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ABOUT THE  FIVE ELEMENTs

"It is only possible to live the fullest life when we are in harmony with
these [archetypal] symbols; wisdom is a return to them."  -Carl Jung

The model of the Five Elements, handed down from ancient China, is both the foundation for a system of medicine and a symbolic representation that provides a way "to live the fullest life." Essentially, the elements are universal archetypes that can guide us in the art of living.

From Wood we experience the energy of creation and, like the world in springtime, we are encouraged to give birth to new possibilities and find the attributes that permit them to grow.

Fire teaches us of warmth, love, and the value of relationships, helping us discover that we, too, have the potential to become a source of light both within and without.

The Earth element supports us in nurturing others as well as ourselves, realizing  a harvest - and in not forgetting to put our hands in the soil.

Metal points to the spirit, the realm of the invisible, and is an image of the letting go and receptivity that is requisite for life to have meaning and quality.

From the Water element we learn to flow with changes and understand the importance of rest and filling the reservoirs.

To participate in an elemental life is to embody the wisdom of indigenous, earth-based cultures, where the value of living in harmony with the rhythms of nature is considered a central teaching. In essence, the goal of the system of medicine that is based on this model is to assist each individual in expressing their own unique, original nature.

The three thousand year-old Chinese tradition of the Five Elements offers fresh insights into the roots of illness, while bringing a positive vision of wellness and the healing process. In the cyclic aspect of the elements we are reminded of wholeness and the interconnection of all things, which allows faith in the endless circle of life. No matter how dark the winter, in time there will be a spring.

Through an archetypal approach to Chinese medicine, we can uncover a way to heal the seemingly insurmountable problems of modern times, which have their origins in the widespread alienation from the natural world.

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