Traditional Chinese medicine embraces a fivefold concept known as the Five Element or Five Phase Theory to explain a wide variety of phenomena from cosmic cycles to the interaction between the body’s internal organs to personality types. We all tend to be one predominant ‘type’ from among the five elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, however no one is one hundred percent one type alone. In this article we discuss both the in-balance and out-of-balance or maladapted Fire type personality.
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Describing this or any other type is not all black and white. Sometimes we are out of balance in our type which will often stem from childhood occurrences that marked us in an indelible way. But if we find ourselves out-of-balance in our type, we can bring ourselves back into balance simply by understanding our element and adapting ourselves to live harmoniously with it. To understand each of the five element archetypes is to understand the element and appreciate it as metaphor.
Your Predominant Element Type
This article offers keys for bringing yourself back into balance with Fire if it’s your predominant element.
The outward manifestation of your skin is often a good first indicator of your element type. Our website offers a key to assist you with the five groups of skin condition for the face here.
If you are a Fire type, your skin will tend to redness, sensitivity, irritation, overheating, excessive perspiration, blotchiness and allergic reactions. These conditions are generally related to an active arterial (red blood) circulation due to a rising yang energy.
The Fire Energy
Fire energy in the body is all about expanding and engaging. It corresponds to the peak of yang energy of energetic Summer, high noon, heat, sultriness and freedom. Laughter is Fire’s voice quality, joy-in-balance is the emotion and scorched its smell.
The capacity for both interpersonal and divine love comes from the Fire element. The Fire energy in traditional Chinese medicine is considered the source of joy, happiness, and emotional protection for the heart.
Expressiveness and aliveness point to a balanced Fire type person. Concern for the welfare of all is the essence of the loving generosity and wisdom of the well adapted Fire type. On the other hand, a flat aspect, apathy, and lack of enthusiasm point to an out-of-balance Fire type lacking yang energy.
When Fire is in balance within you:
“… this energy leads to open-heartedness, intimacy, generosity of spirit, optimism, joy, and the heartfelt expression of love. These qualities might seem easily accessed by other types but for the Fire type they are a major theme in maintaining adaptation and health.”
Conversely, when Fire types are out-of balance, calm, happiness, joy and open-heartedness can be elusive.
The archetypes of Fire are the Lover and the Protector of the Heart. If you are a Fire type you probably can identify with these archetypes. You probably find them alive and well within yourself.
These archetypes embody the immense capacity of the Fire type to develop profoundly deep and intimate connections with others. These archetypes are also the root of erotic love.
Balanced Fire types can be very open-hearted and are willing to take risks with love without fear of being hurt or betrayed by the other. It is this very willingness to dive into love that creates very deep and long lasting relationships for the Fire type whether it’s with friends or lovers. But when Fire is out-of-balance, emotional vulnerability can be a major issue.
Enjoying calling attention to themselves, Fire types can be flamboyant in their appearance or behavior. They are generally excited, flirtatious and enthusiastic people. They can either be the life of the party when feeling their power or terribly shy when feeling emotionally vulnerable.
Out-of-balance (maladapted) Fire types can exhibit manic expressions of over-the-top joy which sometimes swing wildly to its exact opposite—no joy at all and sullenness.
Maladapted Fire types must learn to balance excitement and enthusiasm and their need for intimacy and love by connecting with the spirit energy of Fire in the heart which traditional Chinese medicine calls the shen. Shen is the higher consciousness that descends from ‘heaven’ and dwells within us. The shen, or spirit, it is believed, will only dwell in a heart that is calm and generously in service to others.
Fire types tend to be emotionally fickle with commitments. They lose interest quickly after having initiated a commitment with great enthusiasm. They also can become confused in love and other aspects of life and may have difficulty processing their emotions. While some Fire types can recoil from emotional vulnerability and social engagement with others, other Fire types can be domineering, overpowering and intimidating. These are all signs of a maladapted Fire type.
Personality patterns can vary greatly with all the five element types, however only a very few core issues underly these fluctuations in behavior patterns.
