You know that thing when you go somewhere + all of the quotes, readings, teachings or asanas seem to be made just for you, speaking directly to your soul, giving you exactly what you need at the right time? Well that was me, Kanti Freeman’s Divine Harmony yin yoga day this weekend…
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Long-hold poses to gently move the (previously) stagnant Qi in the Liver + Gall Bladder meridians (channels), helpfully working with the Wood Element + it’s frustrated eclipse-related restlessness, plus accompanying Buddhist wisdom about “not knowing” – all themes I had discussed in my vlog this week…
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“We don’t always trust it because it can be difficult + uncomfortable to walk the way of not knowing… (Yet) ‘don’t know’ is very good for cutting through doubt…
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When the mind is constantly trying to solve problems that it can’t solve properly, we can find ourselves in a very small world, a world that is tight, predictable. It is very important to be with the open mind, the ‘don’t know’ mind.
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When we say ‘don’t know’, nothing has changed externally, but internally we have suddenly stopped sticking to the idea that we SHOULD know, that we MUST know… And we’ve also stopped our loyalty to the opposite idea, the despair of worrying that we will never know… So we just sit quietly on our (meditation) cushions + just notice…” – Ajahn Sundara
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So, as the beautiful Kanti asked us during the session, can you be ok with just sitting in the not knowing?
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In full transparency, my Water Element + it’s love of safety, certainty + control, really makes TRUSTING the unknown, staying in the ‘don’t know’ space, a real challenge for me… It’s scary + unfamiliar… I’m learning + growing in this eclipse season, the moon isn’t giving me any other choice!
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P.S. my parents bought me back this sweet little Buddha (in the phot above) from their trip to Vietnam + Cambodia earlier this year… My sisters got biscuits, I got a Buddha, obvs…
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Watch the vlog about the eclipse season, the itchy-stuck Wood Element energy + what to do when you don’t know what’s next for you, here
We are in eclipse season & it’s BIG, there are three this time, when there are normally only two, & most of us are feeling it in one way or another, I know my patients certainly are, & I most definitely am right now… I have recorded you a video of a download I had late at night about what’s going on energetically for us right now, & what to do when you just don’t know what is next…
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And if you prefer to read, rather than watch or listen, then the words are below…
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I’ve been having a lot of chats in clinic about this “emotionally itchy” energy that so many of us are feeling – knowing there are big shifts & big changes happening or ABOUT to happen, but we don’t know what they are, and things aren’t moving forward, we have to wait…
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Itchy energy is Wood Element stagnation, the frustration at HAVING to sit still, HAVING to wait, not knowing what’s next, not being able to SEE what’s next, not having the Wood Element’s virtue of VISION, to have the vision of the future, to be able to see the bigger picture… There’s a reason for that old saying “you can’t see the wood for the trees” when we are unable to see the bigger picture… It’s all Wood element energy in Chinese Medicine…
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Cross, frustrated, impatient, and irritable feelings are all the domain of the Wood Element – that WANTING to shout “hurry up” to the universe, (or to the moon, or the eclipses), you want the next step to be revealed, but it’s too slow & it’s too uncomfortable to be in this “itchy”, restless energy…
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And whilst we aren’t in Spring right now (in the northern hemisphere), which is USUALLY when we might feel this kind of energy within us & around us, (as Spring is the associated season of the Wood Element) – and think about how we have to sit & wait in Winter, before we can actually SEE the growth of shoots & buds coming through the ground – and in some years, it feels like that wait for Spring is endless, it takes sooooo long that we get impatient & frustrated…
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So it’s the same energy we have here now, although in a slightly different context – and yet it’s potentially no surprise that as this eclipse energy, the bigger planetary alignments, as THEY ask us to make big changes, to grow, to expand, to EVOLVE, to ALIGN with growth, to push through the stuff that is illuminated in this eclipse season, to flow WITH whatever happens, not to resist or block things that are changing during this time of crazy big shifts – THIS is what we recognise as Wood energy in Chinese medicine… It’s about FLOW of energy – the Wood Element Organ of the Liver, ensures we have good & correct flow energy in our bodies & our lives – so if we are not in flow, we get stagnation… when we resist, we get stuck, we get stress and pain…
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And THIS is what the planetary stuff, the new moon & full moon eclipses – this season of three eclipses – THEY are asking us, or maybe even forcing us to GET into flow, to GET into alignment… To leave behind the stuff in our lives that has been creating stagnation, things we have outgrown, things that have been causing us pain, not allowing us to flow, to get OUT of sameness, out of stuckness in our lives – physically, emotionally and spiritually…
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And this is the tree, this is the Wood Element at its finest, it is growth, it is upwards & outwards movement… and this is for ALL of us right now, whatever Element type we are, not just the Wood Element type people…
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So what can we do NOW, in this weird, restless waiting time? What can we do to move this stagnant energy, if we can’t move forward yet (because we do kind of have to wait right now), or if we don’t actually know what’s next?!
