What is Five Element Music?

For the past couple years, I have been studying Five Element Music Theory and composing music to explore its therapeutic potential. I’ve had the opportunity to share these findings through sonic journeys over a half dozen times, sometimes with acupuncture, sometimes without. Like nature, they are imperfectly perfect. While the science and intentions are sound, the performance is an ongoing experiment. This is just the beginning. I am so grateful to everyone that participates in these experiments with me.

Healing in community, immersed in art. Is there anything more natural?

Five Element Music Theory is over 2,000 years old, originating in ancient China as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the Wu Xing (Five Elements) philosophy. It was first documented in classical texts such as the Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic), written around the 2nd century BCE. This foundational text, which also serves as the primary source for Acupuncture, describes the Five Elements as a framework for understanding the interplay between nature, the body, and the mind. These texts describe Five Element Music Theory as a method to balance Qi and harmonize the body’s organ systems through sound.

As an acupuncturist, I diagnose pain and discomfort by identifying a patient’s pattern of disharmony within the framework of the Five Elements. Once the correct pattern is determined, needle treatments are used to redirect the energetic and physiological flow of the body and mind, aligning with the elemental correspondences. Just as specific acupuncture points are associated with certain elements, we can parallel a patient’s acupuncture treatment with specific notes, instruments, and styles of composition. This connection forms the foundation of Five Element Music healing.

This is just the beginning… follow along.