The five seaons of the Wu Xing
The five seasons, the five elements
The elements, the phases, are often explained on the basis of the seasons. They reflect the movement, temperature and events related to each element. Telling about the seasons is an accessible way to explain the meaning of the Taoist five elements, and how the five elements are used in some Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) methods.
Wood element, season: spring
In the spring there is a rapid exponential growth. Many new forms arise from seeds that have rested, dormant and germinated in the winter. Seeds and bulbs burst open and young plants emerge from the soil. In the drawing you see the Japanese cherry blossoms appearing from the buds. It is an explosion of life and birth.
Fire element, season: summer
In the summer the flowers come up and bloom to the highest point, like the beautiful poppies (roses) in the drawing. Their fierceness, growth and rapid multiplication reflects the energy of fire. So is the light and heat of the sun, so intense that it scorches your senses.
Earth element, season: late summer
In the late summer (Indian summer) there is enjoyment and gratitude for what has grown. Towards the autumn, what has come to full bloom in the summer is also harvested. The foods and fruits are collected and stored in granaries and pottery.
The earth element not only stands for the late summer season, but also for the transitional phases between the seasons. When yin and yang gradually alternate, earth maintains balance. The earth element thus monitors the changing periods of time, space and relationships. In the five element cycle, the earth element is therefore regularly placed in the middle, with the 4 other elements around it.
Metal element, season: autumn
The season of decay and loss. In the fall, the juices, the life force of each plant, withdraw from the leaves and branches. It is collected in the roots and nutrients maintain their strength underground during the long, cold winter.
In the opposite direction, the tree directs the impurities it no longer needs up to the leaves. In the approaching winter, these leaves no longer serve the tree, so they receive no nourishment and fall to the ground.
There is peace after the harvest (in farming communities) and time for reflection and adjustment. A slower pace. In urban communities, this is precisely the start of the academic year and an important commercial season; the tension and workload increase. So are flu epidemics and lung-related diseases. A question from Carola Beresford-Cooke, written in 1995: could these be avoided if we allowed ourselves to maintain a slower pace?
Water element, season: winter
Winter is a time of rest and recovery. It has the characteristics of absolute yin, such as long periods of darkness, ultimate silence and low temperatures. The trees slumber, hibernate, until the spring sun wakes them up again. The winter cold is inviting plants and animals to conserve their strength to be prepared for the tougher times of this season. Activity comes to a minimum and growth stops. Attention is paid to rest and recovery. Back to the seeds, the essence, the great potential.
