By: Diane Joswick, L.Ac, MSOMSpring: It is the long-awaited change of winter to spring. Seeds sprout, flowers bloom, and the sun warms the earth. There is a sense of renewal and new life all around.
While winter was a time to conserve energy and reduce activity, spring is a time of regeneration, new beginnings, and renewal of spirit.
The Principle of the Five Elements
The five elements refer to wood, fire, earth, metal, and water in Eastern philosophy. The principle of the Five Elements (known as the Wu Hsing in Chinese) describes the flow of Qi and the balance of yin and yang.
According to the principle, all change - in the universe and in your body - occurs in five distinct stages. Each of these stages is associated with a particular time of year, a specific element in nature, and a pair of organs in the body. Change links together the seasons of the year, aspects of nature, and your body's organs and bodily processes. A practioner of traditional Chinese medicine uses this principle to diagnose and treat health problems, linking speciic foods, herbs, and acupuncture points to restoration of in-yang and Qi.
In the five element system, spring is associated with the wood element, the color green, the liver and gallbladder, and the emotion of anger.
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