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I go through breaking down the big visions and our big plans, into smaller, easier steps to reduce overwhelm, ALLOWING us and ENABLING us to move forward more EASILY, in my online Spring course, but for today focus on JUST ONE SMALL THING that you COULD do today to move forward – it can be a TINY thing, but just STARTING TO SHIFT some of the stagnant Qi, that WILL help you feel better…
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And right now it’s hard because NONE of us, including me, really know what is next for us, what the big vision or big change in our lives is going to look like… so if you can’t even take one tiny PRACTICAL step forward right now, because its too unclear, just focus on moving the stagnant Qi in your BODY and your emotions…
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Drink hot lemon water, or green tea… MOVE your body – walk, dance, do yoga, stretch – all of these MOVE Qi physically and emotionally – if you can’t do something with the BIG life stuff yet, do one of these small things to shift the Qi & get some sense of FLOW back again…
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And obviously, I must say, I am not an astrologer – I have some amazingly talented people that I consult when I need more insight – but Chinese Medicine wisdom very much has the “as above, so below” school of thought, with heavenly Qi & the importance of balancing our connection to the heavens (through the Metal Element) as well as to the earth (both the literal Earth, the ground, & the Earth Element itself)…
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And THIS is how we live a Five Element life & how we live in alignment & flow – we see what the energy of the moment NEEDS, or what it is asking us to do, and adapt or live accordingly, even when it’s challenging & “itchy” – because as long as we let go of resistance, remove stagnation & embrace flow, we have balance – and in Chinese Medicine, balance is key – balance in our bodies, our minds, our emotions & our souls…
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I hope this has been helpful & maybe gone some way to explain some of the stuff you’ve been feeling or wrestling with these past couple of weeks – let me know, & let me know if you’d like me to do more of these kinds of Element energy videos for you…
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Sending much goodness & bye for now
R xx
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If you don’t know what Element you are, download the FREE ebook here
It’s those full moon vibes you get when you’re meant to be doing work for clinic, but you can’t concentrate + you feel restless because the Scorpio full moon’s like “hey, come do the personal deep work RIGHT NOW!!”…
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As a Scorpio with Scorpio rising, I’ve been itching to respond to the call of the moon since Friday night where it’s magical beams were keeping me awake, until the early hours, by shining brightly into my bedroom window…
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The full moon in Scorpio, plus a Mars-Pluto alignment, is pushing us towards intense growth, deep transformation, intimate emotions, introspection, surrender + magic spiritual discoveries… But it’s not always comfortable or easy, I know…
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This screenshot is from last week’s module video in my “Embrace Your Element: 9 Weeks to Life Changing Self-Acceptance” course, + in it I’m talking about how our “Element Brains” deeply affect our perceptions of ourselves…
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And this week’s module, is about identifying, + then shifting, our blocks, stories + triggers – so it’s pretty spot on for what the planets are encouraging us to do right now… Love me a bit of universal alignment!
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So, now it’s finally time for me to settle in for an evening of meditation, reflection, writing, illumination, self work + letting go… What about you? How have you been feeling in these full-on Scorp moon vibes?
I will firstly caveat this whole post, by saying it really applies to those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, where the New Year celebrations fall in the middle of Winter – for all you gorgeous Aussies, Kiwis & Southern Hemisphere dwellers, I will get to you guys shortly…
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So, why would I adamantly suggest that you shouldn’t make resolutions for the new year? After all, I am a coach & massively champion change & growth & positive movement forward in life, emotions & personal development… And I used to make New Year’s resolutions (that often failed in the first week of January!), so what changed?
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Well, first & foremost, I’m also an acupuncturist who has lived a “Five Element Life” for the last decade, so I know the importance of honouring the seasons & living in alignment with the energy of the associated Element. It’s like living in sync with the phases of the moon, or being mindful of the different parts of your menstrual cycle & how varied the energy & emotions & actions can be. It is living out of rhythm of nature that creates more disharmony & dysfunction in our bodies, minds & emotions.
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Winter is the season associated with the Water Element. My own Element is Water, so it is even more important for me to be mindful of what this Element needs; it is integral to my wellbeing. But it is important for ALL of us to honour Water, whatever our own Element personality type is – even nature slows down during Winter, everything retracts inwards and retreats under the ground, animals get cosy & rest & hibernate. Winter is nature’s season of REST, preparing the roots & seeds below the ground, for the energetic growing time of the following Spring. There is very little ACTION at this time.
