What does the Fire element represent in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and how is it linked to light and warmth? Let’s see how the far infrared sauna can support this energy.
“Fire lights and warms: it is the light of full day and the warmth that brings people together”
In Traditional Chinese Medicine Fire represents the peak of expansion: it is the midday sun, high summer, the moment when nature is in full bloom. It is the element of light, warmth and relationships with others.
In the human being, Fire expresses itself as vitality, enthusiasm, the ability to communicate and to enjoy company.
The organs and the season of Fire
According to TCM, the meridians associated with Fire are the Heart and the Small Intestine. The season is summer, the colour is red and the taste is bitter.
In the traditional view, the Heart is “the emperor” that houses the Shen, the spirit, and governs blood circulation; the Small Intestine separates what is useful from what must be eliminated.
The emotions of Fire
The emotion of Fire is joy. When Fire is in balance, joy is serene, warm and shared. When it is excessive it can turn into restlessness, sleeplessness and difficulty slowing down; when it is weak it leaves room for melancholy and a lack of enthusiasm.
Sauna Smarty: warmth that does not tire
Warmth has always been one of the oldest gestures of wellbeing. Unlike the Finnish sauna, where the air reaches very high temperatures, the far infrared sauna warms the body directly with a deep yet pleasant heat, well tolerated even by people who struggle with heat.
- Gentle warmth: adjustable temperatures let you find your own level, without the stifling feeling of scorching air.
- Circulation and sweating: the warmth dilates the surface blood vessels and encourages abundant sweating.
- Calm and good mood: a moment of warmth and silence helps you slow down and find serenity again.
Some practical tips
- In summer, choose the cooler hours of the day and lower temperatures.
- Replace the fluids and minerals lost through sweating.
- Listen to your body: if you feel tired or dizzy, stop the session.
Read also the articles on the other elements: Water, Earth, Wood and Metal.
To learn more about the origins of this model, you can read the Wikipedia article on the five elements theory (Wu Xing).
