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| The illustration (right) explains the nourishing and controlling cycles of the Five Elements. The cycles are important to know, in order to do a proper diagnosis. In the nourishing cycle, each element is the mother of one element and the son of another. For example, the element wood is the mother of fire as wood generates or gives birth to the element fire. The element fire generates the element earth, etc. |
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| Balance cannot be maintained with uncontrolled growth. Therefore, each element must also control another and so keep growth within reasonable limits. The controlling cycle keeps in mutual balance growth and destruction. Fire works to control metal, earth works to control water, etc. |
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| In Chinese medical books, references to "organs" do not usually mean only the physical organs within the body, but the external phenomena which are caused by the organs as well. This is the prime concept behind Chinese medical diagnosis and must be thoroughly understood. The parts, functions, tastes, and emotions which are said to belong to an organ are manifestations of the same energy which creates that organ. |
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Fire
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Heart
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Small Intestine
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Pericardium
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Triple Heater
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Metal
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Lung
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Large Intestine
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Nourishing Cycle
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Controlling Cycle |
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