The cyclical nature of things

Author: Miguel Geli

31.05.2021

Whatever challenges we may face, any given point is just a snapshot in time. Having a tough time today does not mean that this situation will persist tomorrow. A lot of expressions capture this sentiment, such as “Time is a great healer”, “After rain comes sunshine”, “You can’t have a rainbow without a little rain”, etc. However, often these sayings - in all their wisdom - offer truly little comfort when we are going through adversity. The opposite is equally true. When things are going too well, we may feel like we are riding our luck.

One way in which this cyclical nature of things is captured is in the five-element framework, a universal theory deeply woven into Chinese Culture. The five elements, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water as well as how they interact with each other form the basis for a comprehensive template that reflects natural law. The characteristics of the five elements can easily be understood considering the seasonal cycles of nature.

Wood, like Spring represents the beginning and renewal of the life cycle. It encapsulates the creative energy which awakens the procreative drive of future growth. It stands for vigour, youth, growth, and development and demands free expression or space for expansion.

Fire with all its energetic energy arises during summer when the creative energy of Wood matures. All flourishes in summer under the continuous warmth provided by the sun. Everything develops with speed and vitality. It stands for abundance, change, and vitality.

Earth arises during the “late” Summer when the Fire energy mellows and transforms itself. Everything comes into a state of balance and harmony. The life cycle now pivots and maintains the balance between the nourishing and explicit energy of spring and summer and the reserved and implicit energy of autumn and winter. It provides a sense of incubation, cultivation, harmony, and completeness.

Metal brings its reaping energy as Autumn arrives. The energy draws inwards for accumulation and storage for use in the non-productive Winter. This stage reaps the harvest of previous efforts. It implies reaching fruition, and inhibition of continuous growth.

Water’s energy is condensed, conserved, and stored during Winter. The harvest left from the Metal phase is preserved, ready for the renewed growth in spring (Wood). Water is highly concentrated, containing the great potential awaiting release.

The five elements maintain their internal harmony through the holistic relationship among these elements, comprised of two complementary and opposite cycles, known as nourishing and control cycles.

In the nourishing cycle, the effect of each element supports the activities of all other elements. And so, the nourishing effect of one element provides the requisite energy for another to develop well. Without this, the energy of one element would be accumulated forever without an outflow. A balanced state would not be possible.

To further guarantee the balance, an opposite force is required and provided by the control cycle. Here, each element can produce the controlling effect required to prevent the growth and development of another.

In the control cycle, Wood controls Earth, Earth controls Water, Water controls Fire, Fire controls Metal and Metal controls Wood. The nourishing and controlling effects originate from the Chinese Yin and Yang concept where any phenomenon implies and generates its opposite. Each of the effects does not exists on its own without the function of the other. The nourishing and controlling effects thus share a mutual dependence and are interchangeable under certain conditions.

The five elements framework is holistic in nature, i.e., you cannot consider the relationship between two elements independently. Nourishing and controlling effects occur simultaneously and should be considered together. This system has evolved from the wisdom and experience of the ancient Chinese and has been tried and tested over a long period of time. It has made practical and successful applications in various fields, e.g., the traditional Chinese medicine. At its foundation, Chinese philosophers believed that simplicity could represent its counterpart, complexity.

Surprisingly, my own five elements journey came through cooking. After a positive therapy with traditional Chinese medicine, which to a large extent involved a change in diet, my wife wanted to do a five-element cooking course and selected one that went over 3 semesters, one weekend per month. Because at the time I was away on business a lot, I offered to do it with her, not to further compromise our time apart.

I learned how the different foods items, cooking techniques, tastes, size of chopped items, etc were categorized in this framework. I got a new perspective on what a balanced meal looks like. However, it was not until the third semester that I realized the course had an actual name as well as its relevance. The name of the course was “Departure into a new life”.

Yes, I did become more aware of what I ate, how I prepared my food and the effect it had on me. However, the real relevance went beyond this. I had learned a new system through which to view the world around me. I got new perspectives on organization, team building, people, considering the obvious element at play as well as the nourishing and controlling effects the other elements provide.

Back to the cyclical nature of things! If I am going through a difficult time, I do know that better times will come. Not just because someone has told me that after rain comes sunshine but because that is the nature of it. Regardless of how much Yang is present in each situation, there will always be a little Yin left. The opposite is also true. One cannot exist without the other. The five-elements give me a perspective on how to channel the elements that will turn this around. Equally important, if I am riding a positive wave, I will use it to ensure the situation is sustainable or mitigate risk. This framework gives me confidence, trust, as well as an inner tranquillity when dealing with complex situations.

Thanks for reading. Keep positive, stay balanced.