Chinese medicine recognizes three levels of emotional expression related to the three anatomical terrains of Wei Qi, Ying Qi, and Yuan Qi. At the level of Defensive/Wei Qi, there is the quality of emotion associated with our mood; at the level of Nourishing/Ying Qi, there is conscious emotion; and at the deepest level of Essence/Yuan Qi, there is our constitutional temperament.
These levels and qualities of emotion are in constant communication, fluidly moving from one to another as we experience our lives. When one level is affected, the others are also affected.
Defensive/Wei Qi—Mood
A mood is a feeling, a sensation. It doesn’t have substance behind it; we can’t tell another person why we’re feeling what we’re feeling. We know we’re feeling sad or irritable but we don’t know why. A mood has no cause and no target. It’s like the weather.
Our mood is involved with Wei Qi. Wei Qi deals with our instinctive relationship to the world and the environment that surrounds us, as well as to the deepest levels of our anatomical terrain rooted in Kidney Yang. At this deep level, Wei Qi is an essential component of our awareness. It attunes us to ourselves and to the world.
One of the most common mood disorders is depression. The depressive mood operates at the Wei level, which is not conscious. If we begin to bring more consciousness—Ying Qi—to the depression, we might be able to understand the issues that underlie the depression and begin to heal it.
Other examples of emotion related to the Wei level are hysteria or shock, both of which are extreme defensive responses to an external event. During such an episode, our energy becomes chaotic.
Nourishing/Ying Qi—Emotion
Emotions come from the Blood/Ying Qi. They are usually accompanied by a narrative. “I’m angry because . . .” “I’m sad because . . .” The Ying Qi level of energetic anatomy is intelligent and has choice. We can choose how we feel.
The narrative that usually accompanies emotion is related to time. It might be a story about what happened yesterday, or maybe years ago. It might be a narrative about a future event. Imbalanced emotional responses result when we cannot let go of a narrative about the past or the future.
Our emotions are reactive because of the involvement of Nourishing/Ying Qi. Emotional responses are deeply influenced by societal norms.
Emotions move Qi and Blood in specific directions that create different feelings. Using the Five Element model, there are five emotions and five directions:
· Wood/anger/ascending
· Fire/joy/scattered
· Earth/worry/inward
· Metal/grief/descending
· Water/fear/suspended
These are the natural vectors of energy associated with the expression of the various emotions. If we are repressing or suppressing our emotion, its directionality will be thwarted. For example, many people cry instead of expressing anger. Anger is less socially acceptable than grief. Grief holds down the natural ascending energy of anger.
Wood—Anger, Frustration, Resentment
Energetic Movement: Ascending
Wood energy is about change, about moving toward a goal. When that movement is blocked we experience anger. Anger manifests as the upward expression of shouting or aggressive movements as we seek to make our point. When Qi goes up, when our life force rises up, we feel elevated or superior. Anger is a common response when we are confronted with the sense of inferiority. If we feel belittled or put down we get angry as a means of rejecting the “putting down” of Qi.
Without expression, anger can become frustration or resentment.
Fire—Joy, Anxiety
Energetic Movement: Scattering, Spreading
Like Fire, joy spreads. When we’re happy, other people are happy. The excitement of joy is contagious. An inspired look in the eyes “catches on” and inspires others.
Everyone desires joy and happiness, and we want it to last forever. Some people mistakenly believe that by withholding its expression, the feeling of joy or happiness will last longer. The result is that they live life halfheartedly.
A “negative” emotion associated with Fire is anxiety. Anxiety also spreads. Anxiety implies an uncertainty of outcome, though not necessarily negative. An expectant father might feel anxious.
Earth—Worry, Pensiveness, Obsessive Thinking
Energetic Movement: Inward, Binding
Worry, or obsessive thinking, involves ruminating about a situation that we anticipate will have a negative ending.
Rumination takes our energy and begins a process of directing it inward. This results in our energy being bound up, continually replaying thoughts.
Metal—Grief
Energetic Movement: Descending
Grief is always about loss. We had something and now we’ve lost it.
