The 5 Elements at a Glance

Throughout the history of medicine, healers have classified qualities of health and disease according to ‘elements’.  Hippocratic medicine had the ‘4 humors’ of earth, air, fire, and water that corresponded with the 4 seasons and qualities of emotion, colors, and type of disease.  Ayurveda adds a fifth element, space, to its paradigm, and assigns attributes such as softness, stability, subtlety, and warmth.  The ancient Chinese embraced the concept as well, and assigned characteristics to the elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water.

Each of these medical systems consider health to be a manifestation of balance.  When one of the elements becomes stronger or weaker than the others, disease results.  Therefore, medical treatment is aimed at bringing each of the elements back into harmony with the others.

In the Chinese system, each of the elements is associated with its own organs, emotion, flavor, climate, and season.  This fantastic graphic by angel b. lee shows the 5 element system at a glance.  Have fun finding the qualities that best describe you.

Would you like to connect with us to see if we can help you with our unique and effective approach to healthcare?

Request a free consultation and we’ll meet to discuss your case. We’ll sit down, review your health history and goals, and see if you are a good fit for our services. You will have an opportunity to ask any questions about our approach and if you feel confident that we can help, you’ll have an opportunity to learn how to move forward and work with us.

About Four Flowers Wellness

Acupuncture & Holistic Medicine

We are a holistic East Asian Medicine practice serving Chicago’s West Loop and West Town neighborhoods. We are experts in acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and supporting women and men through the child-bearing year, from women’s health concerns to fertility and prenatal care, complex pain or hormonal conditions, and mental-emotional issues such as insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

Visit the Apothecary to shop for fertility supplements, hormone-balancing herbs, and natural products to support your fertile and abundant life!

Shop Here

If you want to change your health or fertility, quality information is key to making progress without frustration and confusion. Check out our growing library of resources:

Learn Here

Search

Share This