Yoga Friends,
In the last week or so, you may have felt a shift that left you feeling or thinking, "It is time for me to start prioritizing my own self-care!"
Perhaps you experienced a compelling desire to schedule a massage/therapy/energy work, take a couple of days alone, eat nourishing food, or get back into a meaningful routine.
Some may be feeling more fatigued, emotionally fragile, or foggy-headed. Or others may have gotten a surge of empowering energy to say "No!" and step away from someone or something that no longer feels like it aligns with what you ultimately want for your life.
If you have been or are experiencing these kind of feelings, yes, they are uniquely yours AND you can smile and know that it is also part of a rhythm that is bigger than you, like how the moon pulls the tide!
In Five Element Theory of ancient Chinese medicine, from which acupuncture was born, life is described as moving in a cycle through the elements of Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth and can be witnessed in nature, the seasons, and through our organs and emotions.
In a generative cycle, Metal collects Water, and Water nourishes the growth of Wood. Wood is fuel for Fire. Fire's ash becomes Earth, Earth creates Metal deep under the Earth surface.
While we have the elements and organs within us all the time, throughout the seasons of the day and the phases of our life, the seasonal shifts provide energy for us to join and provide ourselves with the physical and emotional resources to move with greater health in each stage of the year.
The season of summer holds two kinds of elemental energy - Fire and Earth. In the early summer, after the quick growth of Spring (Wood/Liver/Gall Bladder Chi)), the Fire element gives rise to sustained heat that is essential for maturing the plants to their fullest expression (Fire/ Heart/Small intestine/Pericardium/Triple Burner). However, once the plant life fully manifests, there is a heaviness and even a humidity that descends that allows for ripeness to come to the foods before the harvest. This is referred to as the Second Summer and is associated with the element of Earth/Stomach/Spleen.
The characteristics of the Earth Element are what you would think - qualities of grounding, nurturing, and nourishing. This can be seen in the archetype of the Caregiver or Good Mother. When the Earth element is strong, we are able to turn to foods, relationships, and choices that deeply care for ourselves and others on every level so that choices/actions come from a more stable and clear mental-emotional processes.
When our inner Earth element is challenged, it may manifest as being overly attentive to others at our own expense, denying ourselves of nourishment or time for self-care, or getting emotionally caught in a whirlpool of worry.
I felt this in my own body/mind about a week ago. I had a couple of days where I felt I couldn't stay awake or concentrate. I heard the inner call to take a break and schedule an acupuncture appointment with Dr. Sam at Five Dances Wellness. She took my meridian pulses, looked at my tongue and reminded me that Second Summer was upon us and that it is the time of year that I could benefit from symbolically finding some shade under a tree, eating some peaches, and resting. After the treatment, I felt so calm, cared for and clear. I took some time to reevaluate, to take time for some leisurely bike rides (while getting a calm breeze to cut the heavy humidity) and to take a long float on the river to soak up natural beauty. I turned to water-rich and cooling foods like cucumber, yogurt, watermelon and I am even eating a gorgeous purple plum while I share these thoughts with you.
There is SO much we could share about this seasonal shift into the element of Earth.
If you would like to explore me, join me for Yin Yoga this month as we deeply nourish the subtle tissue of joints and fascia and soothe the mind. We will explore the physical, psychological, archetypal, and poetic associations of the Earth Element, the organs of the Stomach and Spleen, and the virtues of transforming worry to deep trust.
In devotion,
~Machelle