We are shifting into the season of Summer! In five element theory, the summer is associated with the Fire element. The Spring and Wood element transition into Summer, and wood is considered the “mother” of fire – we feed wood to the fire to stoke and energize it. If our wood element is strong, it can bring energy to the fire within. In the summer, the rapid growth of the spring slows, and the plants and crops reach ripeness and maturity. Flowers bring joy and fun, and there is nothing to do but enjoy the warmth and beauty! The longer days of summer give us time to socialize and enjoy our friends!
The warmth of Fire allows greater flow on all levels. Our bodies are warmer, and the warmth improves our ability to digest food and aids all the chemical reactions in the body. Fire is associated with clear thought, memory, intelligence, “brightness”, and joy! At the spiritual level, the soul’s fire allows us to connect at all levels – with others, Nature, and All That Is! According to Neil R. Gumerick, “Summer’s special gift – the energy of Fire – allows us to give and receive warmth. By giving and sharing, we build our own Fire, open our own flower, and bring more of the summer sun to the world.” Unconditional love is the sun within us radiating out. It is the most powerful force in the universe – it can illuminate any darkness! One can go into any dark space and shift the darkness by turning on the light! The light and unconditional love of fire holds the qualities of forgiveness, fearlessness, sharing and understanding.
The organs associated with the Fire element include the Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium, and the Triple Warmer (which is not an actual organ but a functional concept). The correspondences of the Fire element include the season of Summer, the colour RED, the virtues of peace, order and harmony, and the acquired emotions of shock, excess joy, and nervousness. It is associated the sound of laughter, the direction of south, heat, bitter taste, the odor of scorched – liked a freshly ironed shirt for example, and the tongue and blood vessels.
Those with a Fire element imbalance may be too cold or too hot, they may be a “chatterbox” or be unable to communicate with ease, and they may also be unable to connect, feel joy or sleep. These are general manifestations and aren’t meant to be diagnostic – for a detailed assessment, please see your acupuncturist or TCM doctor.
If you would like to learn more about the Fire element, and how to open the flow of Fire element in your body and in your life, please join me for the Summer session of Consciously Creating Consciousness – Finding Our Authentic Expression: the Joy of Being! Learn where your fire may be blocked, and how to build your fire, open your heart, and bring the light of your Sun fully into the world!