Keepers of the Soul

Nora Franglen

With profiles of well-known figures, the book explains the spirit of each of the Five Elements of Chinese medicine, and what they look like in different people. The philosophy behind Five Element acupuncture is explained, including what it means to live in harmony and how the Five Elements help shape our body and soul.

Introduction. Part 1. Opening the Circle. 1. The Pattern of Things. The Quest for Our Own Identity. The Cadence of the Universe. The Guardian of the Soul. The Body as a Portrait of the Soul. Nature's Pull Towards Health. The Elements at Work. 2. Our True Shape. The Guardian Element. Why does Imbalance Occur? What is Balance? Has Imbalance a Function? Assessment of Balance. Sensory Diagnosis. Energies in Process of Change. 3. Opening the Circle. The Elements as Filters. The Messengers of the Elements. Patterns of Flow. Part 2. Within the Circle. 4. The Circle of the Elements. 5. The Wood Element. The Signatures of Wood. Wood's Two Officials. Margaret Thatcher. My Wood Mother. 6. The Fire Element. The Two Sides of Fire. Billy Connelly and Tony Blair. A Fire Patient. Fire Under Pressure. 7. The Earth Element. The Pull of Earth. Princess Diana. The Elements in Embryo. 8. The Water Element. The Shapes of Water. Alex and David Beckham. Our Place in the Circle. Part 3. Closing the Circle. 10. A 21st Century Context. A Cry from the Heart. The Medicalized Society. A Vision for Acupuncture. 11. Closing the Circle.