The five breaths
The dance of the Five Elements
The theory of the Five Elements is fundamental to Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is a model of the energy balances at work in Nature. Penetrating the essence of these elements and their interactions is a valuable learning experience.
The Five Elements are not fixed categories. They form an eternal cycle. Wood feeds Fire, which creates Earth (ashes), which generates Metal (in minerals), which condenses Water, which feeds Wood again.
A wheel that reminds us of the I Ching, or Classic of Transformations. Today, in the tumult of the modern world, this ancient wisdom has a new relevance. Whether we live in Shanghai or Marseille, in a monastery or an open-plan office, the Five Elements offer us an inner compass.
“If you can perceive within yourself the murmur of Wood, the warmth of Fire, the stability of Earth, the clarity of Metal, or the depth of Water… then perhaps, for a moment, you will have walked the path of the Dao.”
By observing our body, our emotions, our relationships, we can sense which element is in excess or deficiency, and restore harmony. This is the art of energetic diagnosis, but also of aligned living.
The Dao, the invisible thread of transformation At the heart of this system lies the Dao, the silent origin, the way that is not spoken but lived. The Five Elements are but reflections of the Dao in the manifest world. Each element is a mirror of the Dao in a particular phase of life.
By honoring the Five Elements, we return to the wisdom of the living, to balance and fluidity.
The origins of Breath
More than three thousand years ago, in the fertile valleys of the Yellow River, sages observed the sky, the earth, animals and the beating of the human heart. They already understood that life is not a series of isolated events, but a vibrant network of relationships and interactions.
Thus was born the theory of the Five Elements – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water – a poetic, philosophical and medical language to describe the dynamics of the Universe.
These elements are not materials, but movements and transformations. They represent phases of mutation of Qi, the vital energy, always in motion, always linked to the Dao, the natural path of the universe.
The morning of the world
Wood represents birth, momentum, growth. It is spring breaking through the ice, a child discovering the world. Its movement is expansive, pushing outward and upward. It is the tree splitting the rock, the will to live.
Wood is aspiration in spiritual tradition. It symbolizes vision—not only that of the eyes, but that of the heart. It inspires artists, inventors, pioneers.
Today, we find the Wood element in the creative entrepreneur, the activist who dreams of a better world, or in the teenager searching for identity.
But when Wood is out of balance, it becomes anger, frustration, and rigidity, which originate in the liver and gallbladder.
The zenith of transformation
Fire is associated with paroxism: summer for the seasons, the maturity of the accomplished adult, the brilliance of the day at its zenith. We speak of love, joy or human warmth.
Fire burns at the center of our chest in the Heart, the emperor of organs according to Chinese medicine. It also governs the Small Intestine, the Heart Master and the Triple Warmer.
But Fire is also openness, generosity, sincere communication, the ability to love without possession. It’s the laughter of a child, the flame of a monk at prayer, the fire of a shaman in trance.
When Fire is unbalanced, it becomes overexcited, agitated and can lead to insomnia. In our contemporary world, saturated with digital stimuli, Fire is often in excess, fueled by a compulsive need for attention and gratification.
Anchoring to the mother
The Earth is the center around which life revolves. It’s the end of summer, the time of harvest. Organically, it governs the Spleen and Stomach, the organs of digestion, not only of food, but also of emotions and ideas.
Earth symbolizes stability, acceptance and trust. It is the energy of the nurturing mother, or of the wise man sitting in contemplation in a field. It embodies listening, caring and refocusing on the inner life. When this tranquility is disturbed, the individual falls prey to mental rumination, over-control, chronic worry or anxiety.
In an age of dispersion, the Earth is a reminder of simplicity, of presence. Shocking contrast: the lack of Earth manifests itself in inner exile; bodies are nourished, but spirits are starved.
Breath of detachment
Metal corresponds to autumn, falling leaves, old age and the return to basics. It is associated with the Lungs and the Large Intestine, masters of rhythm and elimination. It teaches the art of letting go, the beauty of silence, the nobility of impermanence.
Metal is the discipline of the monk, the righteousness of the samurai, the poetry of emptiness. It is the element of breath – the inhalation of life, the exhalation of death. It knows how to recognize the value of things and naturally detaches itself from the useless.
In a consumerist civilization, rediscovering Metal means learning to say “no”, honor grief and purify our inner space. When Metal is blocked, sadness, melancholy and difficulty in turning the page appear.
Depth and invisibility
Finally, water corresponds to winter, night, dreams and death. It governs the Kidneys and Bladder, the guardians of our ancestral energy. It is the force of Yin, of silence, of mystery.
It is the memory of the world, the wisdom that lies dormant within us all. It is the underground river of our intuitions, the fear that protects, deep sexuality and gestation. Spiritually, Water embodies absolute trust in the flow of the Dao, humility in the face of the unknown.
It is the energy of hermits, shamans and children in spontaneous meditation. Sadly, in our fast-paced world, chronic fear, exhaustion and existential emptiness all reflect a lack of Water energy. But when it flows freely, Water heals. It links generations, transmitting the very essence of life.
A diagnostic and treatment tool
These five elements perpetually interact with each other, the balance of one having repercussions on the others. These interrelations have been modeled by TCM (see below). The Chinese physician uses the theory of the five elements to diagnose and treat his patient.
The principle is always to restore overall balance by acting on the elements in imbalance. Feng Shui masters also use the Five Elements to balance the energy of living spaces.
The dynamics of the five elements
The balance of the Five Elements is based on the interactions described by the following two cycles: the cycle of generation and the cycle of control.
The generation cycle (or creation cycle) illustrates a relationship of mutual nourishment and support. Each element begets the next: Wood nourishes Fire, Fire creates Earth (ashes), Earth bears Metal (minerals), Metal begets Water (condensation), and Water nourishes Wood. It’s a harmonious cycle that ensures a continuous flow of energy.
The cycle of control (or cycle of domination) describes a relationship of regulation and limitation. Each element controls another: Wood controls Earth (roots holding back the soil), Earth controls Water (dikes), Water controls Fire (extinguishes it), Fire controls Metal (melts it), and Metal controls Wood (the axe cuts the wood). This cycle maintains balance by preventing one element from becoming dominant.
These two cycles help us understand the dynamics of the five elements and their interrelationships within the body and the environment.