For Fire, a principal issue is the ability to maintain open-heartedness when another shows a lack of interest. Another of Fire’s potential issues and thus, downfalls, can be the inability to draw from the power of their spiritual shen (spirit) as well as the ability to discipline mind chatter so that he or she may become focused, creative, alluring, and engaging. When Fire types are unable to tap into their shen as well as to focus the mind, they can feel confused and victims of chaos, insomnia and anxiety.
From the balanced shen and Fire element stem expressions of love and affection not just for others but also for the Self. Very well adapted Fire types are able to love themselves—not superficially as in admiring themselves when they look good in the mirror—but profoundly, on levels that are subtly revealed to themselves and to others.
Knowing they are lovable can often be a challenge for the Fire type. Many Fire types are lovingly expressive but are challenged to accept that they themselves are lovable. They are often challenged to feel that love for themselves. This is an important practice for such Fire types to engage in—the most fundamental practice of learning to love and appreciate themselves.
Fire types like getting “fired up.” They like taking control and if they feel restrained they do not do very well. Fire types have a perspective that comes from the grandeur of the heart energy and so they expect the best from their efforts. They are optimistic and natural leaders. People love and want to be around their positive and sunny energy because they exude power and energy.
Integral to action and excitement, for Fire types to be in balance, they must find the calm needed to somewhat contain their enthusiasm. Without this two-sided balance, enthusiasm turns into over-the-top expressions of joy which are not healthy.
Being able to modulate Fire energy within them is key for Fire types in order to prevent potential burnout or consuming themselves by their own passion.
When maladapted, the Fire type experiences physical and emotional conditions such as:
overheated expressing as anxiety, rapid heart rate and mania, and
burnout expressing as physical coldness, confusion, flatness, aloofness and indifference.
Madapted Fire types are often challenged to be open-hearted and generous with expressions of love because of fear of vulnerability to others or the possibility of being hurt by others in relationship. Fire types want so much to experience intimacy with others but when out-of-balance Fire holds back with hesitation this results in confusion and limitation in the relationship when it is the very opposite they desire.
Fire types typically are all about action. They like getting fired up. They like taking control and if they feel restrained they do not do very well. Fire types have a perspective that comes from the grandeur of the heart energy and so they expect the best from their efforts. They are optimistic and natural leaders. People love and want to be around their positive and sunny energy because they exude power and energy.
Keys for Returning to Fire Balance
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The antidote for maladaptive five element behaviors is often found in the virtues for each element and type.
For Fire types the virtues of surrender and open-heartedness are key to balance. This practice begins with honoring and listening to the higher wisdom received from shen. Also embrace that you are both an emotive and a feeling person. Focus on opening your heart without fear and engage with others. It is the act of open-heartedness and recognizing the other in oneself that actually leads to Fire type balance or adaptation, vitality, happiness and joy-in-balance.
Remember to laugh and smile for balance in Fire energy. Laughter improves oxygen utilization, circulation and relaxes the facial muscles.
Know that you are lovable. Your first love is to yourself. This is a process of realization but it is not only possible for you, the Fire type, but probable that you will achieve it.
Keep your life simple. Many out-of-balance Fire types become confused in many aspects of their lives. Keeping it simple will assist your balance.
Take care of your physical heart and stay fit. Imbalance is never only caused by only one aspect of ourselves (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual).
When Fire is out-of-balance with stress, chaos and struggle, they can and must consciously tap into and utilize the connection with shen to rise above, create balance, calm and authority of Self.
By also engaging with other people in a cipher of generosity, love and selflessness, this, too, can assist maladapted Fire to deal with the stress and imbalance they feel in their element.
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Endnotes:
Photo courtesy of Евгений Горман at pixels.com (pexels-евгений-гоÑман-10040245.jgp)
Hicks, Angela, et al. Five Element Constitutional Acupuncture. United Kingdom, Elsevier Health Sciences, 2010.
Moss, Charles A. Power of the Five Elements: The Chinese Medicine Path to Healthy Aging and Stress Resistance. United States, North Atlantic Books, 2011.