The Mother-Son relationship in the 5 Element system & Liver Yin Deficiency

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The 5 Phases or 5 Element system was an early development in China's

medicine. Following it rigidly can result in misdiagnosis and harm to

clients, but when the limitations of the system are understood, it sometimes

can offer insights into diagnosis and treatment.

 

Part of the 5 Element system is the Mother-Son rule. This states that the

Elements generate each other.

 

Wind (Liver, Gallbladder) generates Fire (Heart, Small Intestine)

Fire generates Earth (Spleen, Stomach)

Earth generates Metal (Lung, Large Intestine)

Metal generates Water (Kidney, Bladder)

Water generates Wind (Liver, Gallbladder)

 

Using the ancient Chinese poetic description, Water is the " Mother " of Wind,

and Wind is the " Son " of Water. Wind is the " Mother " of Fire, and Fire is

the " Son " of Wind. And so on.

 

So what does this have to do with anything? According to the 5 Element

system, the imbalances of the Mother are carried over to the Son, and

because of this treatment sometimes should be directed to the Mother. This

rule does have practical applications in some cases.

 

A good example of this is Liver Yin Deficiency. Liver Yin Deficiency

frequently occurs with Kidney Yin Deficiency. The two frequently go

together. So what does this have to do with anything. Look back at the

generation list. The two Water meridian/ organ systems are the Kidney and

the Bladder. The two Wind systems are the Liver and the Gallbladder. The

health of the Mother (Water - the Kidney) influences the health of the Son

(Wind - the Liver). The Deficiency of the Mother (Kidney Yin) is showing up

in the Son (Liver Yin).

 

This is not as far-fetched as it sounds at first once you consider that the

Kidney supplies the Yin (and Yang) to the entire body. If the Kidney Yin is

Deficient, there's not enough to supply to the rest of the body. It just so

happens that the Liver can feel the effects of that general Yin Deficiency

sooner and more so than the other meridian/ organ systems.

 

The 5 Element system and Mother-Son rule does offer some insights into

treatment in a lot of cases of Liver Yin Deficiency. Yes, you can direct

Yin to the Liver, but this is not going to be enough. You also need to

tonify (add to) the Mother. You need to also direct treatment toward

tonifying Kidney Yin, otherwise there're not going to be enough for the

Liver.

 

The Mother-Son rule states that if you tonify (add energy to) the Mother,

you automatically tonify the Son. If you sedate (relieve Excess) the

Mother, you automatically sedate the Son. There will be times when you get

better results from directing treatment to the Mother than to the meridian/

organ system with the most obvious imbalance.

 

The poetic way of describing many cases of Liver Yin Deficiency is " Water

Not Generating Wood. " The more modern way of putting this is Kidney and

Liver Yin Deficiency.

 

Liver Yin Deficiency can occur by itself, but most often it will occur with

Kidney Yin Deficiency.

 

Victoria

 

 

 

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