Spring and the Wood Element
The Wood Element in the Five Elements is associated with the season of Spring and the time of growth. Wood energy is yang in nature and moves upward and outward. Imagine an acorn germinating and erupting into a seedling, increasing in size and creating canopy and becoming a magnificent oak.
After resting through the Winter months and the time of the Water element; Spring is the time for growth and expansion. It is a perfect time to use your Wood energy for planning and pushing your dreams into fruition.
Those with a strong Wood element are often very creative and innovative with a capacity to organise and have structures and boundaries. Imbalance in your Wood element can manifest in emotions of anger where boundaries can be lost, and if repressed result in irritability.
The sound of Wood is shouting, and the colour is green; those with a Wood imbalance may have a blue/green or yellow/green hue to their complexion.
Wood is associated with the ligaments and tendons, when balanced and healthy they will be flexible and strong. Regular Shiatsu sessions can work with the Wood meridians to move and smooth stagnant qi and help soften rigid tight ligaments. For example - a person may need the Water meridians tonified to support and nourish the Wood.
Exercise
Qigong for the Wood Element
If your Wood is out of balance you can be tense from feeling angry or frustrated, this can cause tightness around the ribcage where the Liver and Gallbladder meridians flow. This exercise will soften the area and increase energy flow.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent. Line up the inside edges of your feet and legs like train tracks. From your hips gently bounce up and down. Feel how your weight travels from your hips down to your feet heavy on the floor. Tuck in your tailbone to straighten your lower back and draw in your chin to lengthen your spine upwards. Relax your shoulders and chest and let your tummy drop.
Raise your arms above your head and interlock your fingers to form an arch above your head. Take a deep breath in and breathe out slowly. On the out breath gently rock to one side to feel the stretch all the way down the opposite side of your body. Breathe in this position for a few seconds, softening as you stretch. You can disconnect your hands and use the opposite hand to pat around your ribs and down your flank before reconnecting your hands above.
Return to centre, breathe in, and on the out breath repeat the exercise on the opposite side.
Repeat, 6 times on both sides.
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