The Metal element suggests the value of gold or gemstones. When we feel sad or disappointed, our energy moves inward and downward so that we can reflect on the memory of something that was precious to us.
Ultimately, the process of grief and mourning is about letting go. Our sadness is an invitation to go inward, but this movement isn’t depression or rumination. It is an opportunity to deepen our relationship with ourselves.
If in our grief we can treasure our memories, we have an opportunity to cultivate the virtue of Metal and the Lungs, which is forgiveness. Being able to move on in our lives is an act of grace.
Water—Fear
Energetic Movement: Suspending
Fear may be the most challenging of all emotions. Most of us associate fear with a threat to our survival or well-being, and there are certainly occasions in everyone’s life that warrant acute feelings of fear. Our physical organism instinctively craves existence, and death is a fearful outcome for most people.
There is another aspect of fear that manifests as the inability to take action in life because of the uncertain consequences of one’s actions. This chronic, self-limiting fear is problematic for someone trying to create a meaningful life. Since we don’t know what the future will bring, we fear it. We hold ourselves in a state of suspension, taking no action at all.
Psychosomatic Effects of Emotions
No emotion is inherently wrong or bad if we express it, let it go, and move on. When we chronically express or suppress an emotion, however, our physical health eventually suffers. If we continually mobilize energy to particular areas of the body, it can lodge there and stagnate.
For example, anger draws energy upward. Chronic anger, whether expressed or not, can lead to physical symptoms in the region of the head. The ascension of Qi can cause hypertension, bloodshot eyes, headaches, and a generally ruddy complexion.
Other emotions might be subtler than anger. Chronic anxiety “burns us out,” leaving us exhausted, and can also cause heart palpitations or insomnia. Someone who chronically worries may suffer from digestive difficulties because the energy of the Spleen is bound up. Prolonged grief, because of the descending nature, might lead to asthma or conditions affecting the large intestine. Chronic fear can lead to low back pain and/or insomnia.
While the symptoms we suffer can be addressed by acupuncture or massage, until the chronic emotion is cleared, the symptoms will always recur.
The Emotions and Society
We are now familiar with the concept that Blood contains the Shen, that the Blood holds all our memories and emotions. But the Blood itself needs to be contained in a vessel. The container that keeps the Blood in its banks is the Spleen. The Spleen is associated with the Earth, which represents society. The soul of the Spleen, the Yi, gives us our ability to be mindful of our actions and to pay attention to our environment. We measure how well we’re doing in life, our interactions and our accomplishments, by the constructs of the society in which we live. Society instills the individual with such values as self-control, cooperation, and respect. The group as a whole must survive, and our interactions must be “appropriate” for that larger purpose.
What does it mean to be angry? What does it mean to be sad? How do we act? We learn these behaviors by observing other people. We might think some emotions, or passions, just happen to us. We may be “stricken with anger” or “overcome with grief.” But emotions don’t just happen to us. We have learned them.
Taking Responsibility
If we see ourselves as passive participants in our interactions, we have no control over our responses. When we realize that our emotional responses are learned, it becomes possible to change them. When we cultivate awareness, we are more able to notice our automatic, habituated reactions. And when we notice our reactions, we can consciously choose to change them. Are we willing to take control over our emotions? This is taking responsibility.
Emotions are a part of our nature. This discussion is not advocating that we cultivate having no emotion. What is important here is cultivating awareness so we can take responsibility for our emotional expressions that might be damaging to ourselves or others.
A Zen story: A samurai asks a Zen master to teach him meditation and how to cultivate stillness and quietude. The Zen master says he won’t teach the samurai because he’s a barbarian. In a rage, the samurai pulls his sword out to kill the Zen master. The Zen master says, “This is hell.” The samurai realizes the truth of the statement and resheathes his sword. The Zen master says, “This is heaven.”
The only difference between spiritually cultivated people and ordinary human beings is the level of awareness they possess. With awareness, we can quickly recognize the arousal of our habitual patterns of response and we can break their hold on us.
Source/Yuan Qi—Temperament
We are born with emotional predispositions—our constitutional nature, or temperament. Our temperament is determined by our genetic makeup and by the cosmic forces operating at the time of our conception and birth. At this deep level Essence has a heavy quality, and the energy moves more slowly than at the levels involved with moods and emotions. Of the many qualities of mood or emotional expression, temperament is the most difficult to change.
