Summer - learning about Self

This is my first summer energy report after a three month break from monthly updates. The break was due to my engagement in work with children, among other I organised workshops in Five Senses for children. Following that I had a holiday break during which I gathered my inspirations.

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It was back in May that we entered the energy of Fire Element and therefore of the Summer, although it is most perceived during the month of July. This is just like the afternoon hours that are hotter than midday itself, so does July feel hotter but the Sun reaches its peak really in June, when the proverbial "Midsummer night's dreams" occur. This Summer Solstice is that part of the year when the Earth has its kind of birthday and we all take part in it and celebrate.

Although the energy in July is over its peak, it is still an equivalent to 1:00pm or 2:00pm time of the day. So, we are still going strong as the day is expanding. This feeling will stay with us until mid August (in the northern hemisphere) when the energy will noticeably change into Late Summer.

Until then, how can we best utilise the everywhere present energy of Summer to build our health and wellbeing?

Spirit Focus: intimacy - through the other I know myself

The Summer's Fire nature makes us more open to other people, to enter into new relationships (even if short-lived) and to socialise more. I wrote about it last year in this blog https://www.dorotao.com/post/the-first-month-of-summer-from-shade-into-the-light. Relating to others ultimately serves us to grow and evolve. Lee Harris wrote: "As you bring someone new into your life, you get to experience the new you". His words echoed in my understanding of the Fire Element. I thought: it sounds so invigorating as the Fire Element which is about being youthful too. Adding the two together, we could say meeting new people keeps us young or at least makes our Soul feel renewed!

Fire Element is associated with the Heart, which is a physical place in our bodies where we connect with our Higher Selves, our Spirit. Summer time is when we are closest to Heaven, to the Light and experience redemption through the natural beauty that is present all around. Just take time to be conscious of that.

Mind Focus: taking pride in your mind

Summer holidays and relaxed hot afternoons are perfect times to read, study and absorb information. The Fire Element expands our relations and our physical mind too! We read to find new words, to name and to express who we are at Heart. Being able to name things expands our living consciousness.

It is a good idea to start writing a journal now, in Summer time. You are more likely to find the inspiration and words to describe and express your feelings. That in turn will help you understand your inner Self.

Body Focus: taking care of your youthfulness

Fire Element represents young adulthood, youthfulness in other words. It is the green apple before it becomes red and sweet on maturity. In that phase of life the body is still growing and multiplying its cells fast. So it happens that for all of us, younger or older, the Fire season of Summer is the time our cells grow and expand more than in any other season. Therefore, it is a good time to nourish ourselves with foods high in active enzymes, i.e. lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Raw foods are also cooling, so it is aiding us with the summer heat. On the subject of cooling, in excess heat, it is the bitter tasting foods that cool us down, such as: coffee, also chicory coffee (foto below: chicory flower), grapefruit, all chicory leaves, cruciferous veggies, lettuce, cocoa and wine. Nevertheless, it is important to add a lot of water on hot days as bitter tasting foods dry up the body further.

It is time to be active (swimming, walking, cycling, yoga and exercises), to oxygenate the growth of the new cells and build a new body.

This is not to suggest we should become the followers of "youth culture" where only young, perfect and beautiful is valued. One of my favourite writers of our times, Elena Bernabè, writes: "One should have a more intimate relationship with one's symptoms...Take them out to dinner...Consider them secret lovers...and spend a special evening, alone in the company of oneself. (...) To learn to speak its language...the symptom has its own code, it is a dictate of the soul that needs presence, time, trust in life to be able to act in the world, through us."

This is such an explicit and poetic description of how to relate to our bodies, in a heartfelt way. I would suggest we all have such one appointment with our bodies during this summer.

Summer time is also and above all to serve our connection with our Self: whether it is the Body, the Mind or our Spirit. If you find it hard to connect with self, if you simply do not feel at peace, it can be a major block to your health and wellbeing. It may be a sign that you are not benefiting from the surrounding life energy. In such case, you may wish to consider an acupuncture treatment, which has a profound way to reconnect you with the life force.

Book an appointment to connect to self

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Chicory flower - Summer focus: bitter foods

April - newly found innocence

The month of April is the third month of Spring, according to the ancient classic text of Su Wen. After the Spring awakening and then taking the courageous steps into a new life, we are now awarded with the newly found innocence to rejoice in. Here is how to best flow with the energies of April:

Spirit Focus: recognising the benevolence of the world

Innocence is like a clean sheet of paper on which we can start afresh, having the possibility of creating anything we wish. To be able to recognise and benefit from the energy of innocence, the most important attitute is trust. Imagine the trust of a small child he/she has in his/her parents. The child obtains so much from his/her parents because it totally submits himself/herself into their care.

Being the children of the grand Universe, when we totally trust in our Creator/creative energies, then you and your best interests are taken care of. This is exactly what the energy of this month is about. You must ask, of course, otherwise it may not be possible to provide. Make an innocent request, like a small child would do, believing that the moment you say it the moment it arrives. A child's innocence means it does not have the experience of what it takes to meet her/his request, which makes it more so innocent. The child does not run through the steps and stages of how things come about. It simply asks with an anticipatory excitement of having already received it.

This energy is at peak this month to be lived fully and enjoyed. It is a magic month in that sense. It is a month in which "happy go lucky". This is simply dictated by the Nature around. It is enough to look at the innocence of white blossoms on trees everywhere; to see the newborn springing lambs; to admire the fresh baby green colour of grass and plants. Just for this month imagine that you were born yesterday.

Mind Focus: curious mind is an open mind

Equally, this month it is so much easier for our mental energies to be simple and straighforward. We are capable of uncomplicated, straight to the point, even oversimplified thoughts and thanks to that we can resolve many problems and issues easily.

Whatsmore, the child-