Acupressure: The Water Element

The Five Elements of Chinese Medicine

The Five Element sequences of Chinese Medicine are: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.

Water is all about flowing, to moisten, merging, rippling, floating, pooling, lakes, seas, rivers, etc. And all these forms of water move in different velocities, different controls, or lack of controls. For instance, the seas can be calming or violent and destructive.

Mentally, water is about depth, consciousness, and the area of life in which you really don’t know, the unknown.

Breathe deep into your lower lungs through your nose and slowly let it out through your mouth. Do it lying down (note: if you have heart or lung problems, you need to consult your doctor first before you do this exercise). Do it 10 times and take your time. Be aware that it is you who is in control of the breathing.

Physically, the water element is governed by the kidneys and the bladder. The kidneys are situated in the lower back, and the bladder meridian (a circulatory system of energy called qi, which the meridians facilitate the flow of, and when this energy gets blocked, the body has difficulty functioning). The bladder meridian rules the back.

The water element balances the stability of the body. This includes hearing ability. The ear is the same shape and size as the kidney. And there is water between your ears, located in the middle ear.

So there is a relationship between hearing difficulties, fear, the kidneys, and the water element. Interestingly, the physical balance of the body is regulated by the middle ear.