Temperament is created by the Triple Heater mechanism as it disseminates Essence to the Internal Organs. Our physical appearance and fundamental personality are the result of this process, as is the potential for developing congenital disease.
Understanding the various temperaments is important for several reasons:
· If we can recognize the different constitutional types, we’re less likely to try to change other people and more likely to fully embrace our own inborn qualities.
· If there are aspects of our personality that are problematic to creating a meaningful life and we understand our temperament, it is more likely that we can make the deep fundamental changes required to develop a different view of the world and ourselves. The ability to change is key to personal evolution.
· The ability to fundamentally change ourselves is especially important if we wish to avoid conditions that “run in the family.”
Recognizing the various personality traits in combination with some knowledge of physiognomy helps in assessing the different constitutional types. Nobody is purely one temperament or another. All of us are combinations of the elements inherited from our parents and influenced by the cosmos.
The Yang Constitutional Types
The most yang elements are Wood and Fire. Wood, the first quality of energy to emerge in the spring, needs strong Yang Qi to break out of the hibernation of winter. Fire, with its heat and spreading quality, is also fundamentally yang.
People whose temperament is Wood or Fire tend to move fast and have lots of energy; their health conditions can include symptoms of inflammation or infections.
The Wood Personality—Goals and Accomplishment
As a yang element, the Wood personality is always active. Wood people are goal oriented; they complete their projects. They are objective; they create lists and deadlines. They know how to get from point A to point B as directly as possible, with few distractions. They like to be leaders.
Wood types make good researchers. They seek a higher level of education and are very knowledgeable. They can be innovators. They are the scientists and artists who are interested in practicality. They are not necessarily interested in money.
Wood types are stubborn. While it is possible for them to branch out, they usually follow only one direction. If they deviate, they will come back to their original path. When their objective is not reached, they become angry or frustrated.
The Wood constitution has difficulty digesting fat.
The Wood-type face is generally shaped like an inverted triangle. The body is well proportioned.
Yang Wood—Gall Bladder
Temperamental Profile
People with a Yang Wood temperament always want to be in charge or always need to be the authority. They’re good at it because they have foresight—they can see what’s coming and plan for it. They have an optimistic outlook on life, but their need to always be in front makes them anxious. They need to make sure they’ll arrive early at their destination; they need to be at the head of the line to get the best tickets. They’re always in a rush, afraid they’ll be late.
Yang Wood people tend to be impulsive, and because they have a lot of Yang Qi—vitality and stamina—they often try to do too many things at one time, which means they can’t follow through with every project they start. They might frequently interrupt in conversation or answer a question before it’s been asked.
They like the distinction that comes with being in charge, and they bring attention to themselves by making a statement with their hairstyle or wardrobe.
Yang Wood types are emotionally expressive. They don’t hide their feelings and can be hot tempered, especially if they don’t feel like they’re in charge of a situation. If they lose their temper they usually apologize.
Potential Health Concerns
As children, Yang Wood types are rarely sick. By midlife, if they haven’t yet been able to fulfill their destiny, disappointments build up resulting in illness. Yang Wood–type people are prone to insomnia and anxiety attacks. They can develop allergies, high blood pressure due to stress, and digestive problems. They especially have problems with digesting fat.
Yin Wood—Liver
Temperamental Profile
Since Wood is a yang element, the Yin Wood personality has an inborn conflict. These people have great imagination and are highly creative. They are pioneers exploring new territory. At the same time they tend to be shy, timid, and indecisive. They are nervous and fidgety; they bite their nails or chew on their pen.
Yin Wood types need frequent change to keep life exciting. They tend to overly dramatize—“I have a million things to do!” when in reality they only have a few things to do. They have many ideas but are easily distracted. Their minds easily drift off and they tend to daydream.
Despite being shy, people with a Yin Wood temperment crave attention. They want to be seen but they don’t have the courage of the Yang Wood temperament, so they’re more subtle in their bid for attention. They like to have the last word in an argument, not to be right but just to add on.
