FIVE ELEMENTS: WOOD
Yang Wood - Jia Wood 甲
BALANCED & HEALTHY WOOD

  • Growth
  • Resilience
  • Patience
  • Kindness
  • Positive
  • Enthusiastic
WEAK, EXCESSIVE OR UNDER PRESSURE

  • Anger
  • Impatience
  • Resentment
  • Nervousness
  • Stress
  • Liver issues

WOOD IN NATURE

Spring is the beginning of the seasonal cycle, a time of birth and new beginnings. It is also the energy of the element Wood.

This is the energy that brings forth new growth: brave new grass puhes through the snow, brightly coloured flowers surprise us at our feet and light green leaves and buds, eager to burst into blossom show us that the trees are well alive after their dormant period during the winter months which could have fooled us.

Spring is also the time of hope and optimism. After a quiet time during the winter months, all of a sudden there is movement and change.

Each seed and sapling is following its own part of nature’s plan. Think of wood relentlessly manifesting new shapes and structuctures. And all along, invisibly, wood produces the oxygen without which we couldn’t live.

HEALTH

The organs liver and the gallbladder are connected with the element of wood. When the liver is out of balance, a person can be very stubborn and become literally a ‘stick in the mud’ type of person, who finds it hard to uproot themselves and adapt to changes. They can be inflexible, irritable and nervous.

This kind of behaviour and personality indicates the onset of liver disease if the person is not ready change and learn and thus heal their liver.

When someone has a liver blockage or weakness, they can have problems with their eyes or eye sight, nail problems, sinew, ligament and muscle problems, Jaundice, twitching, sharp headaches, the right side of their bodies can have problems, problems and pains will move around the body like the wind moves, and they will generally be experiencing a lack of flow and smoothness in their lives.

In the past, doctors used to describe people who were irritable as liverish, which shows that not just the eastern peoples were clued into these observations. However it was in the east that’s a deep and complex understanding deveolped, which today is helping us to heal and cure  sicknesses and undesirable behaviour through energy and other natural healing methods.

CHARACTER

Wood is yang/masculine in character. The predominant attributes are considered to be strength and flexibility, as with bamboo. It is also associated with qualities of generosity and idealism. One quality of the Wood element is leadership. It is the leader within us, that can take charge and determine a plan of action. The wood is one that seeks always to grow and expand. Wood heralds the beginning of life, springtime and buds, sensuality, and fecundity.

Wood type people are often aggressive or assertive, direct, and can have a strong temper and a lot of drive. They are usually outgoing and socially conscious and can be insensitive. The Wood element is associated with negative feelings of anger, and positive feelings of patience and altruism.

The element of Wood relates to the person’s benevolence and gratitude. People who have a good heart, a positive outlook on life and those who are progressive in nature, have good quality Wood elements in their chart. Those who lack kindness or compassion, and who are unable to make progress in life, invariably have poor quality Wood elements.

BALANCING

The following lifestyle, sports/activities, foods, careers are recommended to help you increase the strength of your Wood element. If your Wood is already strong, excessive or dominant, we would suggest avoiding these activities.

Basics
  • Time of day: Morning (3am – 7am)
  • Time of year: Spring (February and March)
  • Energy: Upward
  • Natural form: Trees, grass, plants, flowers, forest, park, jungle, garden
  • Direction: East / Southeast
  • Organ: Liver and Gall bladder
  • Attitude: Positive, enthusiastic
  • Taste: Sour
  • Color: Green
  • Natural accessories: Jade, green gemstones, wooden beads
  • Man-made: Books, magazines, wooden furniture, wooden door, wooden instruments, clothes
Emotions
  • Excessive Wood: Excessive empathy
  • Balanced Wood: Patience, Kindness
  • Weak or non-existing Wood: Anger, Impatience, Resentment, Nervousness, Stress
Health

When the Wood element is not balanced, either too weak or excessive, problems in these areas might occur.

  • Liver
  • Gall bladder
  • Eyes
  • Muscles
  • Body hair
  • Nails
  • Teeth
Activities

These sports and activities are good to stimulate weak Wood energy.

  • Relaxation, meditation
  • Walking in the woods
  • Planting, gardening
  • Reading, writing
  • Doing homework
Food

Food and drinks are one of the easiest ways to balance our elements as they stimulate our organs directly and can act as a medicine. Here are some of the foods which are good for those lacking Wood.

  • Liver (beef, chicken, pork, sheep)
  • Green leafy vegetables
  • Lemon / Lime
  • Sour foods
  • Tea
  • Herbal medicine
Career

Certain jobs and professions are suitable for stimulating certain elements. If your Wood element is too excessive, these, for example, are probably professions which it would be good to avoid. If your Wood element is strong and balanced, you will be probably attracted to these professions.

  • Teaching
  • Fashion design, art, painting
  • Writing, publishing, calligraphy
  • Inventing and designing
  • Politician
  • Wood related businesses (Timber, plants, furniture)
  • Agriculture
  • Bookshop, library
  • Carpenter, wood-sculptor
  • Massage, hair-stylist
Famous people

Famous people with strong Wood element.

  • Steve Jobs
  • Cristiano Ronaldo
  • Richard Branson
  • Michael Jordan
  • Leonardo di Caprio