SPRING BOOK REVIEW

The Way of the Five Seasons

John Kirkwood
Singing Dragon, London 2016

The author’s deep understanding of the five elements and its day to day integration and enhancement of the practitioners life is awe inspiring . Having immersed myself in the lifestyle afforded by deep understanding of Yin Yang Go Gyo  ( 5 element theory)  for the past 30 + years, it is a total joy to be taken further into the journey.

“Imagine a great gong being struck.  Its powerful sonorous note passes out into the universe and all things of a similar vibration pick up the note, vibrating in perfect resonance.

Now imagine five great gongs sounding simultaneously , each with its own unique note.  Imagine that, according to its nature, every single atom in the universe is resonating to one of these notes.Nothing is left out of this primal harmony.

Similarly, each of the Five Elements acts like one of the five great gongs, vibrating with its own frequency, a frequency that resonates precisely and profoundly in all expressions of that Element : a season of the year, a colour, a sound, an emotion, an odour, an organ of the body, a sense organ, a set of tissues, a psychological state , a spiritual state .  They all pick up the note and resonate with its vibration like a great clan singing the same tone in harmony.” Pg 37

John’s capacity to provide a readable and relevant version of Yin Yan Go Gyo is beyond measure. Oriental understanding of yogic lifestyle was developed parallel to the Indian version and documented circa 300 BC . The learnings continue to be rich and fruitful in conducting our day to day lives.