Lao Tzu - the founder of Taoism: “To know yet to think that one does not know is best; not to know yet to think that one knows will lead to difficulty.”
Five Elements s a fivefold conceptual scheme that many traditional Chinese fields used to explain a wide array of phenomena, from cosmic cycles to the interaction between internal organs and from the succession of political regimes to the properties of medicinal drugs. The "Five Phases" are Fire, Water, Wood, Metal, and Earth. This order of presentation is known as the "Days of the Week" sequence. In the order of "mutual generation,” they are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. In the order of "mutual overcoming,” they are Wood, Earth, Water, Fire, and Metal.
3) This element is feminine because metal is extracted from the feminine earth, although metal is considered less feminine than earth or water. Although metal is a lesser yin element, it can exist in either a yang or a yin state. When metal expresses masculine yang energy, its color is white and is symbolized by a weapon. Metal qualities include strength, independence, focus, intensity, righteousness, and fluency in speech
4) Water is the most feminine of the five elements and therefore is considered very yin. Although water is a very yin element, it can exist in either a yang or a yin state. When water expresses masculine yang energy, its color is black and is symbolized by a wave. When water expresses feminine yin energy, its color is gray and is symbolized by a brook. Water’s qualities are creativity, sensitivity, reflection, persuasion, effectiveness, and desire for life and sex.
2) The element earth is yin, feminine, like Mother Earth in the West. Earth’s symbol is the black and white yin/yang. Although the earth is a yin element, it can exist in either a yang or a yin state. When the earth expresses masculine yang energy, its color is yellow and is symbolized by a hill. When the earth expresses feminine yin energy, its color is gold and is symbolized by a valley. Earth’s personality traits are stable, practical, reliable, industrious, empathetic, honest, kind, and prudent. Earth types value friendship. Earth individuals do well to meditate and nourish themselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Earth’s personality traits are stable, practical, reliable, industrious, empathetic, honest, kind, and prudent.
5) The element wood is masculine and considered less yang than fire. Although wood is a less yang element, it can exist in either a yang or a yin state. When wood expresses masculine yang energy, its color is green and is symbolized by a pine tree-sturdy, upright, and enduring. When wood expresses feminine yin energy, its color is blue and is symbolized by the flexible bamboo that gently bends with the wind. Wood qualities are bold actions, planning, initiating new projects, idealism, imagination, compassion, and competition
1) The first element, fire, is the most masculine of the five elements. Therefore, it is considered very yang. Although fire is generally regarded as a very yang element, it can exist in either a yang or a yin state because, in Taoism, all things have both a yin and a yang expression to create balance. When fire expresses masculine yang energy, its color is red and is symbolized by burning wood. When fire expresses feminine yin energy, its color is purple, symbolized by a lamp’s flame, small and contained, yet helpful. Fire personality traits are love, passion, leadership, spirituality, insight, dynamism, aggression, intuition, reason, and expressiveness.
Yin - in Chinese culture, is meant as the shady side. The passive female principle of the universe is characterized as female and sustaining and associated with earth, dark, and cold, and contrasted with yang.
Wu Wei - means natural action, or in other words, an action that does not involve struggle or excessive effort. Wu Wei is the cultivation of a mental state in which our actions are quite effortlessly aligned with the flow of life.
Yang - in Chinese culture, is meant the light side. The active male principle of the universe is characterized as male and creative and associated with heaven, heat, and light. Contrasted with yin
Tao – the path or the way
Ch’i - is a primal substance that animates the universe in Taoism, a mysterious force introduced to us by ancient Chinese myths and legends that have also told us about Tai Chi and Tao. Chi is the force that sets the world and everything in it into motion. Chi is also the force that sustains all things once they are created.
Alchemy - concerned with transforming human beings to give them a longer life and bring them closer to the Tao. The first alchemists were seeking an elixir that could be used to turn cheap metal into gold.