They tend to be night owls, going to bed late and sleeping late in the morning.
Yin Wood types don’t express their emotions easily. They are nervous when talking about emotion, and they often deny or rationalize what they’re feeling. They tend to be moody and have frequent mood swings. They can store anger to the point that they become resentful or depressed. They don’t have hot outbursts of emotion, but they can break into tears easily and suddenly.
Potential Health Concerns
Yin Wood children typically have digestive difficulties, usually precipitated by stress. Children can also have headaches and might sleep with their eyes slightly open.
As adults they believe they can control their lives. They will seldom seek medical attention; they believe that they can treat themselves.
Yin Wood types tend to be depressed later in life. They have many ideas but their timidity limits them. They reflect on all the plans they had but didn’t accomplish. This internal conflict can manifest as shaking, possibly Parkinson’s, and they can be prone to hepatitis.
They may crave fried foods and butter, because the fat stimulates the Liver and Gall Bladder, but they can’t digest it well.
Differentiations
Yin Wood types don’t have as much Yang Qi as Yang Wood types, so they have difficulty actualizing their plans. Either they don’t have enough Yang to do the necessary work, or they become dissatisfied with their many plans because they are impulsive and like change.
Both Yin and Yang Wood types want attention, but the shy Yin type is more subtle. A Yin Wood type might wear something unique or fix her hair so that she’s noticed but she won’t stand where she is easily seen, whereas the Yang Wood type makes sure to be seen. The Yin Wood type might just subtly color her hair, but the Yang Wood type might color it purple.
Unlike the Yang Wood type, who suffers from high blood pressure from striving so much, the Yin Wood personality tends to become depressed. Yang types tend to have allergies; Yin types are more likely to have headaches.
Fire Personality—Ideals and Creativity
The Fire element is fundamentally yang, and people with the Fire temperament can be volatile. Fire people are active, adventurous, and outgoing. They love to travel and enjoy socializing.
The energy of Fire people tends to be scattered. They don’t foresee problems and so they run their lives with crisis management. They tend to be abstract thinkers and might be sloppy in appearance. Fire types are temperamental and can erupt in angry outbursts. They are impulsive and don’t like waiting for anything. They can be a little irrational.
People with a Fire personality are doers, not thinkers. They want their information quickly—give it to them in a sentence, not in two paragraphs.
Fire types tend to be intuitive. They believe passionately in causes, whether to benefit their country or humanity. Although they may find themselves in positions of leadership, their motivation is to uphold a principle, not to have power. They want to create change.
Fire personalities tend to be incompatible with Water and Metal personalities.
Fire people have visible bone structures. They tend to be thin and tall. Their faces are triangular in shape.
Yang Fire—Small Intestine
Temperamental Profile
The Yang Fire temperament is idealistic. These people can be very intelligent, perhaps mathematicians or computer wizards. They can also be very creative and artistic in an idealistic, intellectual way. Their intelligence is not very pragmatic, however, and not methodical or studied. They are easily inspired and unconventional in their outlook on life. They have very quick reflexes and can excel at sports, especially individual sports.
The Yang Fire personality is high volume, high intensity. They have a lot of energy; they enjoy working under pressure and can do it for days. They have noble ideals and tend to sacrifice themselves for their beliefs. Yang Fire people enjoy a difficult challenge, whether physical or intellectual. Some might describe them as spontaneous or impulsive, others as intuitive. They are quick to make up their minds: quick to say yes, quick to say no.
The intensity of Fire can create Wind, and Yang Fire people can have angry outbursts or temper tantrums; they can potentially become violent. The volatility of Yang Fire creates a manic, extroverted personality, but when the Fire burns out they’re left empty, leading to extreme mood swings. They tend to exaggerate and dramatize their highs and lows.
Potential Health Concerns
Everything is amplified in Yang Fire people. If they have a fever, it will be high. If they have seizures, they will be violent. Everything is in constant motion. They might develop circulatory conditions, perhaps a rapid heartbeat, arrhythmias, or high blood pressure (not as a result of stress, but chronically).
