The Water Element represents all forms of water on our earth. Consider the range and transformative properties of water: clouds, rainfall, gentle streams, noisy waterfalls, the stillness of a frozen lake, a mighty river, the vast oceans, and waves. Water is all about our ability to change, to flow, and overcome obstacles by eroding them away over long periods or sweeping them away like a tsunami at other times!

Positioned at the end of the ‘Five Element Cycle’, Water represents the Winter season. It is connected to darkness, coldness, and the time when everything starts to die down, to hibernate or migrate. We feel a need to spend time cozied up indoors, sleeping more, resting, eating, and restoring our energy.

The Ancient Chinese determined that the kidneys and urinary bladder, ‘the waterworks,’ and reproductive and sex organs are all connected to the Water element. If the kidneys are out of balance, a person often feels scared, frightened, and fearful; they can be hypersensitive, mistrusting, and even paranoid.

Kidney blockages and/or weakness can manifest physically as ear, hair, and tooth problems, urinary infections, kidney stones, reproductive and sexual problems, dull headaches, lower back, leg, and knee problems, a lack of willpower and determination, and possibly kidney disease.

Water types exhibit qualities inherent to Winter, making them appear rather cool, calm, and reflective. However, inwardly they are building up reserves and preparing for spring, which may bring an innovation, as they can be highly creative.

The negative emotion associated with Water is fear, while the positive emotion is calmness. A balanced Water Element uses resources of energy, time, contacts, and money wisely, rather than hoarding or overspending them. An excess of this element is said to cause indecision and lack of staying power.

The Water element also represents a person’s wisdom. A balanced Water indicates that a person is wise, intelligent, and capable of thinking clearly and acting appropriately. Therefore, when the Water element is very weak or missing, a person might be slow-witted, foolish, misguided, or irrational in his/her thinking.

The following lifestyle, sports/activities, foods, and careers are recommended to strengthen your Water element. If your Water is already intense, excessive, or dominant, we would suggest avoiding these activities.