Psychophysical development of a person through the “Five Elements” system.

Five Primary Elements. Meaning, characteristics, description

FIVE ELEMENTS

According to ancient Chinese tradition, the five basic elements are water, wood, fire, earth and metal. The literal translation of the word "element" is something stable, motionless, but the Chinese word "xin" is movement and change, so more accurate translation- “five elements”, “five driving forces" For example, the element tree does not mean wood, but the driving principle that is originally inherent in the tree kingdom.

These five elements generate and at the same time destroy each other in continuous cycles - the cycle of generation and the cycle of destruction. Each element interacts with another either positively or negatively. Understanding these movements and transformations of chi energy improves the quality of feng shui.

Primary Elements: CYCLE OF GENERATION

The cycle of generation is a positive interaction of energies that runs in a vicious circle - water - wood - fire - earth - metal. This cycle is also called the compatibility cycle, or positive cycle.

1. Water symbolizes the origin of organic life. Beginning in peace and quiet, it nourishes the tree.
2. The tree grows up and to the sides. Its energy harnesses the potential for growth, which is a driving and stimulating force. The tree becomes food for fire.
3. Fire - hot, pulsating, intense - is a symbol of active activity. When the fire goes out, it leaves ashes and turns into earth.
4. The earth collects and stores energy. Condensing, in the process of purification and improvement, the earth forms metal.
5. Metal at its most pure form becomes a liquid that is associated with water.

Then the cycle starts over.

Primary Elements: CYCLE OF DESTRUCTION

The cycle of destruction is the negative interaction of elements. Otherwise it is called the cycle of incompatibility: the qualities of one element are in opposition to the qualities of another in the sequence water - fire - metal - wood - earth. This process can be depicted as a movement in a circle, but it is easier to imagine when superimposed on the cycle of generation. This sequence creates a pentagram - traditional symbol destructive force.

Water extinguishes fire. Fire melts and destroys metal. Metal cuts wood and destroys it vitality. The tree feeds on the sap of the earth and drills holes in it with its roots. The earth absorbs and binds water.

Primary Elements: SOFTENING CYCLE

Since all elements interact, it means that the element that stands between two others that are in opposition to each other can soften the mutual influence.

1. Wood is an intermediary between water and fire; it absorbs and retains water.
2. Water nourishes the tree and gives it strength, which balances the destructive influence of metal.
3. Fire is the mediator between wood and earth, as it is able to consume wood and become earth.
4. Metal is an intermediary between earth and water, as it is born from earth and turns into water.

Primary elements: QUALITIES OF ELEMENTS

Each element has a number of initial characteristics, is associated with special colors and shapes, and is associated with a certain direction. Everything in the world is associated with five elements. Using them symbolically, you can achieve harmony between elements in different circumstances. Working with the energy of the elements is aimed at achieving this harmony. Since there are eight main directions, wood, earth and metal each belong to two zones of the octagon.

Primary element: Water

Water is the primary element from which all others come. It includes all liquids. Water is a conductor of chi energy, so it is associated with the flow of chi and with roads in the city. In addition, water symbolizes wealth. Her colors are black, dark blue and the whole blue-lilac range.

Objects associated with water have a wavy or smoothly curving surface.

Water is also associated with a fountain, pool, aquarium, that is, with any container.

Water has a cleansing and refreshing effect. It serves to renew and restore strength. However, excess water leads to lethargy and despondency. Water is also associated with emotional sensitivity.

Water symbols should be used with caution as they can make you feel trampled rather than cleansed and renewed.

Primary element: Wood

A tree is symbolized by any flowers or plants. tree shapes are tall, oblong, rectangular.
The main characteristic of wood is strength combined with flexibility. It symbolizes growth, creativity, nutrition.
Working with wood-related areas of the home sparks creativity. However, overzealousness can lead to idealism and unreasonable expectations.

Primary Element: Fire

Living and spiritualized fire is a strong element that embodies the qualities of yang. It is associated with red and orange flowers. Symbols of fire are fire itself, candles, light bulbs. Items associated with the fire element are triangular or pointed in shape.
Fire symbols in home environment Increase energy and activity levels. If there is a lot of fire, it can lead to short temper and irritability.

