At the time of our birth, the prevailing cosmic and telluric energies have an important effect on our personality. It can be said that at the time of birth these energies give us our own individual rhythms that seem to transcend our genetic makeup and upbringing. Traditional Chinese medicine embraces a fivefold concept known as the Five Element or Five Phase Theory that help explain these rhythms. Traditional Chinese medicine points out that we all tend to be one predominant ‘type’ from among the five elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, though no one is one hundred percent one type alone. In this article we discuss both the in-balance and out-of-balance (maladapted) Wood type personality.
Wood-in-balance types derive an enormous amount of energy and vitality through maintaining a vision of their ideal future and what they can do to make that happen. They have a tendency to create independent lifestyles and to control their own futures.
They are pioneers and visionaries. These are their archetypes.
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Adapted or in-balance Wood type personalities are open to new ideas and trends and they recognize possibilities that others might never see. They make sure they are surrounded by a free environment that will foster their vision and creativity and support their breaking through to do things in their own way.
Balanced Wood type personalities know how to get around obstacles and part of their deft maneuvering includes establishing alternate plans and contingencies. Even when failures occur they usually and flexibly simply take another route or look for another direction—a tactic so supportive of change and transformation.
Balanced Woods know what works for them. They tend to be optimistic as they hold the vision of and hope for a future they’ve already seen.
Wood type personalities are self-directed and structured, organized and deliberate—qualities they find necessary to achieve their lofty goals. List and spreadsheet making are very often integral to their organization and planning although these can sometimes go too far with Wood where the need to plan and organize becomes excessive and annoying.
Seeing life as something to be conquered, instead of cooperating, Wood competes. But what Wood is really trying to do by competing is create a sense of control. Wood’s single most important ambition is to maintain a sense of control over life.
Out-of-balance Wood type personalities need direction and accountability to an authority figure. A mentor, teacher or leader who can provide maladapted Wood with a plan is often more than helpful as it provides this Wood type with much needed structure.
Frustration, anger, impatience, controlling behavior and combative conflicts are the toxic expressed emotions of the maladapted Wood type. Because Wood types are so hooked into their goals, they often abrasively confront or argue with anyone who they perceive is an obstacle on their path.
This personality aspect translates into Wood’s physical makeup which is often well muscled, strong and coordinated since Wood types cannot be swayed as they stand for what is right and just. Taken too far, Wood can be inflexible, sticking to a plan or belief no matter the cost. Trees may appear stiff and unbendable but they’re really quite flexible when they need to be and this is Wood’s challenge.
The Wood personality type is very often critical of everything but themselves. When Wood lacks this self-awareness, they cannot be honest with themselves. Should they feel they’ve been treated unfairly, they will neither forgive nor forget. They tend to hold grudges indefinitely. On the extreme end, this behavior describes a maladapted Wood type.
Wood types are often unable to tolerate injustice whether it is done to them or done to society as a whole. The Wood archetype is the Warrior which leads out-of-balance Wood away from angry outbursts and hostility into championing just causes. This helps Wood regain a sense of control in a world he views as uncertain and hostile. Warrior Wood works to right what is wrong and to forge changes that create hope for the future.
Wood’s virtues are forgiveness and patience. They stem from the innate vision and insight of the Wood type and they neutralize the negative angry emotions Wood can so easily feel.
The Warrior/Pioneer archetype is founded on the flourishing energy of the Wood element and the birth of yang energy in energetic Spring. Like well adapted Wood, yang energy is forceful and vigorous, warming and expansive.
From the new yang energy of Spring comes balanced Wood’s ability to initiate action, take decisive steps, express balanced emotion and to allow creativity to flow with new ideas, change, hope, vitality and optimism.
The Wood type personality is challenged to move from anger to insight and from frustration to patience. In order to do so, Wood must be flexible and honest with himself or herself.
Connect to the power of the Wood element this season of energetic Spring (February 5 to April 17) to rise above the chaos, reclaim your visionary self, see solutions where problems used to be and allow transformation to improve your life.
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Endnotes:
Moss, Charles A. Power of the Five Elements: The Chinese Medicine Path to Healthy Aging and Stress Resistance. United States, North Atlantic Books, 2011.
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