Ivy Sea Online: An introduction to Four Pillars & Five Elements

Wisdom & Mastery - 'Exploring Value' Series
AN INTRODUCTION TO FOUR PILLARS & FIVE ELEMENTS

Entire books — many books, in fact — have been written on particular aspects of the Four Pillars and Five Elements philosophies, so this article will be a simple introduction of the topics.

The Four Pillars and Five Elements are specific concepts stemming from Taoism, Chinese philosophy, Zen Buddhism, and even more ancient sources. 'Tao' is a word for 'the Way' of the Divine Source revealed in the natural world. To follow or flow with 'the Tao' is to flow with the Divine or Natural order or 'Way' of things.

These concepts have counterparts in other spiritual, cultural, and scientific traditions, as well. For example, in the sacred texts of the Christian tradition, Jesus regularly speaks of 'the Way' and uses Nature metaphors frequently to illustrate natural and spiritual laws and wisdom.

Four Pillars and Five Elements

The Four Pillars are analyzed based on one's year, month, day and time of birth. The pillars are like the four cornerstones of a foundation, or the four legs on a chair that support the structure, and the people using the structure, so that it is reliable and functional.

The Five Element theory can be found in Taosim, Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, and related disciplines and cosmologies — the theories about how the Universe came into being, and how its laws operate in and through us and all of Nature. The Five Elements are really metaphors for the phases or stages that occur in every life cycle, whether an individual life, an organization, an initiative, or a creative endeavor.

The Five Elements used as practical and poetic metaphors are: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Each has symbolic and archetypal meaning regarding how that particular element appears, flows, works with the other elements to create balance or disharmony, and affects who we are, how we feel, what we experience, and what we do.

The basic focus of each of these concepts is on harmony or disharmony, and balance or imbalance (and bringing imbalance back to balance), completion or incompletion, right timing or poor timing — a balanced and harmonious relationship between yin and yang, primarily.

We don't have to come from, feel an affinity towards, or even understand Chinese culture or Taoism to benefit from the wisdom, inspiration, and practical guidance it offers us.

Five Elements & Natural Systems Theory

It's helpful to understand the Four Pillars and Five Elements as metaphors that come from observations of the cosmos, Nature, and universal spiritual principles or 'laws of Nature' that have implications when they are 'in balance' and also when they are 'out of balance.'

The Five Elements theory is very much a Natural Systems concept — different elements , energies, archetypes, or life-cycle phases working together and influencing one another in a larger system or context.

When things are working healthfully and harmoniously, the system works at its optimal potential. When one element or aspect is wildly out of balance, the system becomes dysfunctional, unhealthy, and ultimately unsustainable.

As with other Natural Systems approaches, by looking at how each of the Five Elements works in Nature, and what its own nature is, we are able to apply those metaphors to our own life situation or organizational challenge in order to find the most harmonious approach for creating balance, harmony, flow, and positive momentum.

When we think this way, we don't get lost in the specifics of a culture, since Nature and 'natural systems' is something we're all familiar with, live with, and can understand more easily than customs we may not have grown up with.

Yin and Yang in Balance

The Yin principle is associated with the Feminine archetype, receptivity, pre-creation (the void or space), deep wisdom, night, softness, moisture, unification, connection, intuition, the 'unseen', generalization, synthesis, the Moon (a cool lumination), and so on.

The Yang principle is associated with the Masculine archetype, action, the Sun (an active, hot lumination), hardness, knowledge or intellect, specialization, individuation, categorization, day time, and so on.

Everything in Nature and what we see in the world is an interplay between these forces of Yin and Yang, including our own bodies and lives! It is optimal when this interplay stems from a healthy balance. When out of harmony, we see the imbalances manifesting in very practical — and often very costly and unpleasant — ways.

Shifting Imbalance into Harmony and Balance in our
Organizations, Groups, Livelihoods, and Lives

Ultimately, any system of principles — whether Four Pillars, Five Elements, Natural Systems Theory, or otherwise — is aimed at creating harmony and balance within us and then in the organizations, systems, livelihoods and lives that we create from the inside out.

If the elements or the yin-yang balance is not in harmony, we see the effects in the way our projects or ideas are envisioned, timed, and realized.

Do they flow, even with the usual challenges along the way? Or do we feel like we're sweeping water up a hill, fighting perpetual resistance, and seeing the fruits of our labors come running right back down at us?

Similarly, we see the effects in our relationships and organizations — are they healthy and prosperous in every way, or are they unhealthy due to some imbalance and disharmony that is occuring, and possibly built into the very fabric of our approach?

Do things seem to come into being, only to dissolve or seem in constant need of shoring up? Or do they come together healthfully, with a good and solid foundation? If we skip steps in the Natural Cycle — rushing, for instance, the 'fallow' or visioning stage because we're impatient to 'get into action' — then we may be going against a current that might otherwise support us more easily.

There are many ways to apply the Five Element theory and Natural Systems approach to your own endeavors, be it the 'project' of a healthy, joyful life and livelihood; or the life-cycle and most harmonious flow for a specific organizational project or entrepreneurial vision.

Utlimately, a very esoteric or metaphorical approach has very practical results!

To schedule a Four Pillar-Five Element Balancing & Destiny Shifting consultation, give us a call at 415.752.6317 or send along an email to info "at" ivysea "dot" com. We'll be delighted to talk with you!

To learn more about the Destiny Shifting and Four Pillars-Five Element Theory, visit our Sessions & Dialogues section, or read the What's the Missing Element in Your Destiny? article.