The Five Element Series: Earth

As we begin the tilt toward autumn, we haven’t left summer behind just yet. A fifth season, although forgotten in the northern latitudes, is known as “Sān Fú” and translates to late summer. This is the season, that in equatorial zones, is the wet season and is associated with the earth element.

The late summer months can be hot and humid, bringing tropical storms, hurricanes, flash floods, and monsoons. The earth can become so overwhelmed by water that it cannot contain it. And so it rushes, pools, stagnates, and turns to muck.

The earth element and season are associated with the spleen and stomach organs. Physiologically, the earth organ’s functions are two fold: they are responsible for digestion, absorption, and distribution of fluids and nutrients throughout the body, while simultaneously filtering waste for removal. Simply put, “separating the pure from the impure.”

Earth Within Us: Emotionally, Spiritually, & Physically

Psychologically, the earth element empowers a healthy ability to process and integrate experiences, knowledge, thoughts and emotions. Deficiency of earth, may manifest as stickiness of the mind. This will cause a pattern of repetitive thinking, worry, confusion, overanalyzing, and constant continuous rumination, typically of the same stories over and over again. The mind may race uncontrollably, most-often in circles. I call this pattern the broken record.

Balanced Earth

• You are capable of taking care of yourself and express your needs in a healthy manner

• You can give and receive an appropriate amount of emotional support

• You have a sense of belonging and feel understood by those around you

• You feel connected to the place you live and are able to put roots down and create a home

• You have a sense of self identity and value individualism without being overly independent

• You have a healthy relationship with food and don't rely on it for comfort or to deal with emotions.

Imbalanced Earth

• You tend to over empathize with people, and have a hard time seperating your emotional reality from others'

• People often come to you with their problems as you tend to give off a safe and inviting space atmosphere

• You tend to prioritize the needs of others while letting your needs go unmet

• You convey in your needs in a needy or attention seeking way

• Your self worth comes from your place in your community

• You tend to use food as a way to fill a void

• You often worry or ruminate

Physiologically, a deficiency in this element can lead to a failure of the digestive system in extracting, absorbing, and distributing vital nutrients, leading to an accumulation of undesired turbid waste, known colloquially in TCM as dampness. Dampness can look like loose sticky stools, low appetite, a feeling of heaviness in the limbs or head, poor digestion, bloating, and fatigue.

It is important to focus on supporting the digestive organs this season by avoiding cold/raw foods or oily/greasy foods. Incorporate more cooked seasonal vegetables, mung beans, or grains like millet and barley to support the spleen and stomach. Establishing regular eating times in a peaceful environment where you can take your time is also crucial during this time. Lastly, practice relaxation techniques such as meditation to witness where your mental patterns become repetitive and allow some of the muck to let go.