As two of the five fundamental elements that comprise the natural world, the balance between the elements of Fire and Water is crucial to health and vitality. (According to the classical tradition of Eastern medicine, the other elements are Earth and Air.)
Imbalances in the energy of Fire can lead to many disorders and diseases.
When you understand the flow of energy it is easier to see why this would be true: When the body is in balance, cool Water energy flows from the kidneys upward along the spine toward the head and completes a circular path to the heart, where it is warmed and continues down the front of the body to collect as usable energy in the Dahn-jon, or energy center of the body.
When this flow is interrupted or reversed, the resultant heat in the upper body can be a culprit in inflammation and other problems.
Physical symptoms that may be caused by a Fire imbalance include headache and/or a sensation of heat in the head, dry mouth, cold hands and feet, constipation and digestive problems. Other troubling symptoms can include tiredness, lethargy, lack of enthusiasm and vague physical discomfort.
Recent recognition of the large role that inflammation plays in common illnesses leads us to examine ways to assist ourselves to create the desired condition of “Water Up, Fire Down” in the body. Acupuncture, acupressure and moxibustion are techniques that can help.
Best of all, there are things you can do to help yourself achieve this more balanced state. Proper breathing that supplies the body with oxygen and releases toxins is an important ingredient. Also at the top of the list is meditation to relax the body and mind and meridian exercises that allow us to improve our breath work, balance, and energize our body as we enhance awareness.
Ultimately, it is this awareness that needs to be activated in ourselves. This will lead to greater understanding of our physical bodies, our energy sources and how to come to a place of self-healing and self-sufficiency.