The Five Elements and Reiki: An Introduction to the Development of Reiki in Traditional Chinese Medicine (2023)

You may not know, but I have developed a Reiki healing system based on working with the "Five Elements" of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). I have taken the principles of TCM and macrobiotic healing practice, channeled new Reiki symbols and combined them using intuition, visualization and intention to create "Five Element Reiki" which is a very simple and powerful way of using Reiki to work where you channel the essence of the five elemental energies and focus them in different ways, for your own benefit and to treat others.

What I'm going to do now in a series of articles is talk about itthe five elementshow they affect people's lives and how imbalances in the five elements can manifest as physical states and particular emotions and mental states.

But first, I should quickly go through the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine so you can see how the five elements fit together.

So that's what I'm doing now...

The following is a very general description of the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and is intended to show the breadth of its theories and their application to a wide range of therapies and techniques.

Zur MTC-Amplitude

Acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage techniques, nutritional advice and QiGong are forms of treatment that are practiced in a special way. An acupuncturist inserts needles into specific points on different parts of the body, while a herbalist prescribes a variety of herbs, pills, powders, and tinctures. QiGong uses movement and practice to cultivate personal "chi" and to create balance and health. A Tui Na practitioner uses direct massage techniques. Nutritional therapy consists of dietary guidelines that the patient can put into practice at home. These different areas don't seem to be connected, but there is something that ties these seemingly different treatments together.

The common thread is the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The History of Traditional Chinese Medicine

TCM has a long history: as early as the Shang Dynasty (approx. 1000 BC) there are indications of a differentiated approach to medical problems. Archaeological digs have uncovered ancient acupuncture needles and discourses of disease engraved on bones have been discovered. Early Asian shamanic practices are believed to underlie TCM, and the Chinese emphasis on balance and the governing forces of nature seems to have evolved through observation of the natural world.

In the first century AD. C. the first and most important classical text of Chinese medicine was completed. The text was probably compiled over several hundred years and is based on the writings of many authors and takes the form of a dialogue between the legendary "Yellow Emperor" and his minister on the subject of medicine. The "Inner Classic" explains the philosophy of Chinese medicine and an additional section discusses the benefits of acupuncture, herbs, diet and exercise. In the centuries that followed, these foundational scriptures were expanded, and much of today's TCM practice reflects traditions that have evolved over the past 3,000 years.

Whatever modality of treatment a person chooses, the underlying theory stems from the same root, and that root forms the basis of each individual's unique diagnosis.

The basic ingredients of Traditional Chinese Medicine

There are three main components of Chinese medicine theory used in diagnosis. Together they enable the doctor to find the exact energetic cause of a patient's problem.

These are the components:

• Yin und Yang
• vital substances
• The five elements

Reiki of the five elementsit focuses naturally on the five elements and on one of the vital substances: Qi. I will go into detail about the five elements in later blog posts, although I will only deal with yin and yang and vital substances here.

Yin und Yang

One of the oldest classics of Chinese medicine, The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (mentioned above), states that:

Living in harmony with yin and yang means life.
Life against yin and yang means death.
A life in harmony with Yin and Yang brings peace.
Living against yin and yang brings chaos.

These two fundamental forces of the universe are said to be opposed yet interdependent, consuming and transforming each other. Nature is viewed grouped as interdependent pairs of opposites, e.g. the term "night" is meaningless without the term "day"; 'above' has no meaning without 'below'. According to the Chinese understanding, everything in the universe has yin and yang aspects, and although the balance between yin and yang varies, both aspects will always be present.

Each patient has their own balance of yin and yang, and when people become ill, their balance of yin and yang is affected. Sometimes a person naturally becomes more yang; Yang is associated with fire and fire can multiply since it is not controlled by yin. On the other hand, at times a person may have relatively high levels of yin energy that is not controlled by their yang and will experience symptoms of yang's association with water.

We do not focus on the idea of ​​yin and yang in the Five Element Reiki system.

vital substances

Cells form the basic structure of the human body according to Western medicine, and physiology is the Western study of the "normal" functioning of the body. The vital substances are their equivalents in Chinese medicine. They describe the main components of a human being and the functioning of vital substances can be viewed as "Chinese physiology".

These are the vital substances:

• Qi
• Sangre
• Jing essence
• Body fluids
• Shen (spirit-spirit)

qiis familiar to Reiki practitioners! It's called Ki in Japanese. It is the energy that underlies everything in the universe. The dense becomes matter, the refined becomes spirit, and everything that lives, moves and vibrates does so because qi moves through it. An ancient Chinese text called Nan Jing says that "Qi is the root of all people". Ted Kaptchuk describes qi as "matter about to become energy, or energy about to materialize." There are many types of Qi: Original Qi, Gathering Qi, Vertical Qi, Nourishing Qi, Defense Qi, Meridian Qi, Liver Qi, Lung Qi, etc.

We don't need to know these different types of qi in the Five Element Reiki system.

Sangrein Chinese medicine it is not the same as the "blood" we think of. Described by what it does rather than what it is, "blood" is considered the fluid that nourishes and hydrates the body. It also houses Shen (see below). Some of the symptoms of “blood deficiency” include:

• Frequent tingling or cramps due to muscle and tendon malnutrition
• dry skin and brittle nails due to lack of skin moisture
• Constant anxiety, poor memory, and poor concentration because the blood does not "house" the shen.

Jingit is something we inherit from our parents, and the state of a person's qi and blood depends on this "essence". The strength of our jing determines our constitution, is stored in our kidneys, and allows us to evolve from childhood through adulthood to old age. The jing we inherit at birth is all we have for the rest of our lives, it varies in amount from person to person and most people have an average amount. As we age, gray hair and forgetfulness are signs that our jing is running low.

body fluidsthey are known as "Jin Ye" in Chinese medicine. 'Jin' body fluids are light and watery and are found on the outside of our bodies. "Your" bodily fluids are heavier and reside more within us. When bodily fluids are "clogged," the free movement of qi and blood in the body can be impeded. These bodily fluids are the "most substantial" of all vital substances in Chinese medicine!

Shenrather, it is the "least essential" of all substances in the body and can be viewed as a diluted form of qi. You can also say that it is our own spirit. It is housed by the blood in the heart.

Shen, Qi and Jing are called "the three treasures" and together they are considered the basis of our health. The term "Jingshen" is often used by the Chinese as a kind of shorthand for vitality or strength and conveys the message that the basis of a healthy life is a good constitution and a strong mind.

In addition to yin and yang and the vital substances, knowledge of the five elements and their twelve organs is important for diagnostics in traditional Chinese medicine in order to be able to perceive any imbalance in humans.

These latter areas are what the Five Element Reiki System is all about, and the following blog posts will address these areas in detail and demonstrate their practical relevance to Reiki practitioners.

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Photo credit:Weinberge200