The Wood Element of Spring

The Wood Element, or Wood Phase, of Daoism and Chinese Medicine is one of the Five Elements, along with Water, Fire, Earth and Metal.

These Elements are different vibrational states of Qi as it manifests in the world, each with different correspondences to aspects of Nature, both within and all around us in the World.

The Wood Phase characterizes the energy of expansion and growth, the bursting forth of new life in the Spring. It is represented with the color Green, the vibrant hue of sprouting seedlings and bamboo.

It’s associated emotion is anger..  which is really just the expansive force of Nature moving in its path of creative expression. When this creative direction is blocked, it’s common for a reactive frustration to arise, which is the side of anger we are often most familiar with.

The Wood energy is embodied in two organ systems in the human body.. the Liver and Gallbladder, which are the General making plans and the Commander enacting them. The Liver system is said to open into the eyes, which are both a physical and metaphorical part of our creative vision.

There are many ways to integrate the wisdom of the Five Phases into our daily lives, and we will continue to share knowledge, practices and perspectives to help weave these Ways of being into our understanding of the World.