The Five Elements are Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal. They represent the five seasons, qualities, or movements of Qi that govern the natural world.  We are conceived in the vast depth of Water as seeds gestate deep in the ground during Winter. We birth through the powerful motive force of Wood as seedlings push through the soil towards the light in Spring. Summer brings the fullness of flowering as we mature in Fire, and in Late Summer we enjoy the bounty of our labors in the harvest of Earth. When the leaves fall in Autumn,  we let go of what is not needed and appreciate what is of essential beauty and value, as symbolized by the precious ores of Metal.

 

Each element manifests in specific organs, pathways, physiological functions and attributes within our being.  They work interdependently in an elegant and systematic balance, each one nourishing and supporting the next in the cycle. When the energies of the Five Elements are functioning in harmony and balance within, we feel healthy and fully alive. When one or more of the elements move out of balance, symptoms may appear at any level: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

 

Recognizing that each individual is unique, we treat the core causative factor of imbalance, so each person with a similar symptom may receive very different treatment.

 

Five element practitioners see people not only as they present themselves in illness, but more importantly as they would be in perfect health and balance, in full discovery of their true nature, unique in body mind and spirit. Moving towards this then becomes the purpose of treatment.