The Anger of Wood

Wood is the rhythm – the element – of Spring.  On my morning walks, I breathe deeply the scent of wood.  My eyes feast on the transformation of wood from barren brown to lush green.  The green of newness, of renewal. 

What does this have to do with energy medicine, you ask?  The five elements, alternatively called the five rhythms to denote aliveness, were mapped thousands of years ago by Chinese physicians.  They capture the flow of life into five elements, each of which corresponds to a season. 

It goes like this:  water is the element of winter; wood is the element of spring; fire is the element of summer; earth is the element of transition between seasons; and metal is the element of autumn.  Together they create an energy system that governs much of how you show up in the world.

You see each of us has a dominant rhythm. Your dominant rhythm may be visible in your walk, your voice, and your body type.  It may also be evident in your behavior.  This brings us back to the anger of wood. 

Cracks in the Core of a Mighty Tree

An energetic imbalance in your wood element may result in anger and frustration.  These emotions may be directed internally towards yourself or externally towards others.  When your wood rhythm is in balance, you have access to assertiveness as you move through day-to-day life.

In these chaotic times, filled with uncertainty wrought by rapid change, you may find that anger sneaks up on you.  Or maybe you just find yourself feeling frustrated for no apparent reason.  Can you relate?  I sure can.

The good news is that with simple, non-invasive energy medicine practices a rhythm that is out of balance can be rebalanced within a matter of minutes.  And there are simple exercises you can do to reinforce a balanced system.  Is it time to get your rhythms tested?