| |
WOOD |
FIRE |
EARTH |
METAL |
WATER |
| Direction |
East |
South |
Center |
West |
North |
| Season |
Spring |
Summer |
Late Summer |
Autumn |
Winter |
| Stage |
Birth |
Growth |
Maturation |
Harvest |
Storage |
| Climate |
Wind |
Heat |
Damp |
Dry |
Cold |
| Color |
Green/Cyan |
Red |
Yellow |
White |
Black/Blue |
| Odor |
Goatish/Urine |
Scortched |
Fragrant |
Fishy/Rank |
Rotten |
| Flavor |
Sour |
Bitter |
Sweet |
Pungent |
Salty |
| Vocalization |
Shouting |
Laughing |
Singing |
Weeping |
Moan/Groan |
| Emotion |
Anger |
Joy (Pleasure) |
Worry |
Sorrow |
Fear |
| Body Opening |
Eyes |
Tongue |
Mouth |
Nose |
Ears |
| Yīn Organ |
Liver |
Heart |
Spleen |
Lungs |
Kidneys |
| Yáng Organ |
Gall Bladder |
Small Intestine |
Stomache |
Large Intestine |
Bladder |
| Physiology |
Harmonize and smooth out the flow of qì. Upward and outward movement. Store blood. Provide luster and richness to body colors, tendons, nails, and hair. Vision. |
Circulation of blood. Facial expressiveness. Main part of digestion and separating the “pure from the impure” out of foodstuff. (The pure is absorbed by the spleen.) Taste. |
Initial holding, fermentation of received food. Assimilation of the “pure” part. Movement of the “pure” upward and the “turbid” down for further processing. Damp/sludge transformation. |
Circulation of qì. Assists circulation of water. Inward and downward movement. Intake of pure air; expulsion of dirty air and “turbid” feces. Clarity of voice and tone. Smell. |
Like an ocean, the body’s ultimate source and destination of water. Source of the body’s original yīn and yáng. Store jīng and sexual fluids. Grasp air qì. Make marrow. Hearing. |
| Mind/Spirit |
Hún (dreamy awareness) |
Shén (waking awareness) |
Yì (meaning, intent, ideas) |
Pò (corporeal awareness) |
Zhì (will, aspirations) |
| Mental Functions |
Intuition. Trance-like awareness. Dreaming. Visualizing. Planning. Making and implementing decisions. |
Consciousness. Inspiration. Enlightenment. Ability to be open-minded and receptive. Conscious command of the body. |
Ability to hold thoughts, mull over ideas and assimilate the meanings revealed by enlightenment. Thorough understanding. |
Instinct. Basic functions not needing any conscious control. Inherent body awareness. Sensations and feelings. |
Will and ambitions. Concentration and focus. Basic strength and vitality of mental functions. Memory. |
| Examples of Pathology |
Uneven flow of qì affecting movement, digestion, etc. Dull nails/hair. Dry/red eyes. Poor vision. Menstrual disorders. Emotional outbursts. |
Aberrant flow of blood. Heart attack. Hemorrhage. Burning sensations and ulcers. Mental dullness or agitation. Undigested food in stool. |
Vessels unable to hold blood. Body unable to hold organs = prolapse. Damp/sludge accumulation. Poor appetite. Loose stool. Sluggishness. Exhaustion. |
Respiratory disorders +/- dry or phlegm. General lack of energy; weak immunity. Weak voice. Feeling of being invaded or losing one’s sense of self. |
General aging. Loss of head hair, teeth, hearing. Incontinence. Infertility. Impotence. Spermatorrhea. Low-back pain. Developmental abnormalities. |