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This time is for:
+ reflection, like the still, peaceful lake that you can see your face in
+ diving deep into your emotions, like you would in to the depths of the sea
+ pausing, being still – like the animals hibernating during Winter
+ ask the questions, gather the wisdom – the Water Element is renowned for its ability to do this
+ plant the seeds, READY for growth when the Spring arrives – the BIG POTENTIAL is in the seeds hidden underground in Winter
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Spring is really the start of the New Year in Chinese Medicine, it is when we have the RIGHT & APPROPRIATE energy to tackle New Year’s resolutions, change things in our lives, start new things, take action. In January, in the Northern Hemisphere, we are still in the depths of Winter, that is hibernation time, time to be still, time to reflect. The ENERGY of the season just does not match New Year’s resolutions or big bold new beginnings. It is not the time to be planning and doing, we need to wait until Spring for THAT kind of energy to rush in!
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So yes, do your journalling NOW, do take time to be STILL, to pause, to reflect; get the vibes you want to take over in to the new year, identify the feelings you wish to have, & plant the seeds, set the scene READY for 2017, but now is NOT the time to ACT, or expect yourself to DO heaps of things as soon as the clock strikes midnight & we tip over in to the new year… Water & Winter are about BEING, waiting for the potential to blossom into Spring!
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Possible questions to reflect upon:
+ what amazing things can I celebrate from 2016?
+ were there things that didn’t go according to plan in 2016?
+ what could I have done differently in 2016?
+ how do I want 2017 to FEEL?
+ what word(s) will set the scene for 2017?
+ does 2017 have a different colour / logo / mascot to 2016?
+ who do I need to be next year to make 2017 amazing?
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And this blog post isn’t intended to be about MY reflections of 2016, it is supposed to be encouraging YOU to pause & reflect, though there has been some pretty cool stuff for me this year:
+ ran my in-person Spring Health workshop, here in the UK, it was super fun
+ featured in publications including The Guardian, Healthy Magazine, Woman’s Weekly (twice), Women’s Health (three times), Woman & Home
+ went to the Maldives to write my first book, about the Five Elements, & made some little videos for you
+ trained as a Yin Yoga teacher (look out for workshops, classes & online stuff coming in the Spring!)
You can learn more about the Water Element & how to live in alignment with the season of Winter in my brand new online course, Winter Wellness Wisdom, for physical & emotional wellness HERE, plus the Spring version will be hot on it’s heals in a couple of months, with exercises designed to REALLY get you going & moving forward with resolutions! So put any BIG actions on hold until then if you can…
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As for you Southern Hemisphere dwellers, you guys CAN afford to be more ACTIVE in your intention setting, as you are currently in the season of Summer, with it’s associated Element of Fire. It has busy, upwards & outwards Yang energy – if you choose to make plans & implement them as soon as 2017 starts, you WILL be more aligned with what the season is doing. Therefore you are more likely to make plans stick & be successful in your resolutions, as the energy of the time is supporting you in your endeavours!
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And if you don’t know what Element you are yet, you can download my FREE ebook here: https://goo.gl/NTmEF9
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Wishing you all a VERY Happy & Healthy New Year, wherever you are in the world – I’m grateful you’re here with me!
This is the third + final video from the salty-hair-no-make-up-coconut-palm-trees series of videos I filmed for you whilst writing my book about the Five Elements on a tropical island in the Maldives… Complete with a hibiscus flower in my hair…
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Knowing your Element is a REALLY GOOD thing, but it doesn’t give you an excuse to hide behind it, or play up to that Element’s reputation… it certainly does not give you carte blanche to act out or act like an arsehole JUST because you are a certain Element & “that’s how they act”… Watch this video to understand if your Element is running the show + whether it will hinder your life, or improve your life…
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Originally this video’s title had arsehole in it because I was writing about the Wood Element + felt all punchy + assertive, but I chickened out of saying it in the video because I knew other people were listening to me from their next-door balconies!! Also had to edit out a plane flying over the island – may share the outtake at some point, it was pretty funny, + pretty loud!!
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Watch the first video in this series, “You are not a Freak or a Weirdo…” – here: https://goo.gl/brPF8o
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The second video, “There are no Good or Bad Elements…” can be seen here: https://goo.gl/2XVDRh
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If you haven’t downloaded the FREE ebook + seen which Element you might be, get it here: https://goo.gl/NTmEF9
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And if you want to be first to know about the real hold-it-in-your-hands book, when it comes out, sign up here: http://eepurl.com/cmkCRf
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Or if you want to spend 5 days in Cornwall (on a totally different beach!) with me May 2017 learning about all of this, take advantage of payment plan available until end of November here: https://goo.gl/Z4NmJ1
