Wood

Energy Channel: Liver Energy System (Liver, Gallbladder, Eyes, Fingernails, & Tendons)

 The Liver Energy System also includes the Gallbladder, Eyes, Fingernails, & Tendons because they all rely on the blood stored in the liver for nourishment

Associated Color: Green

Visualize the color green when doing healing on the liver or simply surround yourself with the color  green, such as taking time to look at the green grass or placing plants in our homes or office to strengthen the liver energy. Eat more green leafy vegetables.

Season: Spring

The Qi (energy) of the Wood element is most prominent in the spring when plants are sprouting new growth and nature becomes more active. Focus on strengthening the liver energy system in the spring because the spring is when the liver energy starts to flow more easily.

Positive Emotion: Happiness

Negative Emotion: Anger

Fire

 Energy Channel: Heart Energy System (Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium, Blood Vessels)

The condition of your heart can also be seen on the tongue and in the complexion of your face, therefore making both your tongue and face an important part of the Heart Energy System.

Associated Color: Red/Pink

Visualize the color red when doing healing on the heart energy system or simply surround yourself with the color red, such as, incorporating red into your wardrobe or eating red foods such as watermelons and berries.

Season: Summer

The Qi (energy) of the Fire element is most prominent in the summertime when nature is fully active. The summertime is a time for growth, expansion, light, and abundance. Enhancing our heart’s energy (especially in the summertime) is so crucial to healing and living a healthy life full of joy

Positive Emotion: Joy

Negative Emotion: Hatred

Earth

Energy Channels: Spleen & Stomach Energy Channels (Spleen, Stomach, Pancreas, Lips, Muscles)

Just as Mother Earth nourishes growth to all living creatures, the stomach energy channels nourishes growth to all organs, giving them enough energy to perform efficiently. You are what you Eat!

Associated Color: Yellow

Visualize the color yellow when doing healing on the spleen energy system or simply surround yourself with the color yellow, such as, wearing the color yellow, or eating yellow foods such as bananas and squash

Season: All seasons (last 7-10 days of each season, especially the end of summer)

The Qi of the Earth element has no specific season because it is important and active through all of the seasons. Earth energy is especially prominent during the last seven to ten days of each month of each season and in late summer. All energy and all other elements have a great relationship with the earth element because the earth energy is grounding

Positive Emotion: Peace/ Grounded

Negative Emotion: Anxiety/Worry

Metal

Energy Channels: Lungs & Large Intestines (Throat, Nose, Sinuses, Teeth & Hair on Skin)

The energy channel most prominent in the metal element are the lungs. Within the Lung Energy Channel there is the large intestines, as well as the skin, hair on skin, teeth, nose, sinuses, and throat which are parts of the breathing energy system. If you have a runny nose, congested sinuses, or a loss of smell, this could be a sign to focus more on healing your lung energy channel.

Associated Color: White

Season: Autumn

The Qi of the Metal element is most prominent in the fall, which is the time of harvesting the abundance of summer. Just as nature harvest all the abundance from the summer months, so should you.  The season of Autumn is a perfect time to review and reflect on the goals and visions that you have seeded for yourself in the spring and that have come to grow during the summer months. Since fall is a transition time from the heat and outdoor activity of summer to the cooler temperatures and more indoor activity it is especially important to focus on the lung energy to help prevent breathing problems, colds and the like that are associated with fall and the winter to come.

Positive Emotion: Contentment

Negative Emotion: Sadness/ Grief

Water

Energy Channel: Kidney Energy System (Kidney, Reproductive Organs, Hair on Head, Ears, Bones, & Female Breasts)

The energy channel most prominent in the water element is the Kidney Energy Channel. The kidney energy channel is the vitality of the body.  Within the Kidney Energy Channel there is also the bladder, reproductive organs, ears, and bones.  If you have a hard time hearing or have ear infections often or have weak bones, this could be sign your kidney energy is low.

Associated Color: Dark Blue/Black

Visualize the color Dark Blue when doing healing on the kidneys or simply surround yourself with the color Dark blue

Season: Winter

The Qi of the Water element is most prominent in winter when the cold creates a time for hibernation and plants go into their dormant cycle storing their energy for the spring to come. The kidney energy is the vitality of the body and focusing on enhancing the kidney energy during the winter season is so important for giving you more energy and vitality for the more active seasons ahead.

Positive Emotion: Gratitude

Negative Emotion: Fear

• A Normal health tongue has a light white coating on it.
• Sore Tongue is usually a sign of nutritional deficiency.
• Burning Tongue is often a sign of lack of digestive juices in the stomach.
• Thick White Coating can be a sign of too much mucus in the body.
• Thick Yellow Coating can be excess heat in the intestines; the bowels may not be working well.
• Horizontal Groves in the Tongue can be a sign of poor absorption of nutrients.
• Red Tip of the tongue can be a sign of emotional stress and upset.

The tip of your tongue is the Fire Element and heart and small intestine energy.

• In Qigong, the spirit resides in the heart energy channels.
• The tip corresponds to issues of the heart physical and emotional.
• When the tip is red or there are red dots on the tip of the tongue it can be a sign that there is stress and anxiety in your life.

Just Behind the Tip of the tongue is the Metal Element that is the lungs

• This corresponds to the respiratory and immune system and the large intestine.
• When the ‘metal area’ of your tongue has small red dots it usually is a sign of a possible developing respiratory issue.
• When the tongue is very pale in this area it can be a sign of a weakening immune system.
• If there is a brown or black coating, is it advisable to see a doctor as there could be advanced respiratory health issues.

 The sides of your tongue are the Wood Element and correspond to your liver, gallbladder, eyes and fingernails.

• The right side of your tongue tells you how your gallbladder is doing.
• The left side is the liver energy and eyes.
• If there are teeth marks on the sides of the tongue, this usually is a sign of stagnant energy in the liver channels.

 The middle of the Tongue is the Earth Element, stomach and spleen.

• A crack down the middle of the tongue usually indicates weak stomach and digestion.

 The back of the Tongue is the Water Element and corresponds to the kidney/bladder energy channel that includes the hormonal system and sexual glands for men and women.

• The larger papilla on the back of the tongue are the tongue’s larger taste buds. Their larger size is normal. You can look for color and coating in this area. If the area has a thick yellow coating at the back center of the tongue it is commonly an indication of bladder issues or infection.