Primary element: Earth

The earth element is located in the center of the ba-gua octagon, but also has additional zones in the southwest and northeast. The colors associated with this element are yellow and tan. Ground objects are square in shape.
The symbols of earth in Feng Shui are crystals and ceramics. Earth means reliability, stability, self-confidence; its symbols are used to strengthen the spirit and moral support. Too much earth influence can create an atmosphere of stagnation and suspicion.

Primary element: Metal

Metal directions - west, northwest. Colors - white, gold, silver. The main forms of metal are the circle and crescent, any metal objects, especially coins and talismans.
Metal symbolizes abundance and success in financial matters. An excess of this element can lead to haste, carelessness and unscrupulousness in funds.

Primary Elements: USING THE ELEMENTS

According to the calendar adopted in China and other Eastern countries, within a 12-year cycle, every year passes under the sign of some animal. A person born in certain year, receives a number of innate properties, depending on which fate is formed. The popularity of this calendar in the East is very great.

FirstElement. Water.

• Meaning. Emotional sensitivity.
  Color. Black, dark blue.
  Forms. Wavy and smoothly curving.
  Symbol and image. Mirrors, glass, aquariums, fountains, images of fish, waterfalls, seascapes.
  Strengthening (generation cycle). Add water or metal.
  Weakening (destruction cycle). Add soil.
  Softening (softening cycle). Add a tree.

FirstElement. Tree.

• Meaning. Stimulates Creative skills, growth and development.
  Color. Green.
  Forms. Tall, oblong and rectangular.
  Symbol and image. Wooden objects, plants, bentwood furniture, wicker chairs, reed mats, images of trees and plants.
  Strengthening (generation cycle). Add wood or water.
  Weakening (destruction cycle). Add metal.
  Softening (softening cycle). Add fire.

FirstElement. Fire.

• Meaning. Action, motivation, passion, intelligence.
  Color. Red, orange.
  Forms. Triangular, pointed.
  Symbol and image. Triangular objects and ornaments with a triangular pattern, candles, light bulbs, images of light or fire, sunrises and sunsets.
  Strengthening (generation cycle). Add fire or wood.
  Weakening (destruction cycle). Add water.
  Softening (softening cycle). Add soil.

FirstElement. Earth.

Along with the doctrine of Yin and Yang, one of the main categories of Chinese philosophy is the doctrine of Wu Xing. According to this worldview, all phenomena in the Universe correspond to the nature of the Five Elements (五行 wu xing), which are in a constant state of movement and change. In the “Book of the Ruler of the Shan Region” (Shang-shu, chapter 12) it is written:
"What moistens and flows down creates salty, what burns and rises up creates bitter, what bends and straightens creates sour, what submits ( external influence) and changes, creates the spicy, that which takes the sowing and gives the harvest, creates the sweet” (Shang-shu, ch. 12).

Five Elements

• symbolizes origin (the desire for activity), growth and development.
• - blossoming (maximum activity), characterized by upward movement.
• corresponds to the period of the beginning of withering, extinction (the desire for passivity).
• characterized by the least activity and fluidity.
• To these symbols or elements one more is added - the fifth element, which serves as the center and axis for cyclic changes. This is the element -, because all cyclic changes are characteristic of the Earth and occur on the Earth. The earth symbolizes the period of maturity (balance), accumulation.

It is clear that the things, phenomena and functions classified in this way were not directly related to wood, fire, metal, earth and water. In this case, the task was to combine the features of various things and phenomena into one system, using their certain similarity to each other. Correlating some object with the five elements of U-SIN, we judge not about the components of this object, but about its properties, direction and phase of development.

The theory of Yin and Yang and the theory of the Five Elements reflect the objective laws of nature.

In nature, Water feeds Wood, Wood feeds Fire, Fire gives birth to Earth (burnt ash fertilizes well), Earth gives birth to Metal (it is in the bowels of the earth that metals are born), Metal gives birth to Water (dew is released on a metal blade in the morning).