They might suffer from intestinal conditions, perhaps Crohn’s disease or colitis. They might have frequent bowel movements or frequent urination.
They tend toward addiction, especially to stimulants.
Yin Fire—Heart
Temperamental Profile
The Yin Fire temperament is not common. It usually results when someone suffers a major trauma in early life, perhaps the loss of a parent when very young. These people don’t believe they can overcome the challenges of life. They feel defeated because of the trauma. They are like the king who believes the empire has already fallen.
Their Fire is contained inside and does not spread externally, causing them to always feel uneasy. Their minds are restless. Their expression is internalized. They may have something to say but they don’t say it. They convey their moods and emotions more through facial expressions than with words. Too much stimulation from color or sound makes them uncomfortable. They may have a passion for philosophy, but it will be a philosophy of how life is full of suffering.
It is likely they were misunderstood when they were children. Their interests were different than other children’s interests.
Yin Fire people tend to be pessimistic. Their emotional idealism is thwarted by a defeatist attitude. They are susceptible to mood swings. If someone tries to offer a different perspective, to help lessen their negativity, they reject the possibility of change and continue to succumb to their pessimistic outlook.
Potential Health Concerns
Yin Fire types are easily awakened by sounds. Their sleep is poor, and has been so since their youth; the Fire keeps them agitated.
They have health conditions that manifest inside the heart, such as endocarditis, mitral valve prolapse, and congenital aortic stenosis. They might have conditions that affect the blood, such as aneurisms. They might be susceptible to strokes, blockages in the arteries, or arteriosclerosis. If they have fevers, they tend to be high due to Heat in the Blood. The fevers are not easily controlled with medication. They might be prone to tongue ulcers and digestive problems.
Differentiations
Both Fire types are responsive to their senses. Yang types will be intrigued by what they see, taste, or smell; Yin types will usually find something negative in the perception.
Yang Fire types are optimistic; Yin Fire types are pessimistic.
Fire types differ from Wood types in that they receive their inspiration from the external world. Wood types derive inspiration from their intellect. Fire types are more engaged with their senses. They appreciate the smells and colors of a beautiful meal; Wood types want to know the recipes and the details of how the meal was prepared.
Fire and Wood types are both innovative and leaders. Wood types ascribe to the belief that they can do the best job and need to be in charge. Fire types are attracted to noble causes.
The Transformation from Yang to Yin—Earth
In the cycle of the Five Elements, as Fire burns itself out it becomes Earth. The nature of Earth is to bind energy inward. Earth gives us the matrix to retreat, retrieve, and gather back our Qi.
If we gather too much Qi it gets stuck. The Earth is then unable to receive the nourishment of sunlight or water because it is either parched and barren or oversaturated.
Earth Personality—Stability
Earth people are very accommodating. They have a sympathetic nature and they feel better when they try to make other people more comfortable, even if other people do not appreciate their effort. They do it because they love doing it, but they eventually burn out.
Attributes of Earth personalities are that they tend to accumulate things and emotions. They collect and store tangible things but do not necessarily use them. They have a tendency to obesity.
They are good listeners. They make good priests and psychotherapists. They are usually seen as maternal and nurturing; they embrace everything. Since they gather and accumulate, they also hold on to emotions. They may forgive an insult, but they will never forget it.
Earth types stay in one place in terms of work, home, and career. They want security: a steady job, home, and income. They are strong-minded but lack flexibility, making them quite stubborn. When ill, Earth types can be attached to their illness, perhaps because it fosters familial support.
Earth types’ face and head is square. Their bones are big and heavy, and their flesh is firm. Their firm flesh is a clue to their reliability.
Yang Earth—Stomach
Temperamental Profile
Yang Earth types are optimistic, adaptable, cheerful, and carefree. They enjoy providing opportunities for others, not because they seek attention or recognition but because they simply enjoy creating opportunity. Their optimism allows for support and reconciliation. Many healers fit this profile, as do diplomats and counselors.
Their desire to be supportive does not prevent them from being bluntly honest if necessary. They have the maturity to say what needs to be said but without condescension or judgment.
