The Five Element Theory in Relation to Mind, Body And Spirit

The Yin and Yang theory together with the Five-element theory constitutes the basis of Chinese medical theory. It is also thought to be Wu Xing, “Wu meaning five and Xing meaning movement. Each element corresponds to an organ meridian and each organ meridian corresponds to emotions, seasons, numbers, elementals, sound, color, direction, planet, animal, tissues, tastes, yin, yang, and spiritual aspect. See table:
Element
Wood
Fire
Earth
Metal
Water
Season
Spring
Summer
Late Summer
Fall/Autumn
Winter
Direction
East
South
Center
West
North
Color
Green
Red
Yellow
White
Black
Taste
Sour
Bitter
Sweet
Pungent(Spicy)
Salty
climate
Wind
Heat
Dampness
Dryness
Cold
Growth Phase, Development Stage
Birth
Growth, Puberty
Transformation, Maturity
Harvest, Retirement
Storage,Senility, Decay, Death
Number
8
7
5
9
6
Planet
Jupiter
Mars
Saturn
Venus
Mercury
Yin-Yang
Lesser Yang
Utmost Yang
Center
Lesser Yin
Utmost Yin
Animal
Fish
Bird
Human
Mammals
Shell-covered
Domestic Animal
Sheep
Fowl
Ox
Dog
Pig
Grain
Wheat
Beans
Rice
Hemp
Millet
Zang (Yin Organ)
LV-Liver
HT-Heart
SP-Spleen
LU-Lung
K-Kidney
Zang Function
Stores Blood regulates the flow of Qi; controls sinews
Governs Blood, controls blood vessels
Governs Transformation and transportation; controls blood, controls muscles, and the four limbs
Governs Qi and respiration, controls channels, and blood vessels, controls dispersing and descending, regulates water passages
Stores Jing-essence; governs birth, growth,reproduction and development produces marrow, fills the brain and controls bones, governs water, controls Qi reception
Emotion
Anger
Joy
Pensiveness
Grief
Fear, Terror, Fright
Spirit
Hun-Ethereal Soul
Shen-Mind
Yi-intellect
Po-Corporeal Soul
Zhi-Will
Related Fu (Yang Organ)
GB-Gallbladder
SI-Small Intestine
ST-Stomach
LI-Large Intestine
BL-Bladder
Fu Functions
Stores and excretes bile, controls judgement, controls sinews
Controls receiving and transforming separates fluids
Controls rotting and ripening of food, controls transportation of food essences and Qi descent
Receives from the Small Intestine reabsorbs good stuff and excretes bad stuff
Removes water by Qi transformation
Typical Sounds
Shouting
Laughing
Singing
Crying
Groaning
Opens Into Sense Organ
Eyes
Tongue
Mouth
Nose
Ears
Sense
Sight
Speech
Taste
Smell
Hearing
Tissue Governed
Sinews
Vessels
Flesh, Muscles
Skin, pores
Bones, Teeth "Marrow" (spinal cord, brain)
Related Bodily Action
Body Movement
Qi-Xue movement
Body Strength, power
Respiration, excretion
Stability (Physical & Mental)
Note/Tone
Jue-E
Zhi-G
Gong-C
Shang-D
Yu-A
Spirit Acupoint
Shentang-Spirit Hall-BL44
Yishe-Idea Abode-BL49
Pohu-BL42
Zhishi-Will Chamber-BL52
Hunmen-Soul Gate-BL47

Chinese elements were as basic constituents of matter and basic qualities of natural phenomena or movements, as well as basic constituents of nature as well. During the Warring States period it was immensely popular and was applied to medicine, astrology, the natural sciences, the calendar, music and even politics. Its popularity was such that most phenomena were classified in fives.[1] There are the five Shens, which means five spirits:
SHEN = FIRE
YI = EARTH
PO = METAL
ZHI = WATER
HUN = WOOD
Shen means mind and the mind is housed in the heart, the kidney houses the will but also the kidney essence jing determines the strength of the mind. If the kidney jing is weak it leads to a weak mind. If it is from pre-heaven jing than the person may be; mentally challenged or a poor memory, pre-mature graying of hair or impotent. Yi is intellect and that is housed in the earth or the stomach, and the spleen qi relates to pensiveness. Po means the corporeal Soul and is housed in the lungs. The lungs govern qi and respiration, when the lung qi is stagnant then it affects many organs especially the liver, which is responsible for the flow of Qi and storage of blood, as well as housing the Hun meaning the Ethereal Soul. Each element has a generating cycle (also known as the Mother-Child relationship) and a controlling cycle (also known as the Grandmother controlling the grandchild relationship) which when maintained results in a balance healthy individual. There are two pathological cycles that occur that promote disease or imbalances, called the Over-controlling and the Insulting phases. See chart:[2]

