The traditional philosophy of wuxing (five elements) in Taoism helps explain the way TCM interprets dreams.

The ancient Chinese believed in a close correspondence between the five elements ?? wood, fire, earth, gold and water ?? and the five internal organs ?? liver, heart, spleen, lungs and kidneys.

Similarly, there is linkage among the five elements, five organs, five colors (blue, red, yellow, white and black), five voices (shouting, laughing, singing, crying and moaning), and the five emotions (anger, happiness, worry, sadness and terror).

Taking all those elements into consideration ?? plus yin (cold) and yang (hot) internal energies ?? a skilled TCM specialist can get clues to your health through your dreams.

This was first described 2,000 years ago in "Huang Di Nei Jing" ("The Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor"), a TCM classic.

Just as many people may incorporate outside sounds, like a knocking at the door or ringing of a bell, into their dreams, so the imbalance of energy that the body feels unconsciously may be translated into dreams according to the TCM classic.

When the yin energy in the whole body exceeds the yang by too much, people may dream they are terrified of being caught in a flood; when yang exceeds yin by too much, people may dream they are burned by fire; if both yin and yang energy are too strong, people may dream about fighting and conflict.

If there's too much energy and blood flowing to the upper body (torso and above), people may dream of flying; if there's too much in the lower body and lower extremities, people may dream of falling.

If people feel hungry, they may see food in their dreams; if they are too full and eat too much, they may dream about giving things away.

The colors and scenes in your dreams may suggest the health of your organs.

According to "The Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor," if you dream of white monsters killing people, you may suffer deficient energy in the lungs; if you dream of struggling in the water while a boat is sinking, there may be a deficiency in kidney energy (including reproductive and urinary tract system).