March - the courage to change

“Master, I am afraid of change. How do I welcome him?”

“There is a person who can show you the way. Go to the blacksmith and stop and observe his work!"

“What can a blacksmith teach me?”

“The art of transformation. He uses fire to shape metals. He shapes them according to his will. He is the father of creation. Like the blacksmith, you too can shape your life, give your days the shape you want. You are the father of change. How can you be afraid of your creation?”

“I'm afraid of the change that comes from outside…”

“If you are afraid of fire, you burn yourself. If you learn to dominate it, you become the creator of wonderful masterpieces. Just like the blacksmith who with his millenary art manages to melt metal and bind it to give life to a new object, you too grasp the change that comes from outside, burn it with your inner fire and bring out new life, new ideas, new thoughts.”

“I'm not sure I can…”

“Your problem is not the fear of change but of the fire that is inside you. It's burning a lot, at very high temperatures, because it wants to accomplish its assignment. But you are turning it off. With fear, worry, fatigue. Don't be afraid of seeing new parts of you born: the blacksmith is an artist and what he creates is only a work of art."

Elena Bernabè

Spirit Focus: grasp the change

From the Classical Chinese Medical point of view, the above story talks about three Elements: Fire, Water and Wood. The Fire and Water elements are the heat and cold used by an iron maker to melt and solidify but his hammer is a vector of creation, that is the Wood element - the element of Spring. Whereas the Fire and Water elements are the basis for any existence, they also maintain each other in equilibrium by their interplay. The Wood element is the courage with which the iron maker raises his hammer and decides on his next move in accordance with his vision of what he intends to create.

The passion of Fire although essential for creating, is not enough without an act of doing. Spring is just about that: taking the steps, raise your hammer and change the shape according to your vision. Those who burn inside but do not apply the hammer (here meaning: direction, decisions, moving ahead, etc) will produce certain psycho-somatic symptoms, especially so in Spring.

Mind Focus: resistance is in the mind

The Nature does not resists that which is inevitable. The realisation of self is a natural result of us being born and alive. Not accomplishing our destiny (called Ming by cinese) is when the disease sets in. The only obstacle on your way is your mind, precisely the resistances you have created in your mind.

What are your beliefs about not doing, having or being who you burn inside to be? There isn't a better month in a year than March to challenge what you think about yourself and the world. The winds of change blowing in Spring will help you be more creative and flexible with your thoughts.

The resistance is also in our daily habits, daily actions we take to go about accomplishing tasks. We are still at the beginning of Spring feeling so much potential ahead. It is a perfect time to address all your self-sabotaging behaviours, be it health-wise, relationship-wise or work-wise.

Body Focus: Marching like the Liver

There are two seasons in the year when the energy helps us to detox: the Autumn and the Spring. In Autumn we let go to create space. In Spring the release happens as the byproduct of the propelling force which must move ahead and leaves behind the unnecessary. It is thanks to Liver, known as the General of our body.

Liver is so strongly energised in Spring that even slightest support you give it, will help it cleanse your body of the Winter accumulations. If you followed my February advice to start gently on detox (https://www.dorotao.com/post/february-sprouting-time), this month you can boldly get into it.

Continue, if you have not done it yet, withdrawing heavier foods from your diet (check out my February blog) and add lighter foods instead. This month add daily one of these seasonal liver "friendly" vegetables:

- chicories

- artichokes

- red beets (root and leaves)

- radishes

- wild greens (dandelion leaves, nettle leaves, foraging greens).

As a supplement, I have prepared and used daily a hydro-alcoholic extract of Milk Thistle seeds. If there is one Liver herb I would use this month it is Milk Thistle. Apart from its known function in western herbalism of protecting and tonifying the Liver; in Chinese herbal medicine it moves the stagnation of Qi and Blood - aiding that propelling force of Liver to move ahead. Additionally, it helps removing the toxins out of the body via urine and intestines.

