In Classical Chinese Medicine, your personality can be linked or classified according to the five-element theory. This includes all aspects of your physical structure, emotional tendencies, behaviors and propensity to certain illnesses. Since we are all part of nature and cycle through the seasons, we are a manifestation of all of the elements but we have a more dominant element in relation to the others. Each element can manifest in both positive and negative tendencies, depending upon the state of health and balance in the person at the time.

TAKE OUR QUIZ TO FIND YOUR DOMINANT ELEMENT

SO YOU'RE A WATER ELEMENT 水

If you've taken the quiz and you've been classified as a dominant Water Element, according to Classical Chinese Medicine, you possess the following personality traits, constitution and facial structure:

—It is your life's mission to find truth. Energized by the mystery yet plagued with constant fear, you won't stop until you master it.

YOUR INTENTION: VITALITY
Your strength comes from being authentic and true to yourself and others—seeking wisdom and sharing it with others. 

YOUR SEASON: WINTER
Winter is a Yin season and the time to slow down, conserve our energy and rest. The cooler and darker days create the conditions for this meditative space to reflect and rejuvenate. Without this period of replenishment, we won't have the energy for spring growth. Not to take this lightly, the energy of winter is deep and potent. With rest there is work going on, but inside energy is collected and held in reserve. This deeply nourishing Yin time gives us the needed energy, vision, and purpose with which to emerge into spring- a season of growth, renewal of spirit, and fresh starts.

During this season, our Qi flows more deeply inside us that invites us to connect with the core of our being without the distraction of nature which is dormant. In order to avoid depression or seasonal affective disorder due to a less abundant Qi,  you may redirect your energy towards more restful activities like reading, meditation or journaling.  

When we align ourselves to the colder winter months, the teachings and practices of Chinese Medicine support our bodies, our mind and spirit in the midst of this change. 

YOUR PERSONALITY: THE CREATIVE, PHILOSOPHER, AND ANALYST
Water types prefer to 'go-with-the-flow' rather than be confined to any schedule and prefer to go as they please. You’re a creative thinker with an unusual approach to anything you do, and thus can bring new advances in your field. Water people are nonconformists who think outside the box and don’t care about others’ opinions of them.

You feel like an outsider and very different from most people, or too easily feel left out or misunderstood. To overcome this challenge, always give yourself a “reality check,” to know whether what you’re assuming is actually based on fact. Alternatively, you're perceived by others as possessing wisdom and equipped ith the ability to have perspective beyond current circumstance with an ability to give solid opinions and advice.   

You are intellectually curious and like to ask lots of deep and probing questions. You look for emotional depth in all relationships and need a partner who can relate to you on that level. You need a partner who understands your need for introversion and space.

When out of balance, Water types withdraw. While normally considered the bravest person in the room, they can become overwhelmed and consumed by all of the possible things that could possibly go wrong, causing them to freeze, insulate and close themselves off from experiences and others as a form of protection. When this happens, they may experience tiredness and fatigue, feel excessively cold, have joint pain, and have feelings of sadness, insecurity, or depression.

APPEARANCE: AMORPHOUS FACE, ENERGY IN LOWER CHEEKS, NARROW WAIST
Water Element types have a grayish complexion, dark rings under their luminous eyes, big heads, amorphous face shape, small shoulders, big abdomens, active hands and feet, and back longer than average. Their movement is fluid but can appear difficult.

MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES: FEAR, DETACHMENT, ISOLATION, ABSENTMINDEDNESS 
The Water Element strongest emotion is fear. Someone who is in the grip of fear can think of only escapes. Their life is dominated by the expectation of threat, so they tend to isolate themselves and hide from the world. They refer to be left alone. They often anticipate the worst, imagining calamity and disaster lurking around every corner. Critical and cynical, they believe the world is fundamentally harsh, unsafe and unfriendly.

Their isolation may eventually cut them off from life, leaving them cold and as hard as stone, impenetrable and devoid of spirit. They need to offset their toughness, bluntness and detachment with tenderness, sensitivity and openness, risking softness and contact, exposure and attachment. Because of their hardening, Water types are prone to develop arthritis, deafness and senility. They often feel tired and suffer from lower back pain, especially if standing is too long. Urinary diseases are common, such as cystitis, frequent need to urinate and kidney or bladder stones. 

DIET & EXERCISE PREFERENCES: SALTY
The taste associated with Water is salty. Add in seafood, seaweeds, and kelp in your diet but be mindful that too much will cause water retention. Kidney and Urinary Bladder belong to the Water Element and both play an important role in fluid regulation. Adding hydrating and nourishing food such as soups and stews in your diet will help to regulate fluids. Flowing exercise such as Yoga and Tai Chi can help to preserve muscles and distribute warmth and fluid as well.

HEALING PRACTICES: SOLITUDE + MEDITATION
Water types require time in solitude, so find time to to be with your own thoughts and recalibrate your nervous system. Use meditation, guided imagery, yoga, Tai Chi or Qi Gong to quiet your mind, channel your intuition and allow yourself to identify your dreams and desires. 

The Practice of Shaking: To overcome the feeling of internalized fear, you can adopt the practice of shaking to access the emotion and physically, emotionally and mentally dispel it. This is the body’s instinctual way of dispelling the situation or experience out of the body in order to protect the organs such as the adrenals and kidneys. 

The Practice of Intimacy: Find a way to give back and connect with others as a teacher or expert to balance the yin and yang properties of your element. Your water can be both calming and still while flowing. Be near or in water when you can and reflect on its properties.