Sometimes it is used the five elements term in place of the five phases and it is referring to wood, fire, earth, metal and water.
Thus the top of TAIJI symbol, with maximum Yang is considered to correspond to the FIRE action, south direction, the summer, bitter taste, red, orange and yellow colors, the feeling of joy and to laughing.
The bottom of TAIJI symbol, with maximum Yin, it is considered to correspond to the WATER action, north direction, winter, cold, salty taste, colors black and blue, the feeling of fear and to crying.
In the same way, the WOOD action is in the left side of the TAIJI symbol when Yin changes to Yang, having the same “quantity”. This action corresponds to the direction east, spring, wind, sour taste, color green, the feeling of anger and to scream.
The METAL action is in the right side and represents the transformation of Yang in Yin, corresponds to the direction west, autumn, dryness, spicy taste, white color, a sense of sadness and to hiccup.
The last is the EARTH action and we have exhausted the four directions… Well, Earth is a special action or movement. It corresponds to the center and it may be associated with the end of summer, because in China and lately even world-wide, the summer season increased in duration. Earth is associated with damp, sweet taste, a sense of reflection and with singing.
Maybe you wonder why we used the concept of movement or action and not the elements? The reason is that these five activities are states lasting for a short period of time, are energies in continuous movement, without rest. The rest is associated with a maladive state, as well with a chaotic motion, with unbalance.
Thus these can be considered phases. Wood phase is associated with active functions that are increasing. Fire relates to energy reaching the maximum level of activity and is about to decline or to stop. Metal phase is related to declining energy. Water is the state that have reached the maximum rest and is ready to ascend. And finally the earth state is related to neutrality or balance, is somehow a kind of buffer between all the other phases.
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