Our Story
From 12 Years as a Psychologist to the Five Elements: My Journey to Inner Order (And Founding Rhythearth)
My name is Rylan.
For the past twelve years, I’ve clocked over 10,000 hours in the counseling room. The same couch in my office has absorbed the late-night breakdowns of 327 urban professionals and the silent tears of countless full-time mothers. Through it all, I came to a profound realization: the confused surrounding career, relationships, and well-being often stems not from a lack of capability, but from a temporary disruption of one’s internal order.
This insight acted like a compass, pointing me toward an unexpected field. In 2018, while feeling certain limitations with the tools of Western psychology, I turned to look back at our own cultural roots—the philosophy of the Five Elements.
At first, like many, I found "Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water" to be both familiar and abstract. That changed when an elder family member introduced me to Mr. Luo Minghua. I found myself in his study, a room brimming with ancient texts and the lingering scent of tea, where he had dedicated over thirteen years to studying this philosophy.
He didn't burden me with obscure terms. Instead, he offered a simple, grounding example: "You see, a person who consistently gets irritable, with dry eyes and a bitter taste in the mouth during spring, might have an excess of 'Wood Qi.' It's like a tree that needs to stretch its branches, not be constrained. And someone who constantly compromises in a team, losing their own voice, might need a touch of 'Metal's' decisiveness to set boundaries."
In that moment, it clicked. The Five Elements weren't mystical concepts; they were a profound language system for describing how our innate traits interact with the world.
As my studies deepened, Mr. Luo unpacked the dynamic model of generative and restrictive cycles. He stressed this was never about fatalism. "It's not about changing who you are," he would say, "It's about understanding your innate constitution—like a skilled driver learning the unique feel of their car to navigate the road with greater ease and peace of mind."
This journey planted a seed in my mind: What if we could translate these deep philosophical insights from the scholar's chamber into a practical, everyday "guide for life"? We didn't need an object with supposed "magical" powers. We needed a tangible token, a gentle reminder to periodically check in with oneself.
That simple, heartfelt wish was the starting point of Rhythearth.
Our products, particularly our crystal series, are a physical extension of this philosophy. Each crystal is handpicked by us for its unique visual texture and physical properties, not mythical stories. For instance, for a client who constantly worries about the future and struggles to stay grounded, we might suggest they hold a piece of Tiger's Eye. It's not a "luck-changing" stone. Rather, its warm, layered bands and solid, grounding weight serve as a visual and tactile anchor—a simple reminder that "the ground is right beneath your feet," helping to bring wandering thoughts back to the here and now.
The feedback we've gathered has only confirmed this path. No one has ever told us, "This bracelet got me a promotion." But we have heard many shares like this: "During tense meetings, when I feel my anxiety rising, I find myself rubbing this bead. It reminds me to take a deep breath, and almost instantly, I feel more centered and stable." These genuine, personal accounts, rooted in real experience, move us far more than any mythical story ever could.
Today, for me, Rhythearth is more than a brand. It is a living dialogue—a convergence between my twelve years of practice in psychology and Mr. Luo's thirteen years of philosophical research. We don't believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. But we are confident that when a thoughtfully crafted object accompanies you on your journey, gently prompting you to "look inward and make peace with yourself," the inner strength it can help unlock is far more powerful and enduring than any external "energy" you might seek.
We invite you to start your own journey here—toward a gentler, deeper self-awareness.
Remember, the greatest strength you can harness has been within you all along.
