This is perhaps the easiest of the elements to grasp since we are an extremely wood society. It has also been the male ideal personality, and increasingly for women as well. The balanced Wood personality is "confident, assertive, bold, ambitious, competitive, powerful, direct, committed, and decisive." This is certainly our cultural ideal, but often we also find examples of the unbalanced Wood personality which, if excess is the stereotypical Type A personality: "aggressive, arrogant, reckless, stressed, antagonistic, tyrannical, and confrontational." Anger is the main issue for Wood types and in the case of Wood deficient types that anger is turned inward in the form of depression. They tend to be entrepreneurs and achievers. In terms of addiction, alcohol, opiates, and amphetamines are drugs of choice. Health problems tend towards stress, hormonal imbalance, gallstones, hepatitis, fatty liver, and other Liver and Gallbladder organ system disorders.

The balanced Fire person excels at communication and is "lively, charismatic, optimistic, sanguine, aware. Tender, empathetic, devoted, enthusiastic, and alert." Theirs is the stereotypical artist's or performer's personality. They bring passion and flair to what they do. Their main issue is Joy (mania or inappropriate expression of) and a tendency towards scatteredness. In excess, Fire can become erratic and overly excitable. When deficient it can become overly sensitive, infatuated, even suicidal. When addicted they gravitate towards alcohol and psychedelics and succumb to excesses of stimulation, flash, and color. Health problems are generally related to anxiety disorders, functional heart problems like mitral valve prolapse and other Heart and Small Intestine organ system disorders.

This has been the traditional ideal wife and mother, and, when unbalanced, the Type C personality. This is not to say that men are not Earth. Men and women comprise all of the elemental types. Some types are held as the ideal for that gender, while others suffer for having a different nature. Grounded and practical, when balanced earth is the glue that binds all elements together. It is "nurturing, supportive, relaxed, oriented, sociable, sympathetic, considerate, agreeable, poised, and attentive." As nice as the balanced Earth is, unbalanced Earth can be just as difficult to contend with as the other elemental types. Excess Earth frets and meddles and can be quite overbearing and domineering. (As an example, many professional fighters have significant amount of Earth). That wonderful groundedness can transform into unmovable and impractical stubbornness. When deficient, Earth can become clingy and vacillating, too eager to please. Earth is the caretaker and the main issue is worry. Food addiction (especially sweets) tends to the major problem. Health problems tend towards digestive problems and other Spleen and Stomach organ system disorders.

Balanced Metal is "methodical, discerning, scrupulous, accepting, neat, calm, disciplined, honorable, precise, and reserved." Excess Metal can become the stereotypical "Anal-retentive" personality which becomes too restrictive and dogmatic and overly concerned with rules and preserving purity. Deficient Metal can fall into sloppiness and hypocrisy. Metal is very concerned with appearances and order. They tend to fall into two camps, either idealizing antique works of art or new, trendy technology. The major issue for Metal is loss and grief. When Metal types are addicted it tends to be with trendy mixed drinks, alcohol disguised in juice, or abuse of prescription drugs so as not to give the appearance of being out of control or doing something against the rules. Health problems tend towards asthma, low immunity, and other Lung and Large Intestine organ system disorders.

This element is difficult to grasp because it seems to change its form based on the perceptions of the observer. Water maintains its substance while effortlessly changing its form and appearance to suit the situation. Water is adaptable. When balanced, Water types are "candid, introspective, modest, watchful, objective, curious, ingenious, careful, particular, thrifty, sensible, and lucid." When excess, Water can become "demanding and covetous" and when deficient can completely withdraw from the world. The major issue for Water is fear, and Water people can disappear into a world of phobias. Addictions tend to also be food related, but in this case with salty foods as well as sweets. Health problems tend towards congenital abnormalities, urinary problems, some hormonal imbalances, and other Kidney and Urinary Bladder organ system disorders.