Exercise wise, this month you are bound to feel like doing much more than just gentle stretches suggested the past month. Do get out and walk to stretch your ligaments and include some exercises to strengthen your muscles. Otherwise, how are you going to sustain this month's work of forging the iron?

If there are any symptoms that arise at this season or get worse in Spring, do contact me for a thorough personal diagnosis.

Contact for diagnosis

---

Spring Creation

Common fern (Polypodium vulgare) - timeless health and beauty

Whoever knows about plants knows that ferns belong to an ancient and "primitive" plant species which existed already over 400,000,000 years ago. Ferns are know as living fossils. The Chinese herbalists call them the "ancients", the "sages" and as such they pass on to us the ancient wisdom and ageless connection to the Earth. You can only imagine how useful that is to us!

They remained practically genetically unchanged over all those millions of years. That immediately brings to mind that they are hardy, stable and can root us down. Differently to some trees or other adaptogen roots, with ferns it is not so much the physical grounding. It is more of a Spiritual connection to that which is timeless, of being able to resist that what time changes.

That opens up so many potentials of this plant!

One Swiss cosmetic company studied Common Fern as one of the three major skin anti-aging plants*. But we can absorb better the time-resisting qualities of this plant by consuming it in herbal preparations. There are in fact numerous studies citing a wide range of benefits of Common Fern's herbal preparations. One study named Polypodium vulgare as a "versatile"** herb. The anti-aging qualities of Common Fern include: hydration, antioxidant properties, protection in neurodegenerative disorders, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, anti-stress.

However, most of Common Fern uses derive from its associations, as classified by the Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, with Spleen, Stomach, Lung, Large Intestine and Kidney. Therefore, it is outstanding in treating respiratory and skin conditions (Lung organ), especially for issues that include phlegm, such as coughs, catarrh, bronchitis, and congestion. It is both expectorant and transforming of respiratory phlegm (more of Spleen function). In the same time, it soothes the mucous membrane, including Kidneys' (Marston, 1995)*** - function related to Spleen and Stomach energetics.

The extension of its mucous membrane soothing properties is applied to healing wounds**** such as cuts, bites and scrapes, being effective also due to its anti-bacterial properties. Topicaly it deals with psoriasis and eczema.

Other application of its soothing the mucous membrane is on the digestive tract in relieving colic, stitches, heartburn, stomachache and constipation***. It is traditionally considered as a mild laxative therefore one should not exaggerate on the quantities. However, if you harvest yourself the root of Polypodium, you will find out that it is rather laborious to collect exaggerated amounts anyway. It is further aiding digestion by increasing good, healthy appetite (again Spleen function).

Its energetics are of lowering and eliminating. Therefore, in addition to lowering the food down the digestive tract, it also lowers temperature, lowers the blood pressure, as mentioned before, and "lowers" the overreactive nervous system.

In addition to aiding Colon elimination it also aids liquid elimination but not through strict diuretic properties but drying out the liquid accumulations. Thanks to this property reduces the swellings, especially of inflamed joints.

Interestingly this herb has a very distinctive sweet taste, resembling so unbelievably liquorice that it is often called False Liquorice. In fact, it has the potential to be used as a Western substitute to liquorice in the Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine.

I have utilised Common Fern in my seasonal February decoction: https://www.dorotao.com/post/february-sprouting-time, together with Nettle, Horsetail, Parsley seeds and Ginger root. "It is a perfect start for the prep ground in February: gently detoxing but still warming and nourishing."

Finally, Polypodium is a very safe herb. I have not found any reference to it having any adverse effects other than laxative in the large amounts or over a long period of time.

I may be completely sided in believing that two weeks of drinking my seasonal February decoction has improved my skin quality and drained more mucus from my sinuses, but I will definitely include Polypodium in my next decoction mix. Stay tuned to my March energy update.

