The Chinese believe that the Five Elements –Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water — govern the physical, emotional, and spiritual existence of human beings just as they regulate the cycles of growth and change in the external world. An excess or deficiency in any one of these basic forces immediately and powerfully affect your physical health and emotional well-being. Once you learn how to balance these energies, regulate their flow, and adjust any excesses or deficiencies, you can create health and harmony in your life.

Each of the Five Elements has a unique nature and spirit, and every human being has a constitutional affinity to one or more of them. The aggressive, forceful energy of Wood is most obvious in the season of spring, when the buds swell to bursting and the seeds sprout into tender shoots that, against all odds, push their way through the earth to burst into vigorous life. If Wood is your predominant energy, you are like the greening stem of spring, driven by the need to stay in motion and reach to new heights, yet firmly grounded by a sense of self and “home” — the place where you fit and belong. Your roots are driven deep; your potential is unlimited.

The radiant energy of the sun, which is the power of Fire, is felt most intensely during the season of summer. Fire is the force that generates passion, compassion, and creativity. If you are energized by Fire, you are filled with enthusiasm and a blazing love of life. You draw others to you as the flame draws the moth, and you thrive on drama and excitement. Your intense craving for affection and close physical relationships will prove to be either your greatest strength or your most notable weakness.

The power of Earth is captured in the image of a garden: fertile, nourishing, solid, yet forgiving, the power of Earth is strongest in late summer and early fall — harvest time. If you are energized by the power of Earth, you are a natural mediator who thrives on harmonious relationships; discord and dissension throw you off balance. A sense of kinship and connectedness to others is essential to your health and happiness. Earth energy helps you find a center between opposing forces, teaching you how to resolve your differences and find sensible solutions to even the most difficult problems.

The power of Metal is symbolized by a majestic, snow-capped mountain. Reaching toward the heavens, yet firmly grounded in the earth, the mountain stands as a symbol of inner strength, endurance, and tranquility. If you are energized by Metal, you are disciplined and precise, strong-willed yet willing and able to adapt to changing circumstances. Drawn to the core issues of life and the higher truths of art and philosophy, you seek to develop your character by devoting your attention to ethics, morality, and the acquisition of knowledge. Your season is autumn, the time of year when you begin to compress and contract your energy, pruning back and pulling inward in preparation for winter.

The power of Water, which is most evident in winter, can be seen in the raindrops that freeze overnight into icicles and melt in the morning, falling softly to the ground to dissolve into mist when warmed by the sun. Water changes shape effortlessly and yet never loses its essential character. If Water energizes you, you are dependable, infinitely resourceful, and single-minded in pursuit of your goals. Difficult or demanding situations do not cause you to hesitate or retreat, for you have a firm, unshakable sense of self, and you follow the path before you with strength, purpose, and determination.

Each of the Five Elements interacts in unique patterns and cycles to create your individual personality, emotional responses, spiritual desires, and physical strengths and weaknesses. When one power is excessively strong or weak, specific physical, emotional, and spiritual imbalances may occur. Excess Wood energy, for example, can lead to aggressive behavior, impatience, explosive anger, arrogance, or greed, while deficient Wood energy is often associated with anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, fatigue and lethargy. Physical manifestations of excess Wood energy might include high blood pressure, muscle cramps, heartburn, and migraine headaches, while deficient Wood energy can lead to insomnia, allergies, visual disturbances, low blood pressure, and digestive problems.

Each of the Five Elements depends upon the others, and life itself depends upon their intricate balance and interdependence. Water irrigates the fields and forests so that Wood can grow. Wood feeds Fire, which burns to ash, nourishing the Earth. Earth provides a firm foundation and stable support for the mountains of Metal that rise upward toward the heavens. Metallic ores and rocks underlie the river channels that give Water its direction, while minerals and trace elements give Water its nourishing richness. Each element nourishes and is nourished by the others.

Just as the elements feed and sustain each other, so do they restrain and inhibit each other. Water controls Fire by quenching it. Fire restrains Metal by melting it, allowing it to be shaped and molded. Metal inhibits Wood by cutting it (symbolized by the ax chopping the tree). Wood restrains Earth by covering it, literally rooting it in place and preventing erosion. Earth controls Water by absorbing it and forming natural dams and riverbanks to prevent it from overflowing its channels.