This article was published in the Summer 2024 Issue of Conscious Design Institute Magazine.
by Angela Barbara, LAc
The ancient Chinese traditional wisdom of Five Phase (also known as Five Element) Theory, which involves the engendering and relational cycle of movements and seasons from Wood (Spring), Fire (Summer), Earth (Late Summer), Metal (Autumn), and Water (Winter)—is fundamental in understanding how the body’s systems are interconnected with nature and the cosmos, and how we can optimize our own health and emotional well-being through simple and practical means.
The Five Phases are symbolic and archetypical yet are also composed of both energy and physical matter. Through the Five Phase Theory framework we can explore the relationship of natural states of being that we all can perceive and experience and how they affect one another. They can provide an understanding of the human experience that has the potential for universal applications.
In the Five Phase system, we look at all the components and layers of a phase, such as its season, associated organ, temporal qualities, taste and temperature, emotional state, and energetic and directional movement. We can examine which qualities are out of balance for that element, such as too much or little of a certain color, flavor, temperature, or inappropriate activity for the season related to that element. There are many more layers and correspondences that can be considered, but we can start to see where there is potential to influence and make simple adjustments to get things moving in the right direction.
After examining a single phase, we can then look at the relationships to the other phases and ask questions. How is one phase nourishing or depleting the other? How can we adjust the quality of one phase to affect the other? What is the most dominant part of this cycle that is out of balance and should be addressed first? The Five Phase system can be layered with as much complexity as the imagination and thought processes allow, and then refined using its elegant simplicity to find the best ways to heal and maintain balance.
Summer, associated with the Fire phase, and the transition period of Late Summer, connected to the Earth phase, offer an opportunity to discuss how relationships between the different phases can affect our mind, body, and spirit.
Fire governs the Heart, which in Traditional Chinese Medicine is more than just a physical organ. It includes what is known as the Heart system, which encompasses our mental and emotional states, and corresponding parts of the body like blood vessels and anatomical areas of the arms and hands. The Heart is considered the “sovereign organ”, providing a hierarchy that must be examined when working with diagnosis and treatment.
In the spiritual tradition of Daoism, the Heart is the seat of the mind and consciousness and is known as xin (心),translated as “heart-mind”. Unlike the Western distinction between mind and heart as separate entities, we may instead view the heart as an integrated center of emotion, thought, and spirit. It influences mental clarity and spiritual tranquility, making its balance critical for overall well-being. The concept of xin plays a crucial role in understanding the interconnectedness of human being, nature and the universe.
Because the nature of Fire/Summer is bright, hot, and energetic, we must take special care to protect this system and keep it in balance. The joyful emotion related to Fire can become mania if things move too fast or get too hot. Fire blazing out of control has the power to burn and even destroy things very quickly. The nature of Fire is simple for us to grasp, and we can take common sense measures to keep things cool during the Fire season, like drinking more water or slowing down when necessary.
Caring for your heart and your heart-mind in summer is easy and practical. Though the nature of Fire encourages us to be more active than we would during the opposite season of Winter/Water, it is important to listen to your heart and know when to slow down and take your time. If you want to sweat and get your heart rate up with exercise right now, doing it in the cooler morning time will help avoid excessive fluid loss and taxation of the heart organ. Spend a small part of the most energetic time of day (noon is associated with Heart/Fire) napping or meditating to connect with your spirit and nourish the heart-mind, so that Fire doesn’t become too strong in its own season or associated time. The bright nature of Fire (campfire anyone?) promotes social interaction, so be sure to nurture your heart by meeting up with loved ones to share cool drinks and smiles.
Considering our social relationships, the flavor related to the Fire phase is bitter. A little bitter flavor in our food, like dark chocolate or kale, can nourish the heart. But when we have too much bitterness in our heart-mind, when we are holding grudges and resentment toward others, it is considered damaging to our heart. Meditation and reflection on the sources of our bitter feelings and finding peace through forgiveness and kindness are very healing methods for our hearts.
The elegance of the Five Phase Theory helps us to look at the relationships between the elements and use also other tools to tend to our physical and emotional health. Because the Five Phases have both an eternal and relational cycle, we can look beyond the element of our focus at the other elements for ideas on how to balance and even heal ourselves.
For example, the Wood/Spring phase is considered the “mother” of the Fire/Summer phase. Wood feeds Fire, and Wood’s related emotion is anger. When we choose anger as our mood or mindset and don’t take care to soften this, the increase of Wood can cause the Fire to “burn too fast”. This heat can lead to anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia, all conditions related to the heart, and heart-mind (xin) in Chinese medicine. Because the tree-like nature of Wood needs to expand to grow, movement is very good for calming anger. When we are sedentary and the anger can’t go anywhere, it can “harass” the heart and other organs and cause health and emotional issues. There are also Chinese herbal remedies available, like chrysanthemum tea, which is very popular in Asia during the hot season, and its properties soothe the Wood phase directly and can be used to keep the Heart mind and spirit calm and cool.
Another way to look at the relationship to Summer/Fire is through its following season, starting around July 20th each year. This is the Earth or Late Summer phase and is the “child” of the Fire Phase (ashes from fire nourish the soil). Its associated climatic environmental influence is dampness. If the Fire phase is moving into a Late Summer phase with too much heat, we get a combination of dampness and heat. On days that are hot, heavy and sticky, people may feel unwell with digestion issues, fatigue, and joint pain, aliments related dampness in the body. If there is too much dampness in the body, the “child can drain the mother” and damage the Heart. One way to prepare for this time of year is to cut down foods that are sticky and heavy, such as sweet and sugary treats, excessive amounts of dairy, and fried foods which can proliferate dampness in the body.
Eating more of the seasonal foods of July and August, things that are red, yellow, and orange in color (which happen to be our famous red tomatoes, yellow corn, and orange peaches here in New Jersey!), in addition to all the delicious varieties of fresh seasonal food that are available during these months is very supportive of moving from the Fire phase into the Earth phase. If we can find simple ways like food and movement to keep the heat from combining with the dampness, these dog days of summer can feel much more tolerable.
The Late Summer/Earth phase of late July and early August is a time to take things a little slower than the fast and bright energy of the Summer/Fire Phase. Things are nearing the end of their growth cycle and moving toward harvest, and there is a feeling of things beginning to contract. The Earth phase is related to the digestion. If you are feeling fatigue upon waking in the morning or after eating a meal, this is often a sign that the Earth phase is affected. Eating lighter meals and doing slower exercise like qigong and tai chi reduce stress and calm the mind. These practices also stimulate and regulate the digestion through gentle movements and breathing, promoting better blood sugar regulation and energy and resource management in the body.
The emotion associated with the Earth phase is worry and overthinking. When we are obsessing and creating excessive attachments to ideas, people, and things, we are burdening our Earth phase and its associated organs and functions, as well as the relationships to the other phases and their optimal functioning. Standing meditation practices, which draw on the stabilizing and grounding Earth energy, and meditation practices which involve cultivating a detached observational quality and curiosity around our thoughts and feelings can help to resolve over-attachment and worry.
If you are new to these concepts, or already know about them and would like a boost to your body and mind using some of these incredibly effective and elegant tools, visit a natural healer, or meditation or martial arts teacher who focuses on East Asian practices. There is a wealth of simple and easy to follow practices involving acupuncture, breathing, meditation, diet, nutrition, and exercise that are parts of a complete system with centuries of proven results.
Have a healthy, joyful and worry-free summer!