* https://www.rahn-group.com/zh/rahn/download-document/f603c709-12e6-48f9-a5bf-d83ba4090268/hydractin_lmf_techpaper_happi_may15.pdf

**https://ijpsr.com/bft-article/polypodium-vulgare-linn-a-versatile-herbal-medicine-a-review/

***https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/assessment-report-polypodium-vulgare-l-rhizoma_en.pdf

****https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7945725/

---

Wild Rose - for finding a sparkle in life

Each time I eat rose hip fruits I feel that amazing sensation of being fully alive; be it for the physical energy and clarity it gives me, be it for the energy it gives me. That zesty taste of its fruits gives me just that: the zest for life.

Wild Rose is captivating both when flowering: with most beautiful, delicate and pastel-coloured rose flowers, and when bearing fruits: bright red shiny fruits in the grey of Winter's background. Despite its apparent fragile beauty of its flowers, it is a robust and resistant plant growing in windy fields or cold mountains. Simply, out of all the roses, this one is the toughest one.

Hence Dr.Bach had studied it and used as one of his flower essences for "those who without apparently sufficient reason become resigned to all that happens, and just glide through life, take it as it is, without any effort to improve things and find some joy. They have surrendered to the struggle of life without complaint."

So, Dr. Bach has indicated the flower essence of Wild Rose for a lack of enthusiasm, saying that "the remedy helps reawaken our interest in life. In a positive Wild Rose state we are happy-go-lucky. But instead of apathy we feel a sense of purpose that brings increased happiness and enjoyment."

It does sound like a perfect pick-me-up for the Winter blues.

I can confirm that such energy is not only contained in the flower essence but also in the fruits of this particular rose. Be mindful of this when you go to harvest fruits of the Wild Rose and even when you consume a rose hip jam or rose hip powder.

Although Chinese Medicine uses a similar Rose, Rosa laevigata variety in its herbal medicine, it has been studied as genetically very closely related to Rosa Canina (Wild Rose)*. In Classical Chinese Materia Medica the rose hips are used more than other parts of the plant. They are considered a tonic. They are neutral in temperature, hence we can eat them in Winter without the worry of cooling our body too much or drying it by overheating. Their taste is sweet and sour but sour taste dominates giving it astringent quality. Astringent holds onto the essence and the slight sweetness nourishes.

It is from its strongly astringent quality that most of its benefits derive: it prevents all kinds of leakage: of energy, fluids and substances. Hence it is suggested when a person is not able to hold onto essence: seminal or vaginal, blood: emorragie uterine, bleedings, fluids: urine or feces (giving rise to diarrhoea) due to Kidney and Spleen weakness. Even when you notice undigested food in your feces or in your child's, that can be a sign of Kidney and/or Spleen deficiency. So, a very good Winter remedy for that is a rose hip jam or rose hip powder. As you would have gathered by now, rose hips are related to organs of Bladder, Kidneys, Spleen and Large Intestine in their capacity to regulate how much to hold onto.

The way to observe its capacity to hold essence is to note the size of its fruits in Autumn and then in December. As more rain comes in November its fruits grow substantially in size and become more juicy just before ripening in Winter.

Further, its astringent quality can reverse prolapsed muscles of uterus and bladder. So, the pulling up effect of rose hips is not only on the mood but also on the muscles in the lower part of the body.

In Winter you can use it even if in good health, as a Winter tonic. If you had read my December blog you would have found out by now that Winter is the season of accumulation of our essence and energy https://www.dorotao.com/post/december-withdrawing-and-accumulating. Last but not least, as most of you know, rose hips contain loads of Vitamin C: 426 mg in 100 g of fruits, protecting us from the seasonal influenza.

So, when out for a Winter walk in Nature, pick some of its fruits. You can eat them raw, especially if soft, squeese out the pulp leaving out the seeds. You can also bring them home, cut in half, clean out the seeds and dry in low heat (up to 40-50°C). Then, you can chew the pieces or pulverise it into a powder and take a spoonful a day.

* https://cmjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13020-020-0298-x

---