The Metal element in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is responsible for managing the interface between internal and external energies. Further, the skin is a reflexive organ with a patchwork of reflex zones. Skin manifestations and their localization relative to reflex zones give an indication of the energy, or energies in our bodies that are not balanced.
This property stems from the huge energetic network of channels connecting the energy of the organs to the surface of the skin. It means that the skin reflects the internal activity of the body viewed from the outside.
Most people have heard of reflexology but they think it is limited to the bottom of the feet or to the hands. Few know that the entire skin surface has a reflective quality.
That is why proper skin evaluation can provide precious telltale signs. Most often, when something goes wrong inside the body, the skin lets us know in a visible way before it becomes a serious health condition.
It is only when we ignore the warning signs that the condition might evolve to a more critical stage. PHYTO5® trained technicians have learned how to read the face since so much is happening there.
All five organic energies are reflected on the face. Hormonal energy is also reflected on the face. The face is a mirror of our internal activity.
The organ system reflected on each area of the face is identified by the color of the corresponding element (see illustration above).
Reflex Zones
Wood:
Liver: in between the eyebrows
Gallbladder: temple areas
Fire:
Heart: upper lip and tip of nose and around nostrils
Small Intestine: forehead
Earth:
Spleen: bridge of nose and sides above the nostrils
Stomach: extension of the spleen area over the cheekbones, on both sides. Also the frontal part of the neck, below the jaw and between the large intestine areas
Metal:
Lungs: cheeks extended from the coner of the mouth, alongside the jawbone to the ear, on both sides
Large intestine: extension of lung area down the side of the neck, on both sides
Water:
Kidney: lower part of the circle around the eyes
Bladder: upper part of the circle around the eyes, as well as hair line, above the forehead
Hormonal:
• Chin area, from below the lower lip, the width of the mouth, down to the jawbone.
Reiki is similar to acupressure. It is specifically concerned with moving energy through the body in order to balance it. Reiki is thought to affect the energy field and the endocrine system. Thus, healing occurs in the body as a whole, and is not specific to a particular disease. Followers of reiki believe that because our skin comes into direct contact with the world, it is a symbol for making contact with others, as well as drawing boundaries between ourselves and others. Reiki therapy is aimed at helping those with skin problems to break through the boundaries they have made between themselves and the world, as symbolized by rashes from within or injuries from outside the boundaries of their skin.
—Jacknin, Jeanette. Smart Medicine for Your Skin: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Conventional and Alternative Therapies to Heal Common Skin Problems. New York: Avery, 2001. Print.