Everything in nature moves in cycles, and according to the five elements of Chinese medicine, each season has its own dynamics. Autumn (Metal) helped us let go of what we no longer needed, winter (Water) was a period of rest and reflection. And now spring arrives-the season of the Wood element.
Characteristics of the Wood element
People with a strong Wood element are ambitious, driven and full of plans. They take the first step and set the course. Wood is connected to the emotion anger, which can be both constructive and destructive. In balance, this expresses itself as passion and decisiveness, but an imbalance leads to frustration, impatience or even aggression.
A good example of a Wood person is Louis van Gaal, the football coach. On the pitch a person of strong vision and leadership, to the press his Wood element can be triggered in frustration and sometimes anger outbursts that we have all been able to see on television.
Another clear Wood example of the beginning of spring is often the desire to clean the whole house: on to a new clean slate. But also impulsive purchases and that one final beer at the end of a pub night that you didn't want but did anyway, that's the liver literally not wanting to go home.
Nature of the Wood element
The Wood element represents the smooth release of energy-as the Chinese say: the ability to move like bamboo in the wind. In the body, the Liver and Gallbladder belong to the Wood element. Together, they ensure free flow of Qi - energy that literally and figuratively sets things in motion. A good Liver energy ensures that you can move flexibly, that you can plan, make choices (this is mainly the gallbladder), say no and dare to follow yes. That you know: this is my path, here I go.
But if Wood stagnates, frustration arises. Literally: your energy gets stuck. You notice this in physical complaints such as tense shoulders, headaches, PMS or irritability, but also in mental restlessness. You know something has to change, but you don't get moving. Wood in imbalance can express itself in anger, passive aggression, perfectionism or a feeling of “I'm stuck”.
Water and Wood - Growth and depletion
Water and Wood work together for growth, with Water providing the basis for our plans and decisions, deeply rooted in our will and wisdom. Wood brings these plans to fruition, just as young shoots grow from the earth. Water nourishes Wood by providing the energy and substances needed for growth.
When Wood demands too much from Water, such as overwork or lack of self-care, it can lead to a lack of Water, causing burnout or heat-related symptoms such as hot flushes, exhaustion and stress. This can also lead to aggression, both towards others and oneself due to self-criticism or overwork.
Intuition
When plans and decisions are not made from intuition, or when there is no connection to one's life path, frustration often ensues. This is a common problem in modern times. How often do we stand still and take the time to “feel” what is prompted to us? We are not trained to listen to our “gut feeling”, or to follow this intuition, especially when it is exciting and requires a lot of endurance.
Goodness and Anger
The Wood element is strongly associated with self-confidence, intuition and the virtue of goodness. When we learn to trust our own insights and intuition, it helps to restore balance.
‘Wu Wei’ (non-action) is an important lesson here - sometimes it is better to consciously take no action, embrace the process and enjoy the growth we have initiated.
Wood represents the desire to fight injustice, with goodness being the foundation. Anger suppresses this goodness. With inner stress, Wood becomes irritable and impatient, leading to outbursts of anger and poor decisions.
Standing up for other people is a good Wood quality, even fighting is sometimes necessary. But to strike out (literally), without control, that is a Wood out of balance and harmful to fellow humans and especially to oneself.
Challenges
The biggest challenge for both yang and yin types of the Wood element is learning to deal with anger. This does not mean being afraid of anger, but it also means not getting caught up in it. It's about learning to set your boundaries at the right time, and developing patience. Being in touch with yourself helps you be less likely to burst into anger and reduce stress.
Another key challenge is learning expression, especially for introverted Wood types who tend to take good care of others. Setting boundaries helps prevent others from walking all over you, and is essential for self-care and self-respect.
Finding the balance between freedom and responsibility is also important. Too little freedom can lead to frustration, impatience and rebellion towards authority.
Physical complaints at Wood Disbalance
Complaints that may indicate a disturbed Wood element:
Balance
A well-balanced Wood element is associated with a confident, intuitive personality. Those with a strong Wood element have a clear view of their path and future, and have the patience to see how it unfolds. They are strong and independent characters, but at the same time can look at themselves and their personality in a smooth and open way. They live in harmony with others and are committed, decisive, powerful and ambitious.
Yang / Excess Type
When the Wood element is too strong (yang), it can manifest itself in excessive ambition. There is a tendency to burn oneself out through too many ideas and undue pressure on others. This can lead to impatience, a lot of stress, arrogance, aggression, recklessness, compulsive behaviour and confrontation.
Lesson for Yang Type
The lesson for this type is to take time to go to silence and sit back, allowing things to happen naturally. It is important not to always want to influence everything, but to find more relaxation and surrender. Learning that life is not a hurried sequence of events and actions can help turn anger into calmness, impatience into patience and observation instead of judgement.
Yin / Deficient Type
The yin type of the Wood element may procrastinate, doubt and neglect itself, which manifests itself in serving others at the expense of oneself. This type feels aimless, does not dare to dream or turn dreams into action. It looks up to the start of the day and tends to be pretentious, contradictory and ineffective.
Lesson for Yin Type
The focus for this type should be on self-confidence and trusting instinct. Meditation and movement, can help strengthen the Wood element. Since Wood is fed by the Water element, this yin type often comes from a deficient Water element. It is important to first focus energy on self-protection and setting boundaries. From this base, intuition can develop, literally creating space for growth and action.
Spring is the season of renewal and growth, making it the ideal time for a detox. In this season, when the Wood element is at its most powerful, the body can best cleanse and rejuvenate itself. Detoxing in spring supports liver function, making it easier to release accumulated toxins and stagnations. This process helps to rebalance the body and allow energy to flow freely.
Green vegetables: Green vegetables such as spinach, kale and asparagus are rich in chlorophyll, which helps cleanse the blood and support liver function.
Bitters: Bitter flavours stimulate the liver and help remove waste products. Try bitter vegetables such as endive, radish and chicory.
Easily digestible food: Choose light, easy-to-digest meals such as steamed vegetables, soup and grilled fish. Avoid heavy, fatty meals that can stress the liver.
Ginger and lemon: Ginger promotes digestion, while lemon helps detoxify the body. Start the day with a cup of warm water with lemon and ginger to support the liver.
Coriander and mint: These herbs have a calming effect and help the liver eliminate toxins, while balancing the Wood element.
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