The Story of WOOD - The Five Phases of Energy: Part 1

by Eileen Rolland

We start with Wood for a reason. It is the beginning of things. Its season is Spring. It is the time of year when things begin to grow, when new life emerges after winter. It is about birth and infancy in terms of stages of life but it is also about the ‘birth’ of anything new: a new job; hobby; project; relationship and any work one undertakes whether it’s knitting a sweater, baking a cake or writing a novel. The fact that the work has been started is Wood energy in action.

Wood is considered the ‘child’ of Water. It is about taking the formless creative energy of Water, giving it substance and bringing it into being, effectively changing energy into matter. Although the term ‘wood’ represents all vegetation, it is symbolised by a tree. Being rooted in the earth (yin) but with its branches reaching toward heaven (yang), it creates a link with both energies to give them form.

Wood organs are Liver (yin) and Gallbladder (yang). When we talk of Wood energy, both these organs are taken into account. The liver is the largest organ in the body. It generates bile which drains into the gallbladder and is stored there until needed for digestive processes. It metabolises carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It regulates blood sugar, synthesises blood-clotting agents, produces red blood cells and detoxifies the body.

In Eastern medicine, Liver is about flexibility, about taking things in our stride and adapting to change. It nourishes our self-esteem, controls the sinews and manifests in the nails. Liver opens to the eyes. Someone who has jaundice will have a yellow tinge to their skin as well as the whites of their eyes. Liver is about vision and direction and is even said to promote inner vision. It helps us to see our way forward while the Gallbladder is associated with decision making.

Liver governs the ‘fight or flight’ response. Wood is active when we decide what course of action to take in a given situation. Liver can be diminished by high levels of stress. In Chinese Medi- mes, sour plums, yogurt, pickles and sauerkraut are examples of Wood foods. Wood is also associated with foods that are not quite ripe or sprouting foods such as bean sprouts. Also, foods that grow upwards on strong stems have a Wood connection; asparagus, wheat, corn and celery, for example. All green vegetables have an affinity with the Wood element and can be used to tonify the Liver and of Fire, and FIRE energy will be next in this series. As Fire is asll talk about it in taught classes in both disciplines since 2004. Now that she is retired,