Red arrows symbolize creative connections. That is, each element of a given system continuously helps the development of the next one, passing on something to it and encouraging it to be active.

Cycle of destruction ( internal communications, by star) shows how elements control each other, creating conflicting, suppressive relationships. A destructive relationship is restraining and controlling.

• Fire oppresses (melts) Metal;
• Metal oppresses (cuts) Wood;
• The tree oppresses (undermines with its roots) the Earth;
• The Earth oppresses (absorbs) Water;
• Water suppresses (extinguishes) Fire.

The ancient Chinese were distinguished by healthy pragmatism and many philosophical concepts used in clinical practice.

The Wu Xing concept was no exception to the rule. The main provisions of this theory were used to classify internal organs And external structures human body in relation to the five primary elements. Based on simple analogies, the various functions of the internal organs are related to the five elements, taking into account the nature of the latter.

Liver and gallbladder correspond to “Tree”. Heart and small intestine- “Fire.” Spleen and stomach - “To the Earth”. The lungs and large intestine correspond to “Metal”. Kidneys and bladder attributed to the element "Water".

• the liver belongs to the Wood element, since its functions of ensuring the free circulation of Qi are similar to the free growth of a tree;
• the heart belongs to the Fire element, since the Yang of the heart, like fire, has the function of warming up the entire body;
• the spleen belongs to the element Earth, since the spleen is “the source of the formation of Qi and blood,” which resembles the ability of the Earth to produce crops;
• the lungs belong to the Metal element, as they perform purification functions, which is reminiscent of the purity of Metal, and also control the lowering of Qi, which is similar to the gravity of Metal;
• kidneys belong to the element Water, as they are important body, ensuring water exchange.

To summarize, it should be said that Chinese medicine uses the teachings of Wu Xing to classify the internal organs and external structures of the human body, explain the various physiological and pathological interactions occurring in it in order to clinical diagnostics and treatment. The five primary elements and fundamental principles necessarily include an equal ratio of yin and yang, therefore, when treating a pathological condition of the body in traditional oriental medicine, they first build a chain of relationships according to the wu-xing principle, find an imbalance of yin and yang in it, and only the next stage is a direct effect on the patients organs or functional systems

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Yin and yang conceptMan and climate

Five Elements

Now let's pay a little attention theory of five elements in order to become more familiar with the basics of Chinese medical terminology. In the chapter entitled "The Great Principle" the Book of History draws attention to the harmony between man and the Universe in the light of the five primary elements.

These five primary elements are: wood, fire, earth, metal And water. They can exist in harmony and in complementary and unbreakable connection with each other, or they can act against each other and thereby destroy each other. The doctrine of the primary elements, without a doubt, has a very ancient origin. Perhaps it can be expressed as follows: fire consumes wood; after the fire burns out, ashes remain, which then turns into earth, in which metal is found, from under which water gushes; the water feeds the trees, thus completing the cycle and returning to the tree again.

This sequence, in turn, is confirmed by the traditional art of healing. But on the other hand, these elements oppose each other: the antipode of fire is metal; The antipode of earth is water. Metal and wood balance each other, the same happens with water and fire or wood and earth. The following diagram will help make this clear.

Judging by the chapter “Hong Fan”, the sequence of elements is as follows: water, fire, wood, metal, earth.

The number five, as stated in the same chapter, relates not only to the five primary elements, but also to other groups of five components, such as the five types of taste, the five seasons and the five probabilities of achieving happiness. Traditional teaching also establishes connections between the constituent elements various groups, and thus, a closed closed system arises; Constant efforts to improve and perfect it led to the fact that the Chinese art of healing incorporated excessive formalism. At the same time, numerous beneficial processes in practical terms were associated with the theory of the five elements, and this is used today as component in the traditional art of healing.

