The Cycle of Creation and The Cycle of Control

            This diagram represents the relationships of the five elements or phases. The elements are not to be taken literally as fire, (like a flame), Earth, (like the planet), Metal (like a paper clip), Water (like the Ocean), and Wood (like this pencil), but as symbols for the forces of nature in the universe.  Each Element corresponds to a Yin and Yang organ, a Season a color, an Emotion, etc.  These have been exquisitely outlined in the chart below.

            These elements or Organ Networks (as they are called) are interdependent on each other.  Any disruption of one will affect them all.  These elements or Organ Systems interact in many ways.  We will discuss the Cycle of Creation and the cycle of control here.

            This Cycle of Creation or generation consists of a Mother-Child relationship where the mother nurtures or nourishes the child.  For example, if wood or the liver/gall bladder organ system I is stagnated, the heart, its child will suffer.   This will manifest as symptoms of dizziness, mental cloudiness, and headache because the heart houses the mind.  The cycle of control exhibits a grandmother-grandchild relationship.  If this same wood/liver system is subjected to an alcohol addiction or prolonged repressed anger will cause an over controlling of Earth or the spleen/stomach channel resulting in digestive disturbances.   This overacting wood will prevent the stomach from ripening and rotting and spleen from transforming and transporting. If the stomach qi doesn’t’ descend nausea results, if spleen qi cannot ascend diarrhea ensues.  The failure of ascending spleen qi harms metal/lung bringing us back to the cycle of creation here where the earth is the Mother of Metal.  Any organ system disturbance will disrupt the entire system along these cycles.  There is also a cycle of insult where the controlled element harms the grandmother.  These cycles are explained as follows:

o       Water nourishes wood by moistening it.

o       Water restrains fire by quenching it.  

o       Wood generates fire by providing fuel.

o       Wood inhibits earth by covering it with forests.

o       Fire generates earth by redirecting it to ash that makes the soil. 

o       Fire restrains metal by burning and melting it. 

o       Earth supports metal by forming minerals.

o       Earth controls water by damming it and absorbing it.

o       Metal vitalizes water by permeating it or adding minerals.

o       Metal restrains wood by cutting it like an axe.    

The function of the generation or Sheng Cycle is for the elements to support each other.

o       The Kidney generates the blood to be stored by the Liver.

o       The Spleen supports the Lung by raising Qi of food to mix with Qi of air.  

o       The Lung sends moisture down to the Kidney.

o       The Heart sends blood to the Spleen to transform food.

The control or Ke Cycle is one of restraint and inhibition. 

o       The Yang Fire of the Heart counterbalances the Yin moisture of the Kidney. 

o       The Spleen (Earth) absorbs and distributes water or moisture to counterbalance the Kidney’s (fire) ability to concentrate essence and excrete fluid.

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If an organ network is over controlling it can collapse the system.  If it is not kept in control it will become excessive.  An excess or deficiency of any organ results in disharmony and disease by disrupting these cycles.  Deficiency occurs along Creation Cycle, and excess along the Control Cycle.

If an organ is strong, complaints will involve the organs under attack or being drained.  If an organ is weak, symptoms will involve the organ that is weak and the one succeeding it.  For example, if the liver is overacting on the spleen and not allowing qi to flow smoothly, the spleen (Earth) will suffer.  Flatulence and Constipation will ensue.  If the spleen (Earth) is weak, qi will not ascend and diarrhea will result.  It will not nourish the lung. 

The Five Elemental Correspondences