You may want to explore further the images, messages and feelings you encounter on your CD journeys to the
Five Elements and the Organ Officials. Below is a description of some of the traditional associations of the
Elements. You will notice that each Organ Official is also associated with an element and shares its associations.
What are the Five Elements?
by Deborah Valentine Smith
Five Element theory is a metaphorical description of various attributes of matter, energy and spirit. Ultimately,
all is one: the Tao. But to have subject and object, the opportunity to play with the stuff of the universe, the One
differentiates into different qualities that may then interact and create existence as we know it. The ultimate
division is into yin and yang. But even yin and yang must begin and grow and diminsh. The five elements - or,
more accurately, phases - describe the beginning of yin (Metal), the fullness of yin (Water), the beginning of yang
(Wood), the fullness of yang (Fire), and the midpoint, the transition between them (Earth).
Earth, grounding, the energy of the middle; the stillness at the extreme of the pendulum swing, the balance in
the transitions from one thing into another. The "officials of the public graineries" (Nei Ching). Responsible for
nourishment at all levels, for digestion of raw materials into absorbable chunks, be it food, ideas, emotions. The
organs break food down physically (stomach) and chemically (spleen/pancreas) into such small parts that
everything is reduced to the same few basic building blocks. The emotional and spiritual functions break down
the complexities of the individual into the universal qualities shared by all. Understanding. Sympathy.
Recognition. Connection. Home.
Metal, crystal, the treasures of the deep earth. That which gives shape and structure to things so we know what
is inside, what is outside. The breath, the skin, the Protective Qi. Metal grasps what is precious, like gold, and
eliminates what is not. The lung eliminates carbon dioxide, the Large Intestine eliminates solid waste. They
both take in water. Holding on and Letting go at the emotional level reveals what is important to us; grief
allows us to pull our energy back from that which is no more. The spiritual aspect of metal is the animal spirit
that holds on to the human body so that the spirit may manifest in it. It is revealed as our physical energy, our
instincts, our sense of preservation and beauty.
Water, most receptive of the elements, moves only when moved, finds the shape of its container, and by the
completeness of its passivity, becomes powerful. As it falls down the mountain it gains the power of gravity, as it
absorbs the warmth of the sun, it gains the power of heat and light. It stores energy. It takes in. The Kidney
monitors the levels of many necessary electrolytes in the blood stream, including calcium. If that mineral is
lacking, the kidney function stimulates its release from the bones. And so the water element governs the bones,
the core, the essence, the reserves. Fear is mobilization of the reserves, Will is the gathering of them. It
monitors the metabolism of water - the medium in which most chemical reactions take place. The Bladder
stores, holds, puts away, puts things behind us. In the Winter we let drop away what is non-essential, store what
is essential and conserve our Qi.
Wood, growing, moving relentlessly through or around obstacles toward its vision of the light, the sun, the Shen.
The ability to move with strength and flexibility, the meridians govern the tendons and ligaments, both
stabilizing the joints and causing movement of the bones through their connection to the muscles. The Gall
Bladder influences all the other organs of the digestive system by a simple "yes" or "no," releasing or not
releasing the bile into the Small Intestine. On the emotional level it also governs decision-making, while its
partner, the Liver, governs planning and synthesizing. Growth, development, becoming our potential through
movement of the body, the emotions, the spirit.
Fire, expanding, the energy moving up and out; light, warmth, brilliance. The heart is the emperor. When any
other official is in charge, it is by definition out of balance. The Heart issues the commands based on attunement
with the Tao. Supplemental Fire carries out the commands through the circulatory system (pericardium) and the
cycles of energy transformation (Triple Warmer). The Small Intestine determines what will enter the blood
stream from the outside, and thus come close to the emperor. The amplifier of the emotions, the Heart stores
the Shen, or the Spirit, and unites all the emotions. The healthy heart reaches out in Joy, Compassion,
Creativity, Relationship.
Now that you know some of the associations, you can appreciate some of the material reported from journeys
below.
Examples from Organ Official Journeys
Lung
- The lungs were two round-bottomed copper cups with handles. “The only goal for today is to breathe in
and out. I asked why cups. The answer was that the lungs fill and empty.
- The guide was Mary in a light vision. The place was a field of white and there was an angel there.
- The official is a sanitation worker dressed in white who is responsible for cleaning the white ceramic walls
of a subway-like tunnel. He says "Keep the water coming so I can wash everything down."
- A “new” yellow and white kitten weaned too early. Needs more mother’s milk.
- Went inside the stomach – acid bubbling up and chews up everything. I drown in it.
- Warm she-crab soup – oh, the she-crab is the mother, how warm and wonderful. Rich, creamy soup.
- Yellow cab. The official said “Oh yeah, we’re good friends.” The Spleen was a little factory. The official in
charge wore a plain white shirt, black tie, pants, all business. There were machines that were producing
little white circles like tiddlywinks. Things came in, some garbage and there was a garbage chute. Some of
it was recycled. - Tubular tunnel reminded me of the blood steam. The guide took my hand and said “Let’s have fun.” We
slid through the dark tunnel, red color. At the end a gate in a garden and a guide with a big smile, no face.
