The Earth Element of Feng Shui & East Asian Medicine corresponds with late summer from end of August to the Autumn Equinox in September. Most importantly, it marks that pause or center of the seasonal year, as a time to ground and regroup. Late summer is the season of harvest, when we can take the time to rest and reap abundance from our hard work. Also, it marks the autumn equinox, as the year’s midpoint, with equal light and darkness. Thus, it reminds us to enter our center and find balance, while being peacefully present and rooted in nature.
Wisdom from East Asian Medicine is a helpful guide on how best to cleanse your whole being, attuned to the seasonal cycles. For example, late summer corresponds with the spleen/pancreas and stomach, recommending this as the best time to tune-up these organs. Also, it’s a good time to detoxify the mind and body’s toxic residue from over-thinking and worries, because these patterns correspond with the earth element.
East Asian Medicine – 5 Element System
The East Asian Medicine rests on a foundation of 5 Element Theory, involving Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. These elements are a 5-phase theory, interrelating organic energies expressed in our body and nature. In other words, this pentagram within hosts a flow of energies, depicting our personalities, emotions and health imbalances. Also, everyone has their unique energetic blueprint of 5 elements expressed through health patterns. Most importantly, this is a key factor in diagnosing for a TCM Practitioner. This article is part of a 5-element series, focusing on the earth element for late summer.
East Asian Medicine Five Elements and Correspondences
The interrelationships follow a flow in which each element feeds the next element and controls the second from it as depicted below. For example, Earth engenders Metal and controls water and so on. And Earth is engendered by Fire and controlled by Wood..
We embody all five elements, however, many individuals express certain elements more strongly. For example, an Earth Archetype would take on more traits of this element being honest, trustworthy, steadfast and resistant to change.
Earth Element of Feng Shui & East Asian Medicine
The Earth Element in East Asian Medicine is one of the 5 used in diagnosis, embodying the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of the constitution. Being human, we are always out of balance, with our own individual blueprints toward our highest nature. Furthermore, understanding the baseline can give guidance for objective assessments, helping to eliminate judgement and encouraging personal evolution.
The earth element in Chinese Astrology is transitional energy, as the last zodiac sign of each season: Ox, Dragon, Sheep and Dog. Earth’s symbol is the Yellow Dragon and its direction is Center. Earth types have a yellowish complexion and are round in shape, especially in the face and abdomen. Also, their personality is resourceful, loyal, persistent and predictable. However, they are learning to own their power and embrace more change and leadership for balance. Also, they tend to overeat and become lethargic and gain weight. So, proper diet and exercise is very empowering for these individuals to feel good about themselves.
Earth Element of Feng Shui & East Asian Medicine – Spleen / Stomach
Each element associates with paired yin-yang organs and other emotions. The Earth Element in East Asian Medicine represents the Spleen (Yin) and Stomach (Yang). From a western perspective, the Spleen equates to pancreas, regulating blood sugar and insulin. It’s cultural perspective is different than the Western world regarding emotions. With the exception of joy, from the western perspective, the other 4 East Asian Medicine emotions of anger, worry, grief and fear are considered ‘negative’ to most individuals. In comparison, in East Asian Medicine the emotions are a source of disharmony with neutral connotations.
All emotions have their place in healthy individuals and ideally expressed in a balanced way to maintain health. Even too much joy can be a source of disharmony. In East Asian Medicine, the emotion worry associates with Earth. Furthermore, these types need to balance their tendency to over ruminate and worry by being more present and grounded with nature.
Earth Element of Feng Shui & East Asian Medicine – Taoist Healing Sounds and Tones/Releasing Worries
There’s an ancient Taoist concept of the Six Healing Sounds or Liu Zi Jue. Each of the 5 elements and paired organs have a healing sound and tone. Triple Burner is the sixth sound and integrates the other 5 sounds and is explained in Fire Element blog. The tone for Earth Element is C and the healing sound is HOOOO. There’s a Taoist Qi Gong exercise where you lean forward, with hands over the Spleen/Pancreas/Stomach area, inhaling deeply into these organs then exhaling while saying the healing sound, HOOOO. The Six Healing Sounds transform the stagnant energy stored in the organs and meridian pathways into a vital life force.
This also includes an exercise, similar to the western modality, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprogramming). In the Spleen/Pancreas exercise, you imagine a person or situation that has given you worry (If it involves a person, separate the person from the worry). Next, imagine both eyes moving down, to your Spleen/Pancreas. While focusing on the worry, move your eyes back and forth, and imagine the eyes in your Spleen/Pancreas moving back and forth, eliminating the worry. This exercise applies to all organs with their corresponding emotion and vocal healing sounds. In addition, you can use color therapy and imagine vibrant yellow light or the sun’s rays penetrating the Spleen/Pancreas during this meditation.
Spleen/Pancreas/Stomach Digestion (Solar Plexus) Empowerment
Late summer is a good time to assess your digestive issues of your Spleen and Stomach. Because the Spleen equates pancreas in western anatomy, this can be a good time to evaluate your blood sugar levels. Many of my patients have told me that by just loosing significant weight, they are able to stabilize their blood sugar levels. In addition, there are natural options to consider, before going on pharmaceuticals for diabetes.
Bitter Melon is a superfood recognized in Chinese and Ayurvedic Medicine, for its abilities to lower blood sugar and treat diabetes. When in Nepal, I discovered stir-fried Bitter Melon as one of my favorite tasting dishes. Also, there are accessible natural supplements at your local health store to lower glucose levels, for example, bitter melon, chromium, gymnema sylvestre (Ayurvedic herb), fenugreek, cinnamon, and Alpha Lipoic Acid.
