The Gifts of the Five Seasons
A Study of the Five Elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water
Introduction:The Blessing of the Seasons:
As part of learning how to survive on planet Earth, our ancestors observed how the lifecycle of plants and the food they provide, is dependent on the weather and therefore the cycle of the seasons. In the majority of climates, the seasons consist of spring, summer, late summer, or harvest time, autumn, and winter. We have been taught that the reason there is life on this planet is that there is water and an atmosphere with oxygen. But what always strikes me as a miracle is the fact that there is only life because the seasons allow for the growth cycle of plants, from seed to fruit, producing the food all creatures depend on.
The miracle of the existence of the seasons at all: Furthermore, it is quite awe-inspiring to realize that our seasons are only created by the fact that our planet is in its orbit around the sun 94.2 million miles away on one hand and the mere 23-degree tilt of the earth’s axis on the other. In relationship to the distance of the planet from the sun, this minute difference in distance from its rays in the northern and southern hemispheres results in just enough temperature differences to create summer and winter. This difference is enough to allow plants to go through their stages of growth, produce fruit and thus to provide food for all life forms that depend on such sustenance. We have all witnessed that any drastic change in such temperatures has resulted in devastating droughts or frosts, destroying crops, and creating food shortages. Changes in weather patterns, and climate change, affect the harvests and the availability of the food we all depend.
The Season’s Phases/Their Elements: The ancient Taoists studied the annual changes in the patterns of nature created by the seasons. In each season, they observed distinct characteristics of nature’s lifeforce which they called “Wu Hsing” or “Five Elements.”.
One World 