Gift was a crystal ball. Said to keep it clear. He shook it and there was water inside. Could see it move
when he shook it. - Inside a yellow mountain. Told me I needed extra water for the extra burden I carry.
- A Thinking Chair where I play and meditate. Lots of lights.
- The guide told me to “let in a little light.”
- In a place with walls that in some places were thinner and you could see the light coming through and little
veins and arteries. My son was there playing (age six) and I was told there wasn’t a lot of time left to play
with him. - The space had a little picture that said “Home, Sweet, Home.” I smiled and heard “Love is all that
matters.” I sank into every cell. The gift was patience.
- Guide is a whisper, didn’t speak. A dark black man, angular, beautiful, tall and sculptured poling down a
long canal that’s narrow and winding. Knowledge of movement. Where too narrow, movement stops. - Voice said “Lighten up.”
- A Chinese Master. I’m a little girl. SI is a busy office, sorting and filing, but not exactly. Divine order and
flow. The official in charge is very calm with a cat on her lap. There’s a dynamic unseen connection that’s
not concrete. The gift is poop! The message is “All is temporary, all is process and flow.” - We knock on a door and inside is a little gnome with a long bulbous nose, pointed hat, shaking his finger at
me and holding a flashlight. He said “Get in here!” I shrunk down and he was showing me all the areas that
were less than perfect and blaming me for the condition. I was trying to keep a straight face.(Two years ago
had ischemia of the intestine). Message is “Drink, drink, drink.” - Asked the official what it did: “Provide you with information. You need to listen to your heart.”
- Water more actively moving than in the Kidney meditation. I see an origami boat and I feel joy and tearful.
It’s for weathering the flow and change of life, getting balance. Message is to take in more fluids. - A huge fresh water sea. Overwhelming. Everything is here.
- Ice blue with a bright orange flame inside. Message: stay warm.
- On a ship in the middle of a storm. Captain in a slicker is shouting but I can’t hear. Then I hear “relax,” the
sea calms and the sun comes out. - A cave I’ve recently visited. Gentle acceptance. Seeping water, soft and gentle.
- The guides were little blue birds and we went into a deep quiet darkness. A voice said “Honor me as you
honor your breath.”
- I went through a door to a room for the power portion of the house. It was a pulsing pink pneumatic thing.
The official was Scotty from Star Trek and he was in a panic. “I need more time to figure it out.” He
showed me a worn out piston and connecting rod, like from an internal combustion engine. My inner guide
said “Scotty may not be the man for the job.”
- I was in a very large cavern, bigger than a cave. Lots of stalactites and stalagmites and an underground lake.
Very moist and warm, not hot; water dripping. Lots of phosphorescence: deep blues, greens, reds,
magenta. The official asked only that I leave the area as clean and pristine as I found it. He gave me a bottle
of glowing water with all the colors in it. - I was in a boat, going along a river, which then went through a cavern with rock on either side like the
Grand Canyon. My guide was a Chinese woman who got on the boat. She didn’t speak English but I knew
she knew things and I knew what she was saying. On the other side of the cavern was a waterway city like
Venice. Lots of people and activity. The official was like a side-show barker. He said “You have to be
interested in everything that’s going on. Everybody likes me.” He gave me a little live silvery fish, dying in
my hand.
- I was in a meeting backstage The official was a choreographer who was doing a world premier of Macbeth.
He gave me the three witches and said “You do the scene.” - We went up the mountain to the Gall Bladder. We climbed a lot to the very top where there was snow.
The official was a madman who was growling, and had hair all over the place. He was taking the snow and
eating it and throwing it. I was intimidated. I asked him what he was doing. There didn’t seem to be any
reason to it. He said he was expelling anger so he could calm down. The snow was blanketing the mountain
and making it calm. Then he transformed and was calm. He gave me a really soft luxurious pillow that
makes you relax when you touch it.
- In the Liver there were tubules and things running. It looked much better than I thought. Fresh and pink
like a good piece of meat. - It told me it’s job was to “preserve life itself, to clear and clean the blood.” It said “You’re pretty full of
yourself.” It told me to rest and relax, not just from physical activity. I should close my eyes daily.v
Metal/White The West, Autumn, Pulling In, Letting Go Lung and Large Intestine Officials |
Water/Blue The North, Winter, Keeping Still Kidney and Bladder Officials |
Wood/Green The East, Spring, Sprouting Liver and Gall Bladder Officials |
Fire/Red The South, Summer, Blossoming Heart and Small Intestine Officials: Sovereign Fire Pericardium and Triple Warmer Officials: Supplemental Fire |
Earth/Yellow Middle, Indian Summer, Maturing Stomach and Spleen/Pancreas Officials |
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Sound
Five Element and
Organ Official
Associations
Organ Official
Associations
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