Five Element Acupuncture
Five element acupuncture helps to harmonize the flow of Qi or vital energy in the body which helps us to maintain a sense of comfort, stability and the freedom of a balanced healthy life. Acupuncture is a system of medicine which has been used in China and eastern cultures to promote good health for thousands of years it is now accepted throughout the world as an effective solution to modern day illness.
The five element theory views human beings as being connected to nature and not separate. The understanding the of the natural laws of order and transformation are used to diagnose and treat the underlying cause of disease and assist the body, mind and spirit to move back into full health.
As in nature, the five elements are expressed in our bodies and mind. This is a reflection of how we are connected to all things, as the elements work in nature, so they work within us. By diagnosing the correspondences of the five elements within a patient, the practitioner has a wonderful tool to help restore harmony and balance.
The ancient Chinese medical practitioners considered that there were 12 major organ systems with in the body, linked together by energetic (Qi) pathways called meridians. Each meridian was independent and functioned for its specific organ and was interdependent connecting to the others creating one whole.
The Twelve Organ systems
Heart, Small Intestine, Bladder Kidney, Heart Protector, Triple Burner, Gall Bladder, Liver, Lung, Large intestine, (Colon), Stomach, Spleen,
Meridians can be visualised as channels of energy (Qi) which traverse the whole body. Within each meridian there is a constant flow of energy which helps to keep the body nourished, alive and well. When there is an interruption or blockage of this flow of energy the body can experience discomfort and illness.
The interruption of the flow of energy can be caused by either external factors of illness such as pathogens, viruses, poor diet, extreme environmental conditions, toxicity and poisons, genetically inherited traits or physical accidents.
On each of the meridians there are tiny vortices of energy, called acupuncture points. These points have a local, distal and interconnected effect when stimulated and re balance the flow of energy throughout the body.
Acupuncture points can be stimulated by various means. Needles, pressure, laser light, heat.
The use of stimulating an acupuncture point has to be seen in the light of the desired effect. To understand the effect a point has on the body as a whole, we need to understand the different pathways which the energy (Qi) can pass through the meridian systems.