Page Loader gif

Spend $100 or More & Get 60% off - Use Code BULK60
OR Spend $500 or More & Get 65% off - Use Code BULK65
Spend $1000 or More & Get 70% off - Use Code BULK70

All Sales Final & No Returns. Excludes gift vouchers

I received my first acupuncture treatment when I was 19 and became immediately fascinated with the concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Since then I have studied these principles formally and informally in different settings and started actively working with this system in my healing practice. What follows is a concise description of just a few aspects of a very complex system that was developed more than 3000 years ago. It is not widely known that within this system - along with acupuncture, specific exercises, and herbal remedies - crystals played an important part.

If you’ve had an acupuncture, acupressure, or an Accunect treatment you may have heard your practitioner mention meridians and elements. In these series of articles I’ll briefly discuss their significance and corresponding associations.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, a meridian is an “energy highway” along which energy circulates throughout a human body. There are 12 main meridians that connect to the main organs in the body. For those who are curious how this connects to Western medical science, here is a link to read more.

Some Western holistic practitioners have developed their own systems of working with meridians, which somewhat randomly associate specific emotions, organs, and elements to the meridians.  In these articles I am drawing directly from the Traditional Chinese Medicine system.

Before we discuss the function of each meridian and their corresponding emotions, affirmations, and crystals, it is important to understand the concept of elements.

The Five Elements

Chinese traditional philosophical systems and traditional medicine are based on the concept of Five Elements, which represent fundamental natural elements and their interaction. This is applied to spiritual, mental, emotional and physical aspects of human existence. The elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.

Imbalance is defined as both an excessive energy, as well as insufficient energy in an organ/meridian/element.

Wood Element associations:

Organs: liver/gallbladder

Emotions: anger

Balanced: growth, flexibility, generosity, expansion, leadership

Imbalanced: indecisiveness

Fire Element associations:

Organs: heart, small intestine, pericardium, triple heater

Emotions:  joy/sadness

Balanced:  love, heartfelt connections with others, passion for life, creativity, playfulness

Imbalanced: impatience, restlessness, irritability

Earth Element associations:

Organs: stomach/spleen (+pancreas)

Emotion: worry

Balanced:  stability, nourishing experiences, self-confidence

Imbalanced: obsessive thoughts, digestive problems, overeating/not eating enough

Metal element associations:

Organs: lungs/large intestine

Emotions: grief/letting go

Balanced:  confidence, organization, discipline

Imbalanced: issues with self-worth, hoarding, clutter

Water element associations:

Organs: kidneys, bladder

Emotions: fear

Balanced: introspection, resiliency, calmness

Imbalanced: anxious, fearful, withdrawn

Supportive and Destructive cycle:

The natural cycle can be supportive (generating) or destructive (overcoming).

The supportive cycle:

Wood feeds Fire

Fire generates Earth

Earth makes Metal

Metal creates Water

Water feeds Wood

The destructive cycle:

Wood destabilizes Earth

Fire melts Metal

Earth absorbs Water

Metal chops Wood

Water extinguishes Fire

 

When the elements are in balance relative to one another, they work together for our optimal health. When they are out of balance, due to a variety of reasons, they contribute to the decline of our health. It is beyond the scope of this brief introductory article to discuss the depth with which this is explained within Traditional Chinese Medicine and philosophy. For those who want to learn more I would recommend Power of the Five Elements: The Chinese Medicine Path to Healthy Aging and Stress Resistance by Charles A. Moss M.D. (2010) and The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine by Ted Kaptchuk (2000).

Don't forget to check out the Beginners’ Guide to Meridians and Crystals Part 2

 

Article By Brana Crystal Cosmopolitan



Posted on September 19, 2016

    (Submitted by: angelique on August 11, 2018)
Reply
    (Submitted by: Janette Rose on June 14, 2018)
Reply
  Very nice information....  (Submitted by: Mukesh on April 10, 2018)
Reply
  Very interesting and informative. I enjoyed this article very much.  (Submitted by: RobynS on May 15, 2017)
Reply


Post a Comment
Name or Nickname:  *   (Required *)
E-Mail Address:  *  Monthly Newsletter
Click on a Star to Rate this Article
  Not Rated
Comment:

Please Enter Verification Code:
t838x
BackBack