenge. These negative emotions will only prevent you 
from blossoming into the kind-hearted, compassionate, healthy, hopeful and 
attractive human being you were designed to be.


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