EM3: Five Element Imbalances

Chinese medicine looks at every problem as an imbalance of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements. This theory is the underlying engine of EM. We, too, can build upon this framework when approaching any disorder in the body. Every tissue of the body has one or more of the Five Elements associated with it. The tissue is filled with these Elements, but if the Elements become imbalanced, the tissue changes shape and/or behavior.
You can treat any problem from a Five Element perspective, so it is appropriate that we start here.

 

Fire Qi Tissues

 

Yin Fire relates to single cells in the body with the greatest Fire affinity with blood. It also relates to openings and open spaces (lumen) in the body, and in other tissues. The part of the brain it relates to is the limbic system, which is in charge of emotions and hormones. The tongue and the lower nasopharynx relate to Yin Fire. The entire chest is controlled by Yin Fire, but the cardiac heart is particularly important as a Fire tissue. In EM, the “heart organ” relates to the entire chest. So we call the cardiac heart the “cardiac heart” to differentiate it when we are diagnosing and treating.

Yang Fire relates very specifically to capillaries and to the small intestines. The part of the brain it relates to is the very top center responsible for intra-species communication. The underside of the tongue and the upper nasopharynx relate to Yang Fire. Taste is modulated by Fire Qi tissues.

The most common imbalances that develop in these tissues are circulatory in nature. Either the circulation becomes excessive or it becomes insufficient.

The Heart Array is an array of all tissues associated with Yin Fire. The Small Intestines Array is an array of all tissues associated with Yang Fire.

You can look for “any excesses of any of the Five Elements” or “any deficiencies in any of the Five Elements” or “any deficient excess of any of the Five Elements” in these arrays as a way of identifying and treating Five Element imbalances in the Fire Qi associated tissues. Then you can use the EM Five Element Deficiency, EM Five Element Excess, or the EM Tonify Excess Five Element accordingly.

Water Qi controls Fire Qi, so it can be helpful to look for “where Water Qi has invaded Fire Qi angles” in the Heart Array and the Small Intestines Array and treat any locations that light up with the EM Fire Angles 6 Levels Deep Water Excess Grid Treatment.

Earth Qi Tissues

 

Yin Earth relates to filler tissues with the greatest affinity with flesh and fat. Yin Earth controls rhythms and cycles and strongly impacts the entire digestive process. Yet, the organ associated with it is found in the circulatory system—not the GI tract. The Spleen organ is the organ associated with Yin Earth. The mouth is as a whole is the Yin Earth sensory organ. The area of the brain between the motor cortex and the limbic system relates to Yin Earth.

Yang Earth relates to tissues that flex and expand, which means it relates to fascia, muscles, the stomach organ and the gums. It also relates to the gums since Earth Qi controls Water Qi and we need a tremendous amount of Earth Qi to hold the excessively Water Qi teeth in place. Eating is modulated by Earth Qi tissues. The motor cortex is the part of the brain that relates to Yang Earth.

The Spleen Array contains all Yin Earth associated tissues. The Stomach Array contains all Yang Earth associated tissues.

The most common problems that develop with Earth tissues is excessive accumulation, fluctuations in daily rhythms, stagnation, and/or excessive contraction.

You can look for “any excesses of any of the Five Elements” or “any deficiencies in any of the Five Elements” or “any deficient excess of any of the Five Elements” in these arrays as a way of identifying and treating Five Element imbalances in the Earth Qi associated tissues. Then you can use the EM Five Element Deficiency, EM Five Element Excess, or the EM Tonify Excess Five Element accordingly.

Wood Qi controls Earth Qi, so it can be helpful to look for “where Wood Qi has invaded Earth Qi angles” in the Spleen Array and the Stomach Array, and treat any locations that light up with the EM Earth Angles 6 Levels Deep Wood Excess Grid Treatment.

Metal Qi Tissues

 

Yin Metal tissues relate to tissues interior to the body or interior to another tissue that serve to divide its internal sections. The dermis relates to Yin Metal as do the lungs and the nose. The Yin Metal part of the brain can be found between the temporal lobe and the limbic system.

Yang Metal tissues relate to exterior boundary tissues of the body or of other tissues. It relates to the epidermis of the skin. Inside other tissues, the Yin Metal surface faces other tissues including the tissues interior to the body where the Yang Metal surface faces where there is action and movement such as where the blood flows past in blood vessels or where the food moves past in the intestines. The Yang Metal part of the brain is a layer sitting just beneath the Small Intestine most superficial layer and the top of the limbic system extending all the way to the front of the cerebrum. The organs of Yang Metal include the large intestines as well as the nostrils.

