01/27/2026
Five Elements in Chinese Medicine/Seasonal Node : “Da Han” or “Greater Cold”
Many of my patients are curious about how acupuncture works, and about how Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at health, thinks about, diagnoses and helps to strengthen and heal.
One of the ancient foundations of TCM is based on Five Element Theory. A major practitioner and teacher of Five Element Theory in England and the United States was J.R. Worsley, who said, “ The Five Elements- Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water are the foundation and spirit of Nature… The Elements are alive both around us and in us. They describe the movement of all life and all energy and embody all the qualities which we encounter in Nature. Through understanding the Five Elements we may begin to understand both Nature and ourselves.
A teacher of mine, Jonathan Glass, M. Ac. C.A.T., observed, “When we energetically connect with an element in nature, we automatically harmonize with the healing energy of that element.
The law of the five elements is simply this: the elements in nature interact and relate with the very same elements within us. Recognizing our oneness with nature is healing and empowering. Patterns of physical, mental and emotional wellness and illness, balance and imbalance, all have correspondences in the natural world around us, and we can describe them from a nature-based perspective.”
We can follow the seasons to make observations and decisions about food and lifestyle to harmonize our bodies with the element of a season, and nourish our own health.
Traditional Chinese Medicine theory also takes into account the climate. In thinking about the body’s landscape, just like any ecosystem, the body has its own inner climate. There are ranges of healthy and natural climates within our bodies, which are described in terms of weather, and its effects on a person, such as Heat/Fire, Cold, Dampness, Dryness and Wind.
When the system is in balance, a person feels well and is healthy. When the internal climate loses its balance, pathological conditions can develop. We can recognize these conditions through signs and symptoms and make adjustments with the foods we choose, our activity and exercise, our sleep patterns, and even by adjusting our thinking and emotions.
Not only does TCM look at the familiar seasons, such as Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn for understanding the c limits that interact with our health, it divides the year into 2 week segments, referred to as the 24 Seasonal Nodes, that correspond to the incremental changes of the Earth’s exposure to the Sun as it goes through its yearly journey.
We are currently in the node from January 19- February 3, called “Da Han” or “Greater Cold”.
Ancient ( and still relevant) advice from the Tao says of this seasonal time period, “Yin is carried by the Wind. Expect rain, snow and ice. The dead of winter will not continue much longer. Stay Warm. Rest Digestion. Keep the Mind at Ease. Avoid Overthinking.
Later this week, I’ll post a Seasonal Recipe for Self-Healing that supports our health during the period of “Greater Cold” in Winter.
