Five Element Theory

The Five Element Theory is a main pillar of Chinese Medicine that categorizes and classifies natural phenomenon. It is the fundamental concept of Chinese culture including medicine, arts, Tai Chi, Feng Shui, and more. This Chinese method of thinking reflects the Taoist Philosophy of the idea that there are five fundamental energies within nature, or the Tao.

The Five Element perspective suggests that everything in nature can be classified into

Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, & Earth.

This theory can be used to categorize the seasons of nature, the cycle of a day, the stages of human life, or the state of one’s health. Since the human is a microcosm of nature, all five of these energies show up in every human physically, mentally, and emotionally. Each element is associated with a specific theme, part of the body, organ, emotion, virtue, etc. For example, Fire is represented by summer, the color red, a bitter taste, the emotion love, and the Heart. On the other hand, Water is symbolized with winter, the color blue, a salty taste, the emotion fear, and the Kidneys.

The elements play an important role to each other and when in balance allow for overall health and well-being. Although an appropriate balance of these five energies is important for health, any element can be imbalanced when it becomes over or under active and cause symptoms of dysfunction or disease. In this way of thinking, Chinese Medicine practitioners assess client’s health based upon each person’s individual current state through the lens of the Five Elements, and then treat accordingly.

Although we all have each of the five elements within us, the theory suggests that everyone has a dominant element, or constitutional type, that represents one's overall way of being. Similar to your astrological sign or human design, constitutional types are a blueprint of how we show up in this world. Each constitutional type has it’s own set of gifts, as well as challenges- which makes knowing your specific type an empowering and clarifying experience.

In future posts, we'll dive deeper into how each of these elements may show up for you, how to determine if an element is imbalanced, how to find your constitutional type, and more!

Moxibustion

What is moxibustion?

Moxibustion, or moxa, is a Chinese Medicine modality in which the herb mugwort is burned near an acupoint. This therapy predates acupuncture and was first used during the Han Dynasty as early as 206BC to dispel diseases from cold and dampness. Moxa can be applied in several techniques including burning loose mugwort, burning a tightly rolled mugwort stick, or using a wooden box to trap mugwort smoke over a larger area.

What is mugwort?

Mugwort is an herb from the daisy family that grows wild in temperate climates all over the world. It is traditionally harvest during a very potent yang cycle: 3rd & 5th lunar day of the 3rd & 5th lunar month. It has been done this way for thousands of years in order to preserve the most optimal properties of mugwort, which are warming, bitter, and acrid. Studies show mugwort contains medicinal oils, minerals, and vitamins that act as a nervine (calms nervous system), tonic (nourishes blood & energy), febrifuge (reduces fever), and emmenagogue (stimulates menstruation by increasing blood flow to the pelvic area).

How does moxa work? 

Moxa works by the law of thermodynamics- an object doesn’t possess heat, but rather ‘internal energy’. Therefore, moxibustion transfers heat into the tissues to increase the internal energy of the body. The heat generated by the combustion of the herb stimulates the point to regulate blood, fluid, and energy flow throughout the myofascial channel. Moxa invigorates the blood, dissolves stagnation, grounds energy downward, warms the body systematically, and helps to get rid of excess fluid retention. It’s not that the moxibustion heals the body, but rather it gives the body what it needs to heal itself. 

What does moxa treat?

Moxibustion has been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of conditions and ailments. Moxa can be beneficial for treating musculoskeletal pain/tension/swelling, digestive disorders, cold/flu/cough, weakened immune system, insomnia, anemia, arthritis, menstrual dysfunction, reproductive concerns, menopause symptoms, breech births, circulation or breathing issues, headaches, skin conditions, edema, and injuries to name a few. Moxa has an effect on the mental-emotional health as well by calming emotions and strengthening spirit, according to Ancient Chinese. They also believed moxibustion nourishes life and prevents disease, and modern studies have shown that it increases white blood cells, thus boosting immunity.

What to expect during a moxa treatment?

During the treatment, you will feel local heat over the point being treated, as well as heat radiating throughout the limbs, hands, feet, and entire body. You may also feel energy and blood flow as the warmth and circulation increases from the moxa. After the treatment, you should rest as much as possible, eat simple and light, avoid cold/raw foods, reduce stress and intense activity for 24 hours, and protect treated areas from wind/cold/heat/dampness exposure.

Moxa is generally a safe modality, but should only be applied by a trained professional. There are certain conditions in which moxa is not recommended. To include moxa therapy in your session, book an appointment with me and we’ll add it to your treatment!

Stillness & Movement

A glimpse of this morning’s juicy practice. A little stretchy, some movement, and lots of stillness.

This dynamic between movement and stillness is something the Doaists deeply studied to embody. Zuowang, which means sitting and forgetting, is what most people think of when they hear meditation. There is no goal or purpose besides stillness, and it’s a way of unlearning unnecessary movement of the body and mind. Another type of meditation is called Jindan, or Golden Elixir. During Jindan, the body (Jing) is quiet but the mind (Shen) is engaged. The body is structurally aligned and empty of intent or the desire to move. However the spatial mind (not the ego, but our perception of space) is active: we give attention to or feel into the space that the body occupies. Keeping that sensation, we spread awareness to the open space that extends in all directions, until the edges of the expanding universe. What begins to reveal itself is the distillation between our body (Jing) and energy (Qi). The body can feeling floaty or tingly, space and time can become fluid because they are constructed by the mind- but the fruition of this practice is a sensation that goes beyond our typical senses.

This practice shows yourself to you, and provides you with information about what’s happening in your body. I do not practice to change myself, but rather to observe the changes that are occurring. This cultivation practice is not creating anything, but rather using the right conditions to reveal what’s already happening.

Sometimes my practice looks like this. Sometimes my practice is lying on the floor and staring at the ceiling. Sometimes it’s belting my favorite songs. Other times it’s solo dance parties. It can also be crying, screaming, punching a pillow. Or taking a walk in nature. I don’t limit my practice to a mat or cushion. My practice doesn’t start or stop.