Five ElementAcupuncture

FiveElementAcupunctureris basedon nature. The Chineseobservedthe cyclesof nature

asthey arereflectedin the seasons, in the rhythmsof dayandnight,andin the movementof all
living thingsthroughbirth, growth, declineanddeath.Humanbeings,aspart of nature,are
governedby the samelaws.

The five elementsarewood, fire, eartlqmetal,andwater. Eachelementrepresents a

seasonin nature'scycleanda phaseof a person'senergy.Themeridiansassociated with each
elementarelikenedio * Official of a kingdom. EachOfficialmustdo its job in orderfor the
kingdomto prosper.Likewisein eachpersonthe variousaspects of the person'senergymust
functionwell for the personto enjoygoodhealth. WhenoneOfficialbecomesunableto do its
job, otherOfficialsmust stepin to fulfill thosefunctions.Five ElementAcupunctureseeksto
strengthenand supportthe person'senergyso that all Officialsin the kingdomfunctionwell.

The inter-relationships of the five elementsis important. Eachelementaffectsandis

affectedby all the others. In a person,the dynamicsamongthe elementsare observedin orderto
understandhow bestto treat a patientwith acupuncture.

Eachelementis associated with a setof correspondences. Emphasisis placedon the

correspondences ofcolor, sound,odor,andemotion.Thesecorrespondences areobserved by
seeing asking,feelingandsmellingin orderto discernthe stateof the elementsin the person.
The personcanthenbe treatedaccordingly.

The roots of the traditionofFive ElementAcupuncturego backto ancientChina.Using

theseroots alongwith informationfrom othersources,Dr. J. R. Worsleyof LeamingtonSpa,
England,synthesized asit is taughttoday-2Later
the informationinto a systemof acupuncture
generationsof practitionerscontinueto addto the body of knowledgethroughtheir own
experiencesin the treatmentroom.

I
See "What is Five Elerneot Acupuncture?" page 83, aad "From Lramington Acupuncture to TCM and Back Agairl" page97'

2
For detailed information, see Eckmaru Peter, In lhe Footsteps of lhe Yellow Empetor. Cypress Book Company, 1996-
 ShengCycle
Generatingcycle or Creative cycle

Definition

Everything that exists, from a single cell to planet Earth, goes through its own cycle of birth,
maturity, decline, and death. This is a cycle of creation; there is no beginning and no end. At any
given moment everything is in a stageof the Shengor creation cycle. The cycle can be observed
in u -orn.nq in a lifetime, and in all periods of time in between. With the five elements,each
elementis generatedby the precedingelement.Water generatesWood, Wood generatesFire, and
so forth.

Characteristics

Energy moves in a clockwise direction on the cycle-

The Qi3 moving in the Sheng cycle is alwaysin motion.
The flow of movement in this cycle is from Yin Official to Yin Official and Yang Official to Yang
Official.
The Qi in this cycle is sharedby pairedmeridians.
Wood createsFire Wood : growth
Fire createsEarth Fire = maximal growth
Earth createsMetal Earth : balance
Metal createsWater Metal : decline
Water createsWood Water : maximal decline

Clinical Significance

Explainshow the Qi flows, essentialto both diagnosisand treatment planning.

Provides a pattern with which to direct the flow of Qi in the patient.

'
Qi is often lranslated from the Chinese as "enerry."
 Law of Mother/Child

Definition I

The law of Mother/Child is a relationship that perpetuatesthe Sheng cycle. That is, the mother
generatesthe child.
Each of the five elements,Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal, is generatedby the elementthat
precedesit. Thus, each elementis the Mother of the succeedingelement. The succeeding
elementis the Child element.

Characteristics

Symptomsmay show up in the Mother and/or the Child.

Pathologt occurs when one or both Mother and/or Child are out of balance.
An excessiveMother will causejust as much trouble as a deficient Mother.
A strong Child may be well even though the Mother is out of balance.
A Child that is sick for a very long time will eventuallydepletethe Mother.
A healthyMother and Child reinforce each other.

Clinical Significance

In diagnosis,to discern the health of the Mother and Child.

If an imbalanceoccurs in an element,the Mother and the Child4 of that element may also be
unbalanced.
Treating the Mother may help the Child.
Treating the Child may help the Mother.

o
Not" th"l "Motte/' and "Child" are relative teros. For exa.nrple:
(1) The relatiorship of two elements: Fire is the Mother of Earth aod Earth is the Child of Fire.
(2) The relationship of tbree elernents: Fire is the Mother of Earth and Metal is the Child of Earth
 Ke Cycle
Controlcvcle

Definition

The Kes cycle prevents the Shengcycle from getting out of control.
The Grandmother controls the Child's growth.

Characteristics

The Ke cycle exists simultaneouslywith the Shengcycle.

Patholog occurs when the Child's growth is over-controlled (Cheng qtcle, page 8/ or
uncontrolled (Wu cycle, page 9). Either one is as harmful as no growth at all.
Energy moves only from Yin Official to Yin Official on the Ke cycle.
Ke cycle pathways do not generatetheir own energy.

Metaphorically: Earth guidesWater

Water coolsFire
Fire warmsMetal
Metal prunesWood
Wood holdsEarth

Clinical Significance

To discernthe influence of the Grandmother on the Child.

The paths of the Ke cycle can be used to transfer energy from one Yin Official to another Yin
Official.

5
AJ"o "K'o" in the Wade Giles rraosfiteration-
 Law of MiddaYlVlidnight
Definition

two-hour time period

Each meridian'senergyflow is highestand functioning optimally during a
These
eachday. Conversely,its energyflow is lowest during the oppositetime of day.
two hour time periodsare illustratedon the ChineseClock.s
During the high phase,the Official is most accessible'
During the low phase,the Official is least accessible'

Characteristics

Providesa guide to observedaily cycles-

'standard' time.
The time periods are expressedin sun or

Clinical Significance

In diagnosis,this is the time when a patientmay feel best or worst.

This law may be used as a guide to set daily rhythms in one'slife.
The Horary pointe is used during the high phaseto accessthe official.
In praaice, the first paired meridian may be treated at the end of its high phase, and the second
paired meridian at the beginning of its high phase.

| 2 3 a t 6f a lrorrlar 2 t /1 5 5 I t Sr0lll2
Pm am

Treat the Btadder/Ill lvleridian just before5PM sun time and

the Kidney/TVMeridian just after 5P1s.f sun time.

8
The time periods are shown by the Chinese clock in the ceoter of the Worsley Five Elenrent chart

9 See page 24 for discwion of time and sonal usge of Horary points.
Horuy means..hourly."

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