In the Hong Fan chapter, fire is associated with “bitter,” water with “salty,” wood with “sour,” metal with “spicy,” and earth with “sweet.” English naturalist John Needham concluded from this that the connection between fire and bitterness probably comes from brewing medicinal herbs, and the association of water with salt goes back to the experience of the inhabitants of the sea coast. The connection between wood and sour is reminiscent of the discovery of certain sour substances plant origin, and the one that exists between metal and sharp or caustic is reminiscent of the acrid smoke produced when metal is melted. The connection between earth and sweet is suggested through the sweetness of wild honey and grain. Needham also admits that the five elements may refer not to five substances, but to five properties: water gives the idea of ​​liquid; fire - about combustion and the spread of heat; wood - about hardness and workability; metal - about fusibility and earth - about fertility.

“There are five elements in heaven and also five on earth,” states “Su-Wen.” The macrocosm, as well as the microcosm, in accordance with the five primary elements, are divided numerically into five fundamental principles. The relationship between the Universe and the human body can best be represented by the following table:

Classification within the macrocosm

If we add to this table the five cardinal reference points: north, south, east, west and center (in China the center is also the cardinal reference point) - along with the five well-known planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn , then we get a picture of the manifestation of the five primary elements in nature.

Classification within the microcosm

The five fu organs indicated in the above table are active organs, while the fu organs Zhang characterized as passive and accumulative.

Concepts Yin Yang and the five primary elements are closely related to each other. Energy yang can be increased or weakened by the five primary elements. The same thing happens with yin In the art of healing, distinctions are also made between organs yin And yang Every organ yin and every organ yang, as we will see later, it is related to one of the primary elements. Thus, man is dissolved in nature as a whole, becoming its integral part, and because of this it follows Tao- the universal law of nature.

To complete the picture, it should be added that the concepts Yin Yang and the five primary elements are also associated with the time of day and with the cycles of the Chinese language, which each had its own sign lunar calendar, which thus suggested a connection between the disease and cosmic forces. On the one hand, it was a way to acquire useful knowledge, and today modern biometeorologists and cosmobiologists are working on similar problems. On the other hand, such an assumption of the dependence of the state of health on the location of the stars led into the jungle of superstition, which had an impact on all aspects of life: the choice of time for concluding transactions and marriages, as well as for the treatment of diseases. Astrological visual material this kind is shown in Fig. 3.

So far we have talked about how the human body is represented small world, comparable to large. This led to the formation of a unique anatomical and philosophical view, according to which nature and human body coincide in many respects. Both man and nature depend on the manifestation Yin Yang and five primary elements.

Rice. 3. Astronomical compass The figure is taken from a published copy of the work “The Golden Mirror of Medicine” (XVIII century AD).

On this astronomical compass, the time of day, the seasons and their relationships are represented as follows:

1 - “natural order of things” (the innermost circle);

2 - twelve earthly cyclic signs and division into hours;

3 - the relationship between the five primary elements in relation to each other and their qualities;

4 - connection between the ten celestial cyclic signs and the primary elements;

5 - favorable and unfavorable locations of constellations

IN medical section in this book we will show what philosophical view leads to certain cases to positive practical results, and not because of speculative altruism, but because it is based on experience. The current official policy of the People's Republic of China on medical issues seems to be aimed at giving greater importance to traditional methods healing. Within the framework of such rehabilitation, as we have already seen, an attempt is made to combine traditional views and the dominant political-sociological doctrine. Yet practical considerations may well play an important role in all this, having nothing to do with the incentive of national self-assertion, since, although the People's Republic of China has about half a million doctors trained in traditional methods, only about 70 thousand of them got one of the types medical education based on scientific knowledge.

In order to obtain a more complete panorama of the current situation in the field of medicine in the PRC, we will now present excerpts from several works published recently in mainland China and the Soviet Union on the traditional art of healing.

The “Collection of Traditional Chinese Art of Healing” attempts to substantiate the validity of the concept Yin Yang and the teachings of the five primary elements and combine the philosophy of these teachings with real practice. In this book traditional look permeated with a “materialistic vision of antiquity,” although this vision was not able to unite all natural phenomena into a coherent system, which, frankly, there was no great need for.

Guo Moruo, in his Book of Tenfold Criticism, writes the following: “By virtue of their very origin, concepts such as, in particular, the concepts Yin Yang and the five primary elements are contrary to superstition, or in other words, they are scientific."

