Metal This is Metal’s time Late summer’s heat has broken. The light is lower. The leaves are turning. The mornings carry a chill that wasn’t there last week – you can feel the year tipping. That tipping point has a date: 23 September, the Autumn Equinox. Equal light, equal dark. From the next morning, the […]
Earth
Earth What Earth governs Earth is associated with late summer; a golden pause between full bloom and harvest. It’s the element of the Stomach and Spleen in Chinese medicine, which means it’s responsible for far more than just digesting food. Earth digests everything: your meals, yes, but also your thoughts, experiences and feelings. Physically, Earth […]
Fire
Fire Something shifts in June. The days stretch long, social invitations multiply, the world turns itself outward and expects you to do the same. In Five Element acupuncture, this is no coincidence. We are in Fire season. The peak of the year’s energy, the moment when everything that has been building since winter reaches […]
Five Element Acupuncture
What is Five Element Acupuncture? In the words of J.R. Worsley, “Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of healing known to mankind. It originated in China nearly five thousand years ago.” Five Element Acupuncture is rooted in ancient Chinese philosophy, specifically in the observation that all of nature moves through five phases or elements: […]
Qi & Quiet
Qi & Quiet Why the name There’s a moment that happens in almost every treatment session. It comes after the needles are placed, after the conversation has settled, after the body has begun to remember that it doesn’t always have to be braced for something. A particular quality of stillness arrives. Not empty, but full. […]
The Wood Element
Wood Renewal, Growth and Balance Spring is more than just blooming flowers and longer days. It’s a season deeply connected to renewal, growth and vitality in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Governed by the Wood element, Spring is a time to align with nature’s energy, release stagnation and cultivate clarity. When balanced, the Wood element brings […]
The Water Element
In Five Element acupuncture, Water is the element of winter; the still point beneath the noise. It is associated with the Kidneys and Bladder, with depth, willpower, fear and the quiet storehouse of our essential energy.