Modern Research and Microbiome or Healthy Gut Bacteria
More and more research shows the importance of microbiome or gut bacteria for good digestion and immunity. Especially, if you have taken a lot of antibiotic pharmaceuticals, it’s important to replenish your “good bacteria” that antibiotics kill off for proper digestion. Also, fermented foods, such as, kombucha, yogurt and miso soup are good examples of food choices that support a healthy microbiome.
Taking probiotic supplements can also be crucial, especially if you recently finished a course of antibiotics for an infection. A sign of a weak microbiome is candida in the body. Coconut Oil is a natural antifungal due to its ingredient, caprylic acid, that kills off yeast colonies. Also, supplementing coconut oil with probiotics and a healthy diet with minimal sugar (feeds candida) improves digestive health.
Late summer is a good time to transition your diet from the summer salads and smoothies to more warming and nourishing foods, like root vegetables and soups. Aromatic foods beneficial for digestion are ginger, cloves and fennel. Earth types are prone to a sluggish metabolism and retain fluids. Therefore, they benefit from certain foods, such as, adzuki beans, lima beans, kidney beans and mushrooms. Another issue for older adults is a decrease in stomach acid which the body needs for protein digestion. Taking bromelain (pineapple) or papain (Papaya) digestive enzymes can be good supplementation for protein digestion. It is interesting to consider that papain and bromelain are also good for joint inflammation or arthritis? Is poor digestion connected to arthritis?
Spleen/Stomach Meridian Therapy / Earth Element of Feng Shui & East Asian Medicine
In East Asian Medicine there are 12 principle meridians that correspond with organs. There are paired organs, 1 yang/hollow and 1 yin (solid) pairs for each element and season. Fire is an exception of the elements, having 2 pairs. The meridians are channels, where the qi (life force) flows, transforming energy to material and vice versa. Most importantly, the acupuncture points used for needling are along these channels.
However, there are many ways to stimulate the points without acupuncture needles, using essential oils, acupressure, massage, Reiki or tuning forks. Plus, anyone can support the flow of the qi in the meridians by stretching or doing yoga. When we are stiff, our meridians kink like a garden hose, obstructing our free flow flow of qi. Obstructions can lead to pain or disease from this imbalance. Here is an overview of the locations and benefits of the 2 earth meridians and selected power points emphasized along the channels:
Spleen Meridian:
First, this meridian enters the medial side of the great toe, traveling up the medial foot and inner leg along the abdomen, through lateral ribcage to second intercostal space finally ending in the auxiliary line in the 6th intercostal space. Plus, from its 21 points, I explain the benefits of 5 Power Points:
3 -“Greater White” Proximal and inferior to the head of first metatarsal bone: Stimulates mental faculties and memory (especially if weakened by excess mental work), treats chronic phlegm in lungs, and also strengthens spine
6 -“Three Yin Meeting” Hand’s width above medial malleolus: Calms mind, regulates menses, stops pain, treats diarrhea and also stomach conditions
8 -“Earth Pivot” Hand’s width below Spleen 9: Clears obstructions and pain in channel, and also dysmenorrhea
9 -“Yin Mound Spring” Lower border of medial condyle , in depression on medial border of tibia: Urinary difficulties, including retention, pain, cloudy; vaginal discharge, edema in legs and also feet
21 -“Great Whispering” Mid axillary line in 6th intercostal space: muscular pain throughout body and also fibromyalgia
Stomach Meridian:
6 – Jaw Chariot” Anterior to angle of mandible: TMJ, toothache, Trigeminal Neuralgia and also grinding teeth
25 -“Heavenly Pillar” 2 cun lateral to umbilicus: diarrhea, bloating, constipation and also gastritis
36 -“Three Miles of the Leg” Hands-width below kneecap, 1 fingerbreadth from anterior crest: gastritis, digestive problems, immunity, hypertension, gastritis, allergies, asthma, breast abscesses, and also energy
38 -“Narrow Opening” 1 finger breadth from tibia crest, midway between kneecap and ankle: shoulder pain, inflammation and also frozen shoulder
44 -“Inner Courtyard” Web between second and third toes: acid reflux, upper toothache, trigeminal neuraglia, frontal headaches, and also facial pain
Spirit of the Spleen: Yi / Earth Element of Feng Shui & Releasing Worry
The Yi or intellect is the Spirit of the Earth Element in East Asian Medicine. It’s our center, balancing the transformation processes of all 5 elements. Moreover, Yi is our capacity for scholarly achievements, making intentions and digesting thoughts, while keeping us grounded. The Yi is damaged when the mind over-thinks, with a pensiveness leading to worry. Also, a healthy Yi stays fully present, attuned to the gut brain and solar plexus, supporting healthy digestion. Connecting with nature’s earth element is therapeutic for harmony, so the Yi Spirit can sustain a calm, clear mind. Thus, it listens to the gut brain for intuitive information.
Guided Healing Meditation Downloads
Overall, this article is intended to simplify and provide an overview of Taoist principles on the 5 elements into a cohesive whole. As the earth element and late summer, it’s part of a 5-Element blog/Guided Meditation series in links below.
Read More!
Wood Element of Feng Shui & East Asian Medicine – Spring Detox for Liver/Gallbladder & Anger
Fire Element of Feng Shui & East Asian Medicine – Summer Heart Healing and Love
Metal Element of Feng Shui & East Asian Medicine – Autumn Healing of Grief & Lung/Large Intestine
Water Element of Feng Shui & East Asian Medicine – Winter Healing for Fear & Kidneys/Bladder
Healing Meditations Download
Disclaimer: This article or meditation is not intended to diagnose, cure or treat any disease. Consult a health practitioner for any illness. Do not listen to meditation while driving or lifting heavy items.