But it is still too early to make hasty generalizations, since these concepts need to be more carefully analyzed and more fully substantiated.

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Yin and yang conceptMan and climate

Yin and Yang are vector forces. They form the direction of the 5 elements. In turn, each of the elements contains both Yin and Yang, but to varying degrees. Elements where Yang is greater are fire, wood/air. Yin-dominant elements are water and metal. Balance is earth.

Any system that exists in the Universe, be it a person, a company, a country or a planet, represents a stage of dynamic interaction, and, ideally, balance between the five primary elements. Sometimes “U-sin” is translated precisely as “Five Transformations,” indicating the dynamics of changes in the five primary elements, which, in turn, is the basis for the evolution of the Universe

If you follow the Chinese classical canon - the Book of Changes - then the elements (elements) are arranged in the shape of a circle, because for the Chinese the circle is the most perfect figure. In the center of the circle is Qi (energy or Essence). From Qi, Yin and Yang are born, and these three, in turn, give rise to “a thousand things” – i.e. all the diversity of the world. But initially they give birth to five elements: wood (or air - different sources say differently), earth, water, fire and metal. The elements “overpower” each other, creating a rotation of time. each of them has its own color: wood/air – blue, fire – red, earth – yellow, metal – white, water – black.

To create harmony, it is necessary to maintain a dynamic balance between the five primary elements. A person, his body, an organization, a country - absolutely everything - is healthy and in harmony with himself and with the Universe, if the five primary elements in them are balanced,

In particular, in Eastern medicine, any disease is explained by the fact that there is an imbalance in the body of the energies of Yin and Yang and the five basic elements. It is not the external manifestations of the disease or dysfunction of some organs that need to be treated. It is necessary to eliminate the root cause of the disease, that is, restore the balance between Yin-Yang and the five primary elements... >>>

Business case Indiaco

The Indian model of the five basic elements is quite heterogeneous and confusing. For example, in the Upanishads only 3 elements are mentioned, the Vaisheshika school calls 5, the Samkhya school calls 25.

There has never been a single school and tradition in India. There are also no 5 single symbols: each of them is depicted by a specific figure: air - a blue circle, earth - a yellow square, fire - a red triangle, water - a white crescent, ether - a black oval... A variety of symbolism is found in the texts, including the shell that Vishnu holds in his hands as a symbol of the unity of the 5 elements.

To be continued...

As a result of the “condensation” of Qi, a division arose into light and light YANG QI, which rose up and formed the Sky, and cloudy and heavy YIN QI, which fell down and formed the Earth.
The alternation of Yin (passive force) and Yang (active force) sets the cyclical nature of all processes in nature: night and day; morning and evening; winter and summer; cold and warmth; wakefulness and sleep; inhalation and exhalation, etc.

The interaction of Yin and Yang gives birth to five primary elements (first principles, primary elements), which are the basis of all things and states of nature:
WATER, FIRE, WOOD, EARTH, METAL.
Once one thing (the first principle) is abolished, life becomes impossible.

This idea formed the concept of “U-SIN”, according to which all phenomena in the Universe are in constant motion: the earth is the soil for plants; water - food for plants and animals; fire is warmth for all living things; tree - food for animals, etc.

If you pay attention to the interconnected cyclic phenomena, both in nature and in the human body: night - day, morning - evening, winter - summer, cold - warmth, wakefulness - sleep, inhalation - exhalation, systole - diastole, then in these cycles identical phases can be noted.

Each of these cycles consists of four successive states:
1. Birth (increase) corresponds to morning, spring, etc.
2. Maximum activity (culmination) corresponds to midday, summer, etc.
3. Decline (destruction) corresponds to evening, autumn, etc.
4. Minimum activity (rest) corresponds to night and winter.
TREE is a symbol of birth, growth.
FIRE is a symbol of maximum activity.
METAL is a symbol of decline.
WATER is a symbol of minimal activity.

To these symbols or elements one more is added - the fifth element, which serves as the center and axis for cyclic changes. This element is EARTH, for all cyclic changes are characteristic of the Earth and occur on the Earth.

