Wood and Insects

The ancient Chinese also associated the Wood element with insects.  While this may seem puzzling at first, a little contemplation will begin to shed light on the association.  The Wood element of Spring is the energy of vision, planning and organization as well as movement.  Who is more organized then a colony of ants?  At this time of year, when the world comes back to life, you can find ants moving their colonies in preparation for the summer. 

Its not something you normally notice unless you walk, and even then, it is easy to miss them since they blend in with cracks in the pavement and dirt on the sidewalk.  They emerge from cracked pavement along with new shoots of grass.  Bees, representatives of organization and hard work in the West, are also awaking from hibernation at this time.

And speaking of Western symbols of spring, tulips always remind me of Easter eggs, and today is Easter.

Wood and Earth

I watched a fun documentary the other night called "Dirt: The Movie".  It really reminded me of the necessity of the relationship between Wood and Earth.

The Wood element is life, and the most important forms of life on this planet are the micro organisms and plants that keep the soil alive and in place.  Without them, it would dry up and blow away like it did during the dust bowl and in other places where mining and monoculture farming has depleted the soil.  Without live soil, no other life can exist.  In Five Element theory, Wood controls Earth in just this way.  Without Wood there is no Earth.

I recently learned that the ancient Chinese also associated insects with the Wood element.  They too are one of the first signs of new life emerging from the soil in spring.  The healthiest soil is full of a diversity of insects and micro organisms.   This really illustrates the complexity and subtlety of this ancient philosophy.  Phases of energy can be teased out and looked at individually, but they are really part of an interconnected whole.  In some ways, Wood is Earth.

On another note, I will be in Florence from April 5th through the 11th, so I will not be able to post next week.