Benefits of a Balanced Metal Element
Written by friend of Pacific Essences Carsten Sann
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Metal element represents values, self-worth, boundaries, inner clarity, and letting go of what is superfluous. Metal teaches us to distinguish what is essential from what is not—what truly has value remains, while what no longer has value for us is released. This creates inner and outer clarity.
A strong Metal element shows itself in integrity, honesty, and the ability to live by inner standards rather than outer appearances.
True abundance in the Metal element does not arise through accumulation, but through awareness, order, and gratitude. Abundance grows when we let go of the old and make room for the new. When the Metal element is in balance, we feel that we are 'enough.' Those who recognize their own worth do not need to have it confirmed from the outside through possessions or recognition.
Appropriately, the Metal element corresponds to autumn among the four seasons. Nature withdraws, lets go, and concentrates on its core - and this is precisely what creates the substance for new growth.
Metal Out of Balance
When the Metal element is out of balance or lacks energy, this is clearly expressed on the physical, emotional, and mental levels. Since values are the main concern here, I would like to limit myself to the following list of symptoms of an unbalanced Metal element:
• A lack of an inner compass—what was once important suddenly seems empty or meaningless.
• It is difficult to feel one’s own worth independently of external measures such as status, money, or recognition.
• A feeling of “not being enough” often arises—no matter how much one achieves.
• Money or possessions are either overvalued ('I am what I have') or devalued ('Material things are unimportant')—both are expressions of imbalance.
• A lack of structure in dealing with resources—excessive consumption or scarcity consciousness.
• Out of fear of loss, one holds on to things, people, or patterns that no longer provide any energy.
Essences for the Five Elements
So what can one do if their Metal element is out of balance? Each of the many Flower, Sea, and Gem Essences in the Pacific Essences repertory corresponds to one or more meridians in TCM. Accordingly, all Essences associated with either the Lung meridian or the Large Intestine meridian - those meridians connected to the Metal element - can be considered for resolving such imbalances.
It would go beyond the scope of this article to discuss all of these individual Essences. I would therefore simply like to point out the ready-made Metal Element Essence Combination, which contains a hand-picked selection of Pacific Essences to harmonize the element.
However, when we realize that our own Metal element is out of balance, I personally find it extremely exciting to take the time to discover the themes of the individual Essences for the Lung and Large Intestine, and what they might have to do with our particular case. A helpful resource for this is our reference book outlining the qualities and uses of our Flower and Sea Essences: Energy Medicine: Healing from the Kingdoms of Nature.
Boundless Consumption
In our society, autumn has become a time of seemingly boundless consumption. In the past, Christmas was the season of giving, and St. Nicholas brought nuts, mandarins, and a little chocolate. Today, gifts are often customary as early as December 6, and heaven forbid an Advent calendar contains only small pieces of chocolate.
'Black Friday', the day after American Thanksgiving, came to us from the United States around 2010 and relatively quickly expanded into 'Black Week' - a brutal marketing event that uses irrational discounts to encourage unrestrained consumption.
“We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.” — George Carlin
As an adult, I had always been suspicious of this concept, and it somehow felt wrong. It seems that we now define ourselves to a large extent by what we consume and own - and the carousel of consumption is spinning ever faster. To return once more to TCM, it almost seems as though the 'collective Metal element' of Western societies - if such a thing exists - has become unbalanced.
As I said, in TCM Metal stands for values, structure, and the ability to recognize what is essential and let go of what is superfluous. When this force becomes unbalanced, we lose our connection to real value. The loss of value on the outside then reflects an inner devaluation: discipline and clarity give way to restlessness and scarcity consciousness. As within, so without - only when we learn again to exercise moderation and make room can true stability and abundance emerge on the outside as well.
Perhaps the thoughts I have set down here will inspire you to examine your own attitude toward values, what is valuable, and your time preference. And this is not a morally raised index finger! My highest principle is that everyone may do what they want. They should simply do it consciously.
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Carsten Sann is the founder and, together with his wife, the owner of the German Flower Essence business Der Essenzenladen. He has pursued a wide variety of professions throughout his life, including dance instructor, IT specialist, and kinesiologist. For the past 25 years, he has been deeply involved with Flower Essences from around the world. He is the German distributor and ambassador for many of the best-known Flower Essence brands and discusses his favorite topic—the use of Flower Essences—on his Essence Podcast.