More on the TCM Sixth Element of heaven, ether, Ministerial Fire as “awareness”

This began as an excerpted section, “Second Fire,” from Petar Prikratki, “Sixth element?! – Part 1” (2018) - https://petarsmi.com/en/2018/02/02/sixth-element-1/

All of you who are familiar with the theory of Five Elements already know The Fire element “houses” four meridians, the only element with four not two meridians. In a human body, this suggests there are two Fires, two groups of two different distinct Fires, each with two meridians.

The more Earthly Fire element expresses thru the Heart and Small Intestine meridians. The more refined Fire element expresses thru the Pericardium and Triple Heater meridians.

These two “organs,” Pericardium and Triple Heater, are unusual. In TCM neither has any definite physical form. The anatomy of the physical pericardium, as a protecting wrap (a sort of sack) within which the heart muscle beats, was unknown to early TCM theorists and authors.

Despite the vague, undefined physical form of these two, the function of each meridian was never in question. The function of each was and is well-described as you can find in any text on meridians.

From the perspective of function, Pericardium and Triple Heater meridian function is creating a space; wherein, a partial transfer of Yang heavenly energy can come down thru us. This is perhaps more pronounced in Triple Heater meridian than in Pericardium meridian.

In conventional five element TCM “Fire” corresponds with Heaven. In esoteric TCM “heaven” also corresponds with “ether.”

In five element diagrams, Fire appears in the upper corner of the star, inverted upwards. Upwards towards the sky. Of the four fire meridians, two Fire meridians orient more towards earthly living. These are Heart and Small Intestine [in psychology more akin to our basic self, child within, our underdog parts].

Where Heart and Small Intestine meridians correspond to organs with exceptionally clear anatomical forms, PC and TW express clearly in no physical form at all. They are "function without any 3D form." [in psychology more akin with our conscious waking Self, awareness, our TopDog self].

Both Pericardium and Triple Heater have this quality of function and formlessness. From acupuncture sources unknown to me, mentioned in Neoclassical Acupuncture (2019), this is also called "Ministerial Fire."

This second Fire holds in itself an essence of so called Vacuum, Ether, Space…, This element is unearthly and cannot be palpated. How do we know it or perceive it? I believe we know it and experience it as awareness.

Triple Heater brings the Yang energy of Heaven. It is our connection with Heaven [Soul and Above] It also brings vibrations of the finer levels of our being. In TCM these are more of metaphysical, esoteric and Taoist nature. In Western psychology, this is the neglected, “hidden in plain sight,” aspect of awareness. Consider: when un-blended from the crises X, Y, Z our internal parts get caught up in--awareness itself is our most immediate experience of being alive and awake.

Is our fascia the sixth element?

Petar: "Fascia in the body doesn’t represent only a space in physical sense but also a ground over which runs an energetic net of highways or meridians." I, Bruce, have heard this theory talked about in specialized kinesiology circles. I call this the "fascia discussion." I believe it is useful to many learners. It gives students a focus beyond points, needles and old-style meridian charts to something (fascia) impossible to easily visualize as 3D form or forms. In this way fascia as the “sixth element” is a big step towards considering “ether-awareness” as the original, hidden sixth element.

In this way, I believe the fascia discussion is TOWARDS the awareness discussion, towards Ministerial Fire as awareness unblended from trauma, drama, separate from other mental-emotional issues.

The sixth element languaged in several other groups

Only since about 2015 or 2020 has our human capacity for awareness been discussed outside of the most esoteric and metaphysical groups. For learners and explorers wish additional viewpoints and language for “awareness” I suggest looking at one or more of the following groups. In my experience with them so far, I divide them into two tiers.

More heartfelt tier:

- Internal Family Systems (IFS) "Video title: "Dick Schwartz: IFS and Trauma 1 of 4" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UfmGwENz9M - More boring but substantial main site: Main site: https://IFS-institute.com

- Insight Seminars - https://InsightSeminars.org/us/ , and

- MSIA.org,

More psychological-philosophical tier:

- Neoclassical Six Element Acupuncture of Slate Burris - The Sixth Element ? Slate Burris Episode 378 ? 15th October 2024 ? Qiological Podcast ? Michael Max - PODCAST: https://www.qiological.com/the-sixth-element/

- Wholeness Method of Connierae Andreas - https://www.TheWholenessWork.org/

- Messages from the Body book coupled with self-forgiveness - https://talkinghearts.net/pages/e-books

- Esther Veltheim’s BodyTalk breakthrough https://breakthroughiba.com

If you know of more groups targeting awareness above the mind as a goal, above all archetypes and myths, please share with us.

As they say in IFS, (1) Self is not our internal parts clamoring for all the benefits they believe they were denied. (2) Our parts are not their burdens. The highest use of our ministerial Self is--with 'God as our Partner' to, one at a time, unburden our unresolved parts, support them to mature up so they can support our current goals and projects.

References

Petar Prikratki. “Sixth element?! – Part 1” (2018) - https://petarsmi.com/en/2018/02/02/sixth-element-1/

“Neoclassical Acupuncture” - https://mackayacupuncture.com.au/neoclassical-acupuncture/

Slate Burris. Neoclassical Acupuncture: An adventure into China’s ancient past and the rediscovery of a revolutionary method of acupuncture (2019). Reviews and Look inside on Amazon.

Bruce D. “From five to six elements” (2025) - https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/from-five-sixth-elements-meridian-modalities-slate-burris-dickson-davsc/