The Earth Element
THE EARTH ELEMENT
Like Mother Earth, the earth element supplies the nourishment that sustains life. It is the digestive power that transforms raw food material into the fuel for body and mind; the constant provider and the hearth around which the body gathers.
Its archetype is that of the peacemaker, who desires connection, enjoys community, values loyalty, service, and harmony.
The earth element is associated with late summer, and the 18 day transition period at the end of each season.
It represents harmony, stability, and balance.
It symbolizes an energy of groundedness, rootedness, steadiness, focus, and the condition of being well nourished.
The Earth Element is associated with
the color yellow,
the spleen (pancreas) and stomach [the digestive center of the body]
the muscles and the flesh
and its associated emotion is worry, [contemplation / rumination].
When the Earth Phase is in balance we live with care and concern. We are thoughtful, kind and contemplative.
When the Earth Phase is not in balance:
We can become more clingy, overprotective, always feeling under-appreciated for our nurturing acts, and our concern for others come at the expense of self.
There may be difficulty maintaining personal boundaries.
We might see indecision, chronic worry / fretting, and contemplation can transmute into obsessive thinking
Physically we can see fatigue, foggy-headedness, lack of focus, and weight gain or loss (obesity or emaciation).
Oversensitivity - whether it be food, chemical, etc., and a tendency to easily bruise.
Some ways to support the Earth Element of your body:
Eat regular well balanced meals.
Yellow / orange squashes like kabocha, acorn, butternut, pumpkin can be very supportive.
Avoid excess sugar.
If expending a lot of time taking care of others, make some time for yourself - to rest, be quiet, go for a walk.
Spend time in nature, and connecting with the earth and soil - can be gardening, walking on a beach, visiting open fields, etc.
What influences the Earth Phase?
The earth element is nourished by the fire element (fire generates earth by reducing matter to ash that forms soil), and the wood element restrains the earth element (wood inhibits Earth by covering it).
Therefore when we see issues arising in the Earth Element, we will also often look to see if it is being properly nourished by its parent element (Fire) or if its is being insulted by its controlling element (Wood).
THE FIVE ELEMENTS
The 5 Elements (Phases) are nothing but symbols to describe the different movements that transpire within the dynamics of yin & yang, and the energetics and processes that occur within our human physiology - as the forces that govern and rule the natural world, are the same forces at play within our individual bodies.
At its core, Chinese medicine is a holistic medicine that originated from looking at and observing nature.
It is a science of symbolism.
Each of the 5 elements captures a certain movement, a certain motion, observed in the natural world; and each has its own energy characteristics within us (physically, emotionally, and spiritually).
In this medicine, health is understood as a state of being in harmony with nature, and aligned with the greater natural world.
We all embody all 5 elements, and when in health they are all mutually enhancing and regulating.
When out of balance, certain elements can become destructive and insulting or deficient and stifled.
Understanding the elements can help reveal where our bodies or psyches are needing support at any given moment in time.
Curious to Learn More?
1) Check out the rest of the element summaries here. Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water. Since all the elements live within all of us, it can be helpful to understand how they each interact.
2) Want to dive deeper into your own personal patterning? Get your own personalized reading & report here.
3) Wanting to work together 1 on 1? Shoot me a note and let's see how I might be able to help you.
