Sadly the party’s over and it’s time to ground ourselves again as the seasonal wheel has shifted from Fire to late Summer and the Earth Element…ahhhh…
As fun as Summer is with all it’s festivities and indulgences, the balance must return. Late summer with it’s languid warmth, rippenning and fresh breeze and shortenning days offers us the chance to truly come home to ourselves. Yes It can feel like a come down, from our most expanded states and peak of the year, to energetically begin to draw in again! Yet all that goes up must come down…gravity will prevail and the Earth certainly has it.
When we shift from Summer to late Summer, I always feel a sense of internal re-orientation, a stilling and a mild sense of deflation. As the seasonal energy shifts us from one system and all that holds to the next, it’s like a gear change as we adjust into the new seasonal flavour and all it has to offer us. The Earth offers us a sense of the bounty of rippened fruit, the payoff for seeds planted and nourished in all aspects of our lives. It relates to the organ systems of the Stomach and Spleen and correlates to the archetype of the Earth Mother/ Provider.
The organ systems
Each season connects and brings greater energy to certain organ systems and Earth connects to the Stomach and Spleen and the spirit “Yi”. The colour is yellow, reflected in the golden hues around us. There is always a flavour associated which nourishes the organs and in Earth’s is sweet. Not refined sugars which will insult the Spleen and pancreas but the sweet starchy veggies like apricots, sweet potato, pumpkin, root veggies which are both nourishing and satisfying.
Virtues and characteristics of the Mother/ Provider
- Unconditional love and the nourishing of our inner qualities.
- The virtue is service
- “Harvest” satisfaction in life
- Shifts pensiveness to action and neediness to loyalty and dependability
- Transforms self-absorbtion to caring and empathy for others
Earth Element Themes
- Energy is strongest in our stomach and spleen hence focus on conscious digestion
- Home, grounding, support and orientation in our lives.
- The qualities of feeling nourishment, satisfaction, contentment, centredness, at home, *calm, balanced, harmony and peacefulness
6 ways to Tune The gifts of Earth
- Literally be Earthy, ground yourself and enjoy the resonance of connecting with nature at this time of year.
- Breath into your belly…drop out of your mind and be present and grateful for the moment as frequently as needed.
- Be conscious of HOW and WHAT you eat…are you choosing nourishing food? Your gut will let you know!
- Connect with your inner mother/ provider….feel the unconditional holding and love, receive any messages she has to offer you.
- Why not take a stand for the Earth and support a cause that matters to you!
- Commit to nourishing yourself in the ways you most need. ie monthly acupuncture sessions to stay vital!
Learn more about the Earth Element and if you resonate strongly with the themes, perhaps Earth is your element! Activate and feel the power of five element acupuncture.