Lets take a walk into Shul's fascinating lecture subject~
The Five Elements
Fire: Joy and laughter, the flickering movement of life in us
Earth: nurturing, mother's care and passion
Metal: boundaries, grieving, energy
Wood: determination, stubornness
Water: fluid, growth, depth, mystery
Chinese medicine focuses on each of those things that all people have in their personality and in their physicality to determine which element is lacking and which is over dominant and uses another element to build up that which is lacking to create homeostasis again.
The Shen Cycle is the supporting, nurturing cycle which is purple in my purty picture
The Ko Cycle is the controlling one, done in green
Each element represents an organ in the body. The meridians in the body are labeled by the organs so one would use the bladder meridian for an imbalance in their water elements. Water's organs are the Kidneys and the Bladder. Fire is the hearts and the small intestines. Earth is the spleen and the stomach. Metal is the large intestines and the lungs and Wood is the gallbladder and the liver.
Ayurveda
In Ayurveda, the five elements that make us up are Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Space (or Ether). Ayurveda medical practitioners view humans as each having their own bar code, made up of these five elements. There are three different types of psychophysicalities made from the five elements called Doshas.
Space and Air
**Vata: Represents movement in the body: circulation, food passage and breathing
Out of balance: If out of balance people more prone to Vata suffer from anxiety, fear and worry. Inbalance of Vata is accountable for most illnesses.
Fire and Water
**Pitta: Represents trasformation. Metabolism, horomones, digestion of thought and making sense of life
Out of balance: If out of balance people more prone to Pitta suffer from irritability, quick to anger and acidic problems
Water and Earth
**Kapha: Represents cohesion. Stability, bones, muscholes, emotions, holding things together and Love.
Out of balance: If out of balance people more prone to Kapha tent to have lung problems, pnemonia, depression, laziness, water retention, weight gain and are more prone to be greedy and possesive.
Interesting thing about kapha that my teacher said is that it's also the expecting aspect. It's what makes things run on a schedule to keep things balanced so you dont feel like you're walking through a mine feild. Like with a father that beats his children. If the father goes out every friday and gets drunk and comes home and beats his children, his children will be more secure then a child who is beaten irregulary. Horrible as it sounds, the kindest way to beat a child is on a schedule. That is what he said. Interesting, but horrible. It's also the unconditional love factor.
THIS PART'S LIKE A MEME! =DDD
Everyone has Vata, Pitta and Kapha in them, but some are more prone to one then the other. Since Ayurveda is a medicine that helps stabilize homeostasis (balance in teh body) knowing which one you're more prone to will help you in your way to living a healthier life.
Vata
Are usually:
*Lean
*under weight
*dry skin
*constipative
*brittle nails and hair
*irregular heart beat
*food consumption is irratic
*high sex drive
*easily satisfied
*poor stamina
*impulsive
*quick stride
Prone to:
*headaches
*arthritis
*heartache
*poor sleeping habits
Are more:
*Artistic
*likes to travel
*enjoys changes
Things that are suggested to keep your body healthy and balanced:
~Dont spend lots of time in the cold
~Avoid cold and raw foods
~Eat warm and spicy foods
~Rest regulary
~Make routines and STICK to them
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Pitta
Are Usually:
*medium height and weight
*hot body (the kind that's nice to snuggle with cause they're so warm and cuddly)
*sharp gaze
*light eye color
*strong appetite
*abundant energy
*good digestion
*sweat a lot
*body oder
*Everything's a competition
Prone to:
*acne
*rashes
*heart burn
*acid reflex
*anger
*impatience
*very critical
Are more:
*successful
*get things done
*rise to the top
Things that are suggested to keep your body healthy and balanced:
~Avoid hot and spicy foods
~Dont stay in hot places for long
~exercise that avoid's ANY competition
~Something possitive to focus their energy on
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kapha
Are Usually:
*large and well built
*over weight
*sensitive to cold and damp
*smooth skin
*large eyes
*sensitive to touch
*lots of hair
*steady energy
*slow learners
*great memories
*slow metabolism
*sweet tooths
Prone to:
*asma
*heart attack
*depression
*greed
Are more:
*slow to anger
*avoids conflict
*peace makers
*loving
*affectionate
*tolerant
*forgiving
Things that are suggested to keep your body healthy and balanced:
~eat heavy sweet foods
~stay in areas that are warm and dry
~Dairy is bad for you, stay away from it
~avoid over sleeping
~vigorous exercise
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Keep in mind that everyone has a bit of each thing so not everything will apply to one person, maybe two are closer to you then the other. Me for example, I'm a lot of both Vata and Pitta, but I have a bunch of characteristics that Kapha has (like omfg dairy! ><;;;; SWEET TOOTH @_@;;;;;; ) So not everyone is one specific thing ~_n although~~~~ certain people popped up instantly in my head when each were desribed XD
I found a poem like thing in the Shiatsu room when we were on break that I liked and copied it for your reading pleasure:
Under heaven, nothing is more soft and yeilding then water.
Yet for attacking the solid and strong, nothing is better.
It has no equal.
The weak can overcome the strong.
The supple can overcome the stiff.
Under heaven everyone knows this,
Yet no one puts it to practice.
Therefore the sage says,
"He who takes upon himself the humilliation of the people
is fit to rule them.
"He who takes upon himself the countries disasters
deserves to be king of the universe.
"The truth often sounds paradoxical."
EDIT
*swishes hair* totally loving this shampoo and conditioner~~~ my hair feels SO soft~ and I smell like strawberries and cream suckums