They stay neutral during disputes, without casting judgment about right or wrong, in order to facilitate reconciliation between people. They are disciplined in dialogue, able to stay on topic. They have no ulterior motive in expressing their opinion and see the dialogue simply as an exchange. They have a strong, grounding presence.
They tend to be loud and dramatic—the result of Stomach Fire giving “flavor” to their experience. They are expansive. They dramatize by building things up to be more than they are. This is another clue as to why they tend to be overweight or bulky in appearance.
They like to gossip and joke around. This is part of their optimism. They do not see the need to take things too seriously.
When their boundaries are not strong, they take on too much responsibility. If they feel taken advantage of they can lose their grounding and get very angry. The riverbank breaks, everything floods out, and then they feel guilty.
Potential Health Concerns
Healthy earth does not like to be too wet. If it is too wet, it cannot be built on. Yang Earth people tend to lose fluids from the body. When they get sick they may have lots of mucus, diarrhea, excessive urination, or excessive perspiration. With the loss of fluids they lose minerals and can become dehydrated, which can cause hypertension or constipation.
With excessive sweat, they might have skin problems. With the constant movement of fluids in the body, the various sphincter muscles can be challenged. Yang Earth people are prone to hiatal or inguinal hernias from too much coughing or vomiting.
The excessive movement of fluids comes from overactive Yang Qi. Over time the Yang becomes exhausted, resulting in deficiency. Conditions of prolapse, such as varicose veins or hernias, can develop.
Excessive consumption of sugar can be problematic for Yang Earth types, giving them the tendency to develop diabetes. Earth people love sugar because it makes taste last longer. They want the time to savor the flavor. The same applies to thinking: they like to have their thoughts last; they obsess.
When Earth people are unhappy with themselves they can develop eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
Yin Earth—Spleen
Temperamental Profile
The Yin Earth personality is sedentary. These people dislike exercise because they do not like to move, and indeed, they tend to be overweight. Their muscle tone is poor; their flesh hangs.
They are indecisive. They are burdened by excessive thinking, obsessive worry, and concerns. Because they are indecisive, when confronted by a challenging circumstance they perserverate. As time passes, oftentimes they discover that everything worked out anyway, so there was no need for a decision in the first place.
They tend to be skeptics. They dwell too much on meaning. They can expand on one thought endlessly or look at one word from many different angles. “I could have said it this way, or that way . . .” They look for explanations and ask many questions but they’re never satisfied, because inside they feel empty.
They tend to be self-critical because they entertain many ideas but rarely take decisive action. They are more accommodating of others than of themselves. They like to help other people find solutions to their problems, but they can easily succumb to jealousy and envy.
When others observe the Yin Earth personality they might judge them as lazy. On the other hand, there is some wisdom in accepting life as it presents. Everything always unfolds as it should.
Potential Health Concerns
Yin Earth types are prone to abdominal fullness and heaviness because they let things stagnate. They react negatively if they eat too much of something. Maybe they can have a little milk, but a lot causes discomfort. They feel sluggish after eating and crave grains and sweets even to the point of addiction. They tend to obesity and diabetes.
Yin Earth people benefit from daily naps. They require a lot of sleep.
Differentiations
Yang Earth types like sweets; Yin Earth types have an addiction to sweets.
Both Earth and Wood types are stubborn. Like trees, Wood types focus their energy in one direction. Earth is inflexible because it is bound in all directions.
In an argument, Earth types tend to be objective; Wood or Fire types want to persuade others to their point of view.
The Yin Constitutional Types
The yin elements are Metal and Water. Yin holds and stores things. Yin people can hold on to details and have a good memory. They tend to be introverted and are easily drained by the demands of the world. They are emotional, but diplomatic.
Metal Personality—Justice and Organization
Metal is what we find within the Earth, the precious metals and gems resulting from the activity of Fire. These substances have a very consistent organized structure. Metal personalities are very meticulous. They are self-absorbed because of their yin nature. When confronted by a task, the goal of accomplishing it includes doing it in a particular way.
Metal people are very confident. Status and position are important to the Metal personality, and they behave and carry themselves as if they have high status even if they do not. They usually do not achieve their goal of becoming successful until after the age of thirty-five, because the early years of life do not offer much opportunity for achieving status.