These elements contribute to a better understanding of the interaction of forces operating in nature and make it possible to explain existing connections.
The main tenet of the Wu Xing theory, which has practical significance, is the conclusion that there are connections between the five elements that obey the Yin-Yang theory. These connections are presented in the form of two opposites: creative (stimulating) and destructive (inhibiting).
The primary elements simultaneously mutually generate and mutually overcome each other.
The sequence of mutual generation of primary elements: wood generates fire; fire gives birth to earth; earth gives birth to metal: metal gives birth to water; water gives birth to wood and so on. The cycle of mutual generation closes indefinitely.

The sequence of mutual overcoming of the primary elements is different: Water overcomes Fire; Fire overcomes Metal, Metal overcomes Wood; The tree overcomes the Earth; Earth overcomes Water.

Thus, the creative connection is external, carried out along the circle of cyclicity, and the destructive connection is internal, carried out within the circle of cyclicity along the cycle of the star.

Since the creative connection is aimed at development, stimulation, stimulation, and the destructive connection is aimed at oppression, resolution and inhibition, they balance each other similarly to the Yin-Yang forces.

Wu Xing is a system covered by direct and feedback connections, which ensure its super stability. As a result of the influence of any external factor, any of the elements may be disrupted, but if the connections between them are preserved, then the system, as a result of the action of direct and feedback after the transition process it will reach equilibrium.

The concept of “U-sin” is applicable to analyze not only the phenomena of the surrounding world, but also the physiology of the human body, to explain the interconnections of internal organs. as well as for the diagnosis and treatment of various pathologies.
Based on the principle of universality, this organizational scheme is transferred to all living beings, objects and processes, including humans. There is a correspondence between the five elements and every component of man, every physiological function. All natural phenomena also find their correspondence to the five elements.

In the surrounding world (macrocosm), a person is a world in miniature (microcosm), a reflection of the universe and consists of the same five primary elements that enter the body with food. Organs interact with each other and with environment, and each organ corresponds to a specific origin.

Based on analogies between all phenomena and the five primary elements, the U-SIN theory created a coherent picture of the relationship between man and nature.

In this unified system everything is interconnected and interdependent, all parts of the macrocosm, and therefore the microcosm, have a common functional structure. These laws and cycles fully correspond to the processes actually occurring in the human body. For example: with lung disease, energy disturbances occur in the liver, and then the energy imbalance spreads along the meridians to the spleen, etc.

Each primary element corresponds to a specific organ:
Wood - Liver - Gallbladder
Fire - Heart - Small Intestine
Earth - Spleen - Stomach
Metal - Lungs - Large Intestine
Water - Kidneys - Bladder

The liver gives rise to the heart, the heart - the spleen, the spleen - the lungs, the lungs - the kidneys, the kidneys - the liver. This is one of the connections of the cycle, ensuring its complete closure.

According to this scheme they develop acute diseases and the healing process.
But if as a result of exposure external factors If the regulatory connections are severed, the system will not be able to reach an equilibrium state. According to this principle, stable pathological conditions(chronic diseases).

If there is insufficiency or redundancy of certain connections, pathology occurs.
The nature and spread of the disease does not go beyond the framework of the Yin-Yang theory, but the dynamics of its development can only be explained from the point of view of the creative and destructive connections of the cycle of the five elements.

The main practical conclusion from the teachings of “U-shin” is the recognition of the inextricable connection of all five primary elements. Moreover, each of the primary elements is connected with others through productive and destructive processes (“friend-enemy”) and is under their influence. The meaning of productive processes is as follows: water promotes tree growth;
wood can produce fire;
fire gives earth (ash);
the earth gives birth to metal;
the metal turns into water (liquid).

Destructiveness is manifested in the fact that water can extinguish fire; fire can soften metal; metal can cut wood.

The entire range of Eastern medical teachings is included in this philosophical concept. It is clear that, considering a person and his body as an integral system, oriental medicine She did little about anatomy and physiology (in the European sense), but sought to identify connections and relationships within the body, that is, its functions.