The Five Elements Within You: An Introduction to Chinese Medicine and Qigong

The Five Elements of Qigong

In Chinese Medicine, there is a Five Element system: Earth, Metal, Water, Wood, and Fire. Each of these elements exists not only in nature but also within you — representing different emotions, conditions, sensations, and aspects of the physical body.

The elements are a way of explaining how nature works. They give a name and image to help us understand the subtle and unseen.

A Harmonious System

Your body is a complex system of organs and muscles. When functioning properly, they work together in harmony. Each part of your being has its own functions — even its own personality — and depends on the others to keep the whole system healthy and balanced.

The Spirits Within 

In Qigong, we recognize the great work and challenges that our internal organs face. Taoist master Mantak Chia teaches that the first step in healing the body is to recognize that each organ has its own spirit.

The deeper our sensitivity becomes, the more we can listen to these inner spirits and notice imbalances.

Understanding Elemental Balance in the Body

The elements give us a clearer image of how energetic imbalances in the body can be explained. In the simplest terms, we can see that if, for example, there is too much Wood—too many trees breaking up the Earth—the Earth element becomes weak. With excess Wood feeding the flames, Fire becomes excessive, which then melts the structure of Metal. Without the minerals of Metal, Water becomes depleted and can’t sustain life.

Here, we see a Wood/Fire excess with Water/Earth/Metal deficiency.

This can manifest as a person who struggles with emotional outbursts of anger (Excess Wood), depression (Deficient Metal), and insecurity (Deficient Earth). They may also have dry skin (Deficient Metal), bladder issues (Deficient Water), or skin irritations such as acne or rashes (Excess Fire).

This is a clear example of how the psycho-spiritual and physical bodies are deeply intertwined. With attention and care, we can address both physical ailments and emotional challenges together—supporting the healing of one to bring balance to the other, and restoring harmony to both body and mind.

Interconnected Systems of the Elements

Each of the five elements have an in-depth ecosystem. As we look closer at the basics of each element we gain a clearer understanding of what an imbalance might look like — and how these systems are beautifully and intricately interwoven.