For Metal personalities health is important because of how it can affect their status—they need some payoff to find the motivation to work on their health.
Metal people do not get along well with Wood and Fire people.
Metal people have an oblong or rectangular face. Their bodies are finely shaped and balanced. Nothing stands out as a flaw. Their skin is firm, smooth, and soft. Their bones are visible but not prominent. Their entire appearance conveys a sense of high status.
Yang Metal—Large Intestine
Temperamental Profile
The Yang Metal personality is even tempered. These people organize their emotions in order to have control over them; they do not have angry outbursts or mood swings. For these people, rational thinking overrides emotional reactivity.
They are meticulous but not obsessed. They are organized and objective, precise, detailed, focused, and efficient. They weigh pros and cons but aren’t bogged down by them. Everything is done deliberately, in a particular order, with no distractions. They have a good memory because they are so well organized.
Metal is yin, found deep in the Earth. In the Five Element system, Metal nourishes the wisdom of Water. Metal types convey a depth of thinking with their words. Although not emotional, they are animated in expressing their beliefs. They are moralists who believe in justice. They do not necessarily act or live out their beliefs, however, and they are able to rationalize this inconsistency.
They can be perceived as arrogant. They have a sophisticated sense of humor and an ability to attract attention. They are know-it-alls. In conversation they gratuitously add detail to others’ statements.
Potential Health Concerns
Yang Metal types tend to be phlegmatic. The virtue of Metal is the ability to let go, but if there is an imbalance this virtue is not evident. These people have a propensity to develop sinusitis, intestinal disorders (especially constipation), hyperventilation, and asthma. They have difficulty digesting carbohydrates, sweets, and dairy.
Yin Metal—Lung
Temperamental Profile
Yin Metal types love solitude and tranquility, and they are vulnerable to external influences. They are generally introverted. They are easily fatigued; spending time with too many people tires them out. They have more interest in nature than in socializing. They can be mistrusting. If someone lets them down once, it will be hard for Yin Metal types to trust that person again.
Yin Metal types spend much time deep in thought. They control their emotions to the point of becoming melancholic.
Yin Metal types anticipate and plan. They don’t like to improvise. They are the sort who prepare for possible emergencies like power outages or violent storms by having plenty of water and food on hand. They like stability; others might see them as conservative.
They enjoy debate, but not overly so because they tire easily. They have good memories and can back up their arguments with well-founded research. They are also intuitive and can pick up on subtle messages. They are especially vulnerable to sadness.
They tend to judge themselves moralistically and oftentimes feel guilt for falling short of their ideals. This quality can lead to a fatalistic attitude and depression. They might end up living a life of solitude.
Potential Health Concerns
Yin Metal types have weak Lung Qi. They are susceptible to external pathogenic factors such as the common cold. They tend to fatigue and require ample sleep. They might develop hypothyroidism. Asthma can be a health challenge. They tend to be depressed.
Yin Metal people may crave grains and sweets but have a hard time digesting them. They may retain water or feel sluggish after eating such foods.
Differentiations
Wood and Metal types are both goal oriented. Wood people want to achieve their goals efficiently and quickly. Metal people prioritize organization over speed and are compelled to complete their goals in a particular manner.
Regarding career, the Wood person might seek a promotion in order to be challenged; the Metal person seeks the promotion to have status and impress other people.
Earth and Metal types are both supportive of other people. Earth people are very patient and will tolerate someone’s problems for years. Metal people become impatient if the person doesn’t resolve the problem quickly. If it’s a bad relationship they say, “Just dump the guy!” The Earth person says, “Let’s look at both sides.”
Both Fire and Metal people enjoy joking around, but the Metal person’s jokes are tinged with criticism and sarcasm.
Water Personality—Absorption in the Self
Water is the most yin element. It can accommodate and fill any container. It is the basis and essence of life, as reflected by Kidney Yin and Yang.
The Water personality is a survivor. These people can adapt to any new situation and don’t require security. They like to move, to flow, to travel and see different places. They are very quick-witted and adapt easily to new circumstances. These people have a natural propensity for learning things without a lot of effort. They absorb information and skills like a sponge, but they are not necessarily interested in them. Water people don’t get stagnant.