A patient with mental disturbances usually has a red tipped tongue signifying heat in the heart which house the mind. The eyes are usually murky or foggy signifying an imbalance usually in the kidneys, although the liver qi is responsible for the eyes. A problem with the eyes may be from another organ meridian imbalance. Water controls fire and fire insults water, if fire is out of balance it means that there is a possible deficiency in Heart yin and possible excess in heart yang. If a person also has signs of being paranoid and fearful it would also support this hypothesis. If the person is angry then it would be an imbalance in the wood. In the spiritual sense Fire deals with joy and ecstasy, the evils or imbalances would be excess fire to lead to a hyper personality, empty fire depression, deficiency sadness, panic, which would affect the lung qi. Wood is the element of creativity, hun or ethereal soul, creativity and manifestation. A person who stifles their creativity may show signs of anger and dissatisfaction, by stifling their creativity it also stifles the liver qi. They will be prone to phlegm in the lungs from the stagnation of liver qi. (Wood insults metal) To treat this patient it is best to treat the imbalances first and add the Shentang-spirit Hall BL44 for the spirit Acupoint, while inquiring about they creative outlets and encouraging a creative outlet. The gallbladder deals with the ability to make decisions and is related to the liver. It could be a possibility that the patient can’t make a decision about taking action on an idea in that situation the kidney should also be treated to strengthen the will and decrease the fear. A wo/man who has a loss of a spouse may have an imbalance of Lung qi usually a deficiency because of grief. This could result in heat in the lungs and phlegm (Fire over-controlling metal)
Along with the treatment for heat by tonifying, zhishi-will chamber BL52 and Hunmen-Soul Gate BL47, and a referral for a clinical counselor for grief should be given as well as, advisement to join more social groups. A stiff, staunched personality with a lot of repressive personality traits usually shows up in our bodies. This personality type usually has problems with flexibility physically as well as emotionally. Their life will have a lot of pains and traumas both physically and spiritually. It is very important to balance the mind in body but not only in exercise and eating right. But meditation, allowing yourself the ability to express your personality without repression from society or fear is very important. In my personal experience there was always a reason why I could not see my dream to of becoming a Acupuncturist and Oriental medicine practitioner come to fruition. Finally my body started to show the signs of stagnation of manifestation. I gained a lot of weight, and I had a heart attack, my health was very poor. But this year I made a list of goals I wanted to accomplish this year and my health is improving, as the list gets shorter and shorter as each thing manifests. One of those goals was to apply to Acupuncture school, it almost look like I was not going to get in and I was panicked about that but I decided I would not give up and that I would look for another school. But then I was accepted at the last minute and I was in a state of shock, since I had to change my whole life in a weekend. Consequently my Qi stagnated and my lungs developed phlegm and I had to be treated several times with acupuncture and herbs. I suffered from floats in my eyes, coughing up phlegm, night sweats, and lack of focus. But with the combination of the herbs and multiple acupuncture treatments, as well as my list getting smaller I am reaching back to balance. On my chart I have the correspondence for each spiritual point for each element, which can help, stimulate each element on the spiritual level but it is important to also to talk with the patient to find a solution that they can effect in their life to regain the balance they are lacking that has cause their imbalance. Many times the illness is a result of the family unit and the relationship interactions in that family unit. In that case it is best to separate the patient from that family unit to assist in relieving the imbalance and maintaining the harmonious balance.
[1] Foundations of Chinese Medicine, Giovanni Maciocia
[2] groups.yahoo.com/ChineseHealing/photos