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Five Element Theory Chart

Element	Organ	Bowel	Surface Part	Opening	Trait	Mental Part	Taste
Water	Kidneys	Bladder	Bones	Ears	Fear	Will Power	Salty
Wood	Liver	Gall Bladder	Nerves	Eyes	Anger	Mental Activity	Sour
Fire	Heart & Sexual Glands	Small Intestine	Blood vessels	Tongue	Arrogance and Impatience	Intuition, Joy, Peace	Bitter
Earth	Spleen & Pancreas	Stomach	Muscles	Mouth	Worry	Pondering	Sweet
Metal	Lungs	Large Intestine	Skin	Nose & Sinuses	Sadness	Orderliness and Rightness	Spicy

The above chart is a static illustration showing the different body/mind relationships associated with each organ. To get a sense of the dynamic nature of these interactions, let's look at how these elemental forces generate and regulate energy (chi) in nature, and by extension, in the human body and mind.

Generating Energy (Chi) Shown below as Black Arrows
Based on Five Element Theory, each elemental force generates or creates the next element in a creative sequence. 

• Water generates wood. Rain nourishes a tree.
• Wood generates fire. Burning wood generates fire.
• Fire generates earth. Ash is created from the fire. 
• Earth generates metal. Metal is mined from the earth.
• Metal generates water. Water condenses on metal. 

When applying this "supportive relationship" to the human body, each internal organ embodies the energetic qualities of the element it's related to. Each organ is responsible for providing the energy needed by the next organ in the generative cycle. 

For example:

• Kidney (water element) supports the Liver (wood element).
• Liver (wood element) supports the Heart (fire element).
• Heart (fire element) supports the Spleen (earth element).
• Spleen (earth element) supports the Lung (metal element).
• Lung (metal element) supports the Kidney (water element).

Overcoming, Controling, or Regulating Energy (Chi) Shown above as Red Arrows
Based on Five Element Theory, each elemental force is also associated with another element which it is responsible for controlling or regulating.

 For example:

• Water controls fire. Water puts fire out.
• Wood controls earth. Tree roots hold clods of earth.
• Fire controls metal. Fire can melt metal.
• Earth controls water. A pond holds water.
• Metal controls wood. An ax cuts wood.

When applying this "regulating relationship" to the human body, each internal organ embodies the energetic qualities of the element it's related to. Each organ is responsible for providing energy to regulate or control excesses or deficiencies in the energy of the organ it's associated with in this cycle.

• Lung (metal element) controls Liver (wood element).
• Heart (fire element) controls Lung (metal element).
• Kidney (water element) controls Heart (fire element).
• Spleen (earth element) controls Kidney (water element).
• Liver (wood element) controls Spleen (earth element).

In summary, your internal organs play a dual role in promoting and maintaining your health: generating and regulating energy for each other. Each organ passes energy to the organ it supports, and, when necessary, controls imbalances in the energy of the organ which it regulates.