Common problems that affect Metal are breakdowns in the boundary tissues or an excessive building up of boundary tissues.

The Lung Array contains all Yin Metal associated tissues. The Large Intestines Array contains all Yang Metal associated tissues.

You can look for “any excesses of any of the Five Elements” or “any deficiencies in any of the Five Elements” or “any deficient excess of any of the Five Elements” in these arrays as a way of identifying and treating Five Element imbalances in the Metal Qi associated tissues. Then you can use the EM Five Element Deficiency, EM Five Element Excess, or the EM Tonify Excess Five Element accordingly.

Fire Qi controls Metal Qi, so it can be helpful to look for “where Fire Qi has invaded Metal Qi angles” in the Lung Array and the Large Intestines Array and treat any locations that light up with the EM Metal Angles 6 Levels Deep Fire Excess Grid Treatment.

 

Water Qi Tissues

 

Water Qi constructs structures and so it should come as no surprise that the Yin Water tissues of the body relate to the interior aspect of the bones. Yin Water relates to glands, the deeper and more interior reproductive organs including the gonads, and the kidney organs and ureters. The temporal lobes relate to Yin Water as do the interior elements of the ears. So, hearing is modulated by Water Qi tissues.

Yang Water Qi tissues include the exterior structures of the body – such as their overall shape visible from the outside. They also include the exterior element of bones and relate specifically to the exterior ears. The part of the brain associated with Yang Water relates to the lateral superior aspects above the temporal lobes from front to back. The bladder and urethra and the more exterior reproductive organs relate to Yang Water.

The most common problems that develop in these tissues are breakdowns of structure or excessive construction of structures. Contraction in Water structures is also common.

The Kidney Array is an array containing all Yin Water associated tissues. The Bladder Array contains all Yang Water associated tissues.

You can look for “any excesses of any of the Five Elements” or “any deficiencies in any of the Five Elements” or “any deficient excess of any of the Five Elements” in these arrays as a way of identifying and treating Five Element imbalances in the Metal Qi associated tissues. Then you can use the EM Five Element Deficiency, EM Five Element Excess, or the EM Tonify Excess Five Element accordingly.

Earth Qi controls Water Qi, so it can be helpful to look for “where Earth Qi has invaded Water Qi angles” in the Kidney Array and the Bladder Array. Then treat any locations that light up with the EM Water Angles 6 Levels Deep Earth Excess Grid Treatment.

 

Wood Qi Tissues

 

Yin Wood tissues relate to tough connective tissues that tend to hold other tissues in position.

These include ligaments, attachments that stabilize interior organs and other tissues, and collagen inside the skin. Wood tissues as a rule allow for flexibility and so Yin Wood also associates with joints. The Yin Wood part of the brain relates to the amygdala and visual cortex. Yin Wood relates to the eyeballs. Wood Qi tissues are in charge of vision and decision making.

Yang Wood tissues relate to looser and longer connective tissues. They are associated with tendons. They have a strong relationship with nerves emanating from the spine. The Yang Wood part of the cerebrum includes the remaining part of the visual cortex as well as the prefrontal cortex. The eyelids relate to Yang Wood.

The most common problems suffered by Wood Qi tissues are of contraction, excessive expansion, or tearing.
You can look for “any excesses of any of the Five Elements” or “any deficiencies in any of the Five Elements” or “any deficient excess of any of the Five Elements” in these arrays as a way of identifying and treating Five Element imbalances in the Metal Qi associated tissues. Then you can use the EM Five Element Deficiency, EM Five Element Excess, or the EM Tonify Excess Five Element accordingly.

Metal Qi controls Wood Qi and it can sometimes back up into Fire Qi that should be controlling it, so it can be helpful to look for “where Metal Qi has invaded Wood Qi and/or Fire Qi angles” in the Heart Array and the Small Intestines Array and Liver Array and Gallbladder Array. Then treat any locations that light up with the EM 6 Levels Deep Metal Invasion Treatment. You can also look for “EM Metal Invasion Arrays”, which contain all locations where Metal Qi is invading the Fire Qi and Wood Qi arrays mentioned earlier in this paragraph.