The Water element is associated with money, and indeed, Water types accumulate money. They might be gamblers, and they usually win. At the same time they tend to be practical and make good managers.
Because Water people can adapt easily, they are not likely to argue or fight. They don’t like conflict and so behave very agreeably, even when they don’t feel that way. They prefer the role of an observer and do not engage with the world as much as the other elements. Perhaps they realize that all of life is a transition, so “what’s the big deal?”
Being a Water person means learning to be gentle with one’s self. This temperament gives a natural ability to act with grace. The Water type might hear a self-judging voice but she chooses not to indulge it. She realizes that she can achieve her goal if she is gentle.
The Water face and body are round and fleshy. In particular, the nose, ears, and profile are round—but their rounded appearance is not due to being fat. The bones don’t show, and the lips are soft. The flesh is soft, not firm like the Earth type.
Yang Water—Urinary Bladder
Temperamental Profile
Water is the element that most completely defines yin; it concerns the self. Since this most-yin temperament also includes yang, there’s a need to express the self in the world. Yang Water types are passionate about what they feel within themselves and want other people to know what they are feeling, even though the yin aspect wants to hide. The internalized feeling can become self-critical.
Yang Water personalities are confident about who they are because they have the conviction that they are living out their destiny.
Water engenders all things. Yang Water people have natural wisdom and natural authority. They are naturally selfless, to the point of sacrifice.
Yang Water people can be dominating, overwhelming other people with their confidence.
Potential Health Concerns
Depending on the amount of Essence/Jing a person has inherited, the Yang Water type can be very strong, with great endurance and stamina, or weak, leading to poor immunity and hypersensitivity.
Yin Water—Kidneys
Temperamental Profile
As the yin of the most yin element, the Yin Water personality tends to be fearful and shy. These people are needy, with poor self-confidence, and they are easily discouraged. Yin Water types are similar to the Yin Fire temperament in that both types usually suffered trauma in their youth and so feel fearful and pessimistic about life in general. They are very sentimental; they cry at a sad movie but hide it from others. In general, they tend to be fatigued. Their pessimism often causes them to feel defeated even before they start a project.
They can have a conversation with someone, and they might be quite knowledgeable, but they don’t express animation. They won’t share other people’s enthusiasm, but they are able to absorb it, like a sponge, and help the other person sustain her or his enthusiasm. After a while they go home to rest because they’re tired.
Yin Water people reveal little about themselves. They are overly accommodating, behaving in a manner that they believe will fulfill others’ expectations of them. It takes a lot of interaction to discover what’s really going on with them.
Yin Water types usually seek spiritual growth not because they are intrigued by the mysterious, but because they are disappointed by life. They need to ease their suffering. They search for something they may never find, but their unhappiness allows no other choice.
Yin Water people are dependent on others. They might join a community to be a part of the flock. They want to be like everyone else.
Potential Health Concerns
Depending on the amount of Essence/Jing the person has inherited, the Yin Water type might be strong, but it is more likely that he or she will be prone to infections and external pathogenic factors, including colds, flus, and other contagions. He or she may have conditions related to water retention and will probably have cravings for grains and sweets and will feel sluggish after eating.
Differentiations
Yang Water personalities enjoy solitude because they are fundamentally comfortable with themselves. Yin Water types are often loners, not because they enjoy it but because of their shyness or fear.
Wood types travel for adventure. Water and Fire types both travel due to restlessness. Water can be satisfied for a while, but Fire is always restless.
Summary
None of us is purely one constitution or another. We all combine aspects of some or all of the various types. Usually one particular temperament seems to dominate over the others, though this can change with maturity and experience.
If we view life as providing the possibility for evolution, we can look at the temperaments as an opportunity for change. Different circumstances call for different behaviors. If a circumstance causes discomfort, we can either avoid the circumstance or challenge ourselves to discover a different view and relationship to the situation.
When we consciously cultivate the different temperaments we might discover that we are more fluid and more able to meet the events of our lives with less stress.