When the Generative + Controlling Forces are balanced, there is health.
The Two Foundational Theories of
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Martial Arts:
1. Yin and Yang Theory
2. Five Element Theory
These two theories comprise a deep understanding of the interconnectedness shared between opposites, and the relationship of elemental qualities that emerge throughout the process of development and decay.
Everything in the material world can be categorized under the five elements in order to explain generational or oppositional relationship. From the base elemental generational flow, we can imagine the cycle of a Tree. When rain falls the WATER nourishes the roots of the tree and it grows from a bendy sapling to a strong trunk of WOOD, that eventually dries out and succumbs to FIRE which turns the tree to the ash that becomes the EARTH (or soil), which in turn over time can yield minerals and METAL which eventually repeats the cycle of receiving and giving Water to Wood to Fire to Earth to Metal, as in the pattern above.
10 minutes
Concise Introduction to a life altering concept.
The next two sections are important introductions for anybody interested in Mind & Body Health:
The Five Elements as they pertain to the Seasons, Organs & Emotions.
The Five Elements as they pertain to the Organs & Conscious Spirit.
The Wood Element
Spring is ruled by the Wood Element, and is the period when Winter meets Summer. This season is when every living thing in the natural world is vigorously growing and flourishing. It is a time between dormancy and activity, when Deepest Yin transitions into Bright Yang.
The preference for smooth free flow of Wood Element Qi in the body is driven by the Liver’s ability to take in emotion and blood, to filter, package, and disseminate accordingly.
The Liver rules the tendons, manifests in the nails, and opens to the eyes. It is affected by anger, frustration, and resentment.
The Fire Element
Summer is ruled by the Fire Element, and is the period when Spring meets Late Summer. This season is when the initial heights of creative expression is reached, when fruits mature. It is a time between puberty and achievement, when Early Yang has become Bright, but not yet reached Maximum Yang.
The spirit of the heart anchors consciousness within the material blood. Wherever blood travels, the message of the heart is heard; wherever blood has been, the heart receives the message. The nature of Fire is to ascend and expand, and this nature is witnessed as it pumps blood throughout our circulatory system.
The Heart rules the blood vessels, manifests in the face, and opens to the tongue. A troubled heart can show signs of anxiety, impulsivity and mania.
The Earth Element
Late Summer is ruled by the Earth Element, and is the period when Summer meets Autumn. This season is when maximum growth has been achieved, fruits are ready to be harvested, and Maximum Yang has reached its peak, and the energies shift towards Lesser Yin.
The Earth Element Qi is witnessed in the soil, as it decomposes and transforms leaves and fallen fruits. This corresponds to the function of the Spleen (rules “transformation and transportation”), Pancreas, and Stomach (rules “rotting & ripening”). The natural and complex process of digestion and transformation is a central component to the cycles and seasons of time, and is a major factor of our living body.
The Spleen-Pancreas-Stomach rule the muscles, manifests in the mouth, and opens to the lips. The digestive process is hindered by overthinking and worry.
The Metal Element
Autumn is ruled by the Metal Element, and is the period when Late Summer meets Winter. This season is when trees and plants have finished producing their last fruits which are harvested in preparation for storage. It is a time between growth and deep rest, when Maximum Yang has already begun to shift into Yin.
The Lungs primarily manage the present moment exchange between the internal and external atmosphere. The paired Metal Element organs prefer moisture, dislike Autumn dryness, and dominate Descending and Diffusing (D&D). The Descending and Diffusing action dominated by the Metal Qi is driven by the coordinated action of the Lung and the receptive quality of the Water Elemental Organ of the Kidney.
The Lungs rule the skin, manifests in the body hair, and open to the nose. Remorse and grief affect the Lungs’ ability to function in respiration and immunity.
The Water Element
Winter is ruled by the Water Element, and is the period when Autumn meets Spring. This season is when all living things in nature, from plant to animal, respond to the frigid climate and are in a state of conservation and storage. It is a time between reaping of rewards and beginning all over, when Yin becomes Deepest Yin.
The Kidneys relates to Winter in that this season supports the conservation and storage of our Most Vital Kidney Qi and Essence (Jing, Vital/Sexual Energy). The Right and Left Kidney houses the energetic “Gate of Life” (MingMen), the motive force that allows the transformation of Yin and Yang, of “Water and Fire,” within the body, and ultimately provides the source power for procreation and life itself.
The Kidneys rule the bones, manifests in the head hair, and open to the ears. They strongly impact growth, development, and longevity. Fear and worry deplete and weaken the Kidneys.
The following section is an important introduction for anybody interested in enhancing Practical Conscious Capacity:
The Five Elements as they pertain to the Organs & Conscious Spirit.
The Fire Element Shen (Sub/Conscious Soul) is physically related to the Heart, the organ that gathers the blood and pumps it back out, driving the circulatory system. On a psychospiritual level, every contraction charges the blood forward after bathing in the Immaterialized Heavenly Light of the Shen(four chambers of heart), and the divine fluid (blood) carries the message expressed by the EmperorKingHeart throughout all the tissues and cells within the KingdomBody.
In a healthy state, the Shen(Heart) is able to circulate the message of its deepest wishes and desires throughout the body in a smooth and rhythmic manner. When circulation is optimal and healthy, there is no mental, emotional, or physical stagnation to cause us pain or torment. We are in harmony with the Tao.
In an unhealthy state, the Shen(Heart) has the delivery of its heavenly message distorted or outright occluded and ignored. This prevents us from being able to live our soul’s purpose, to walk the narrow path, to “pass as a camel through the eye of a needle.” We lose our self, that spark of light that is unique to us.
If we are to live our lives with a unified Spirit and Body, we must do whatever we must do in order to never forsake our true self. If we have lost touch with our true self, we dedicate every moment to returning to our true self. In addition to Proper Nutrition, Appropriate Exercise, and Effective Stress Management, it will benefit each of us greatly to rekindle the fire that brightens our eyes and brings us and our relations Joy.
When was the last time you saw the light in another’s eyes that was so bright and full of life, you were stunned?
Is this a common occurrence in your daily life? Amongst your friends and family? On the street?
The Shen is the King in “the model of the King’s court,” and is the whole reason this bodily kingdom exists. It is the Heart of our own Majesty whom we must be true to as we navigate this material world, because the light that our Shen gives us is life itself. If we have a good relationship with our HeartShen, we will have clear insight, health, and contentment, no matter our outward situation. The Shen will give its decree to all organs of the KingdomBody, and all organs of the body will serve harmoniously.
If you don’t go within, you go without.
What are the expressions of Shen?
The Chinese Character “Shen” has several meanings, and while they are interrelated, each meaning has its own use:
Spirit as infinite cosmic light outside and beyond the scope of human experience
Yang energy that enlivens the psyche, generic term for all Five Spirits of Five Organs
Activity of thinking, consciousness, insight, and memory, all related to Xin (heartmind)
Intangible yet recognizable quality of luminous vitality, seen in brightened eyes
Spirit, God, Deity, or Divinity that is harmonious with enlightened awareness and love
A name given to one specific expression of five spirits The Yang spark of Conscious Awareness said to reside in the Human Heart.
The Earth Element Yi (Intellect) is physically related to the stomach and spleen, the organs that digest (T&T) our food and distribute the nutrients to our bodies, so we can do what we do in the world. On a psychospiritual level, this process enables us to digest experiences and impressions, to turn them into usable ideas and concepts, so we can do what we wish in this world.
In a healthy state, the Yi(Spleen) is able to readily absorb the impressions that we need for psychological growth and development, while easily letting go of impressions that hinder growth and development. This echos the process of how our physical body utilizes food and converts the excess into waste that is returned to the soil.
In an unhealthy state, the Yi(Spleen) has difficulty with the digestion of our experiences and impressions. This leads to a lack of understanding or worse, an inability to take in new experiences or information. If this happens, we lose our ability to interact coherently with the world around us
Whether we are digesting material food or immaterial thought, healthy and efficient processing requires stillness and time. If we habitually keep our mind buzzing with relevant or irrelevant information without rest, we rob our Yi(Intellect) of the capacity to function properly. We may believe we are progressing while multitasking and scrolling from one thing to the next, but this behaviour is detrimental in the long run and eventually, we may bring upon ourselves a sluggish and dumbed down attention span that will negate or waste our perceived progress.
Do you take the necessary time to chew your thoughts?
Does your “mind-mouth” deliver neatly packaged and thorough understanding, or mangled chunks that overwhelm your “stomach of consciousness?”
The Yi is the Official in charge of transformation and transportation of thoughts. It is the unique “I AM” voice of the Shen(HeartMind). If you find that many of your attempts to create in this world just don’t yield results, be sure to take a break, or a retreat if you must.
Life is a marathon, not a sprint; Pace Yourself.
The Yi represent the psychological faculty of
(a) Intention Setting
(b) Implantation and Gestation of Ideas
The capacity of our Yi-Intellect is what determines if we are closer to an animal or true human being.
The Yi endows us with the ability to
(i) Be IN this world (Exist with FreeWill)
(ii) Persist in Being IN this world (Endure with WillPower)
(iii) Impress our Unique Signature into this world (Create)
Yi is the original “I AM” of the Shen as it moves down through vision and imagination(Hun) and finally manifests through enduring intention. Yi gives us the power to say our own name not just once, but many times over. To be born and establish our legacy.
The Metal Element Po (corporeal soul) is physically related to the Lung, the organ that Descends and Diffuses (D&D) oxygen and qi to our HeartBlood, so we can animate our organs and physical body. On a psychospritual level, this process enables us to incorporate the imagination and vision of the Ethereal Hun (Liver) Spirit, and materialize the purpose of our unique Shen(Heart) Spirit into the 3D World of Time and Space we all share.
In a healthy state, we are able to facilitate the flow of informational exchange between our “External Connections” (people, places, things) and our “Internal Being”(nervous system), between “Above” (Heaven, Spirit) and “Below” (Earth, Man), between the “Within” (Consciousness) and the “Without” (Matter). A healthy Po Soul anchors Positive Electric Charge and Consciousness to our Magnetic Material Physical Body in a Harmonious manner.
In an unhealthy state, these experiential exchanges between our Inner and Outer relationships get stagnated, and if perpetuated, this stagnation leads to obstruction. Of course, a powerful traumatic exchange can instil immediate obstruction. These unhealthy exchanges can lead to developments that range between detrimental coping mechanisms and psychosomatic pain sensations. Over time, these can develop into debilitation and inability to function in the world around us.
Just as the Shen(Heart) and the Hun(Liver) can be correlated with the Frontal Lobe of the brain and the conscious mind and imagination, the Po(Lung) and the Zhi(Kidney) can be correlated with more primitive aspects of the brain such as the Limbic System and Cerebellum. If the Po and Zhi lose their ability to exchange fluidly with the Shen and the Hun, what can also develop is a functioning automaton, a zombie, or an obedient animal that follows orders of another being at the expense of his or her own Heart+Spirit(Shen) Center. The Emperor will hand over the keys to his or her kingdom “for thirty pieces of silver.”
Are all of your exchanges harmonious? Is your give and take mutually beneficial?
Are you living out your vision for your life, or is somebody else’s vision using you?
The Po is the Minister to the King(Shen), and via the General(Hun) and the Intellect(Yi), it facilities a harmonious Kingdom with the Will(Zhi) of the People. If the people are unable to hear or feel the Love of the SpiritEmperor, or vice versa, there is discord Within and Without. This Life is Your Life and you were gifted this experience in order to share your unique self in this unfolding present now.
Harmonize your Breath with Movement. Listen to your Heart. Discern True from False.
Align Subjective Perception with ObjectiveTruth.
Functions of The Po
Facilitates Exiting and Entering of Essence. With every inhale of Oxygen and Exhale of Carbon Dioxide, there is a birth and a death. Within every moment, the Heart’s wishes are being expressed or obstructed.
Descends and Diffuses our Purpose. The Po, a manifestation of the Metal Element, uses its Heavy Yin Nature to anchor the Immaterial Purpose of the Shen, via the cloudy Yang of the Hun, across the horizontal divide of the Yi, and draws it down to the Will of the Zhi.
Responds to Friend or Foe. Associated with the Limbic Brain and the Cerebellum, the Po instructs the body to open or close to the outside from a higher, spiritual perspective, much sooner than the “consciousness ego” understands the totality of the present situation.
Animates Life. Upon our first breath, the CorPOreal Soul fills the lungs and assumes the responsibility for vital involuntary physical functions such as breathing, peristalsis, and evacuation, as well as sensation, balance, and muscular coordination.
Animates Death. With our last breath, the CorPOreal Soul descends with the decaying bones of the body to the underworld where it is reinCORPORated into the inert structures of the earth, the stones, crystals, and minerals of the soil. It is what “gives up the ghost.”
The Water Element Zhi is physically related to the Kidney, the organ that receives, guides, and controls water and maintains fluid balance within the body. On a psychospiritual level, the Zhi spirit receives and nurtures the product of our Shen+Hun+Yi+Po spirits, providing restoration, nourishment, and empowerment, helping to filter our consciousness, so we can clearly work utilizing FreeWill + WillPower + Inspiration to make our dreams a physical reality.
In a healthy state, we are able to facilitate the free flow of water, or ShenSpirit by saying “Yes” when we truly want to, and by saying “No” when we truly want to, not out of obligation or fear, but because it is what our Heart desires. This continued honest expression of self builds confidence and increases our ability to follow through, even when we are challenged, and at times, even when we are alone and outnumbered.
In an unhealthy state, the filtration and free flow of fluid, or the ShenSpirit, is obstructed, weak, or ineffective, leading to sluggish behaviour and fatigue, causing an ease to feel overwhelmed by the weight of the world. Our knees become weak, our body becomes heavy, and we just want to lay in bed and wish the world away, forgetting our Spiritual potential and gradually sinking into an uninspired life.
If we are to live an inspired life, we must actively challenge our Will, and regularly test our Spirit. This can be done without self abuse and neglect. We must ask sincere questions to our heart, and let the answers arise from the depths of stillness within the deepest caverns of our soul. Then, waking from those deep caverns, we harmonize our Will Power with our Spirit, in order to wholeheartedly create in this Material World.
When was the last time you said “yes” but you truly felt unsure, or even had preferred to say “no”?
How often do you go about your day without enthusiasm?
Are your words filled with depth and meaning, or are they empty and preprogrammed?
The Zhi is the Minister of Health in “the King’s Court Model,” and is the battery of ElectroMagnetic Energy that the Kingdom (Po, Yi, Hun, Shen) relies on. This fundamental Yin energy supports our individual KingdomBodies so we are able to interact with each other, and within this 3D Material world of precious time-space. In this world, without our Health, we cannot actively engage fully in anything this life offers. The Zhi is the doctor that heals us when we are sick, and the mother that nourishes us when we are weak. It is the serenity of the full moon.
Take time to balance activity and rest, in mind and body.
Even the Sun gives a chance for the Moon to glow.
The Zhi represent the PsychoSpiritual faculty of
(a) Instinctual Power,
(b) Aligned Will, Courage and Wisdom.
The Zhi endows us with the
(i) Storage Space to Collect Primal Fuel
(ii) Essence of Creation
The Zhi is the Yin Magnetic aspect of creation that nurtures the electrical nature of Yang, and provides the reservoir to cultivate creative energy. Physically, this creative energy produces offspring. Psychospiritually, this creative energy is the basis for beautiful art. The Zhi is our WillPower. WillPower can be cultivated to enhance our creative capacity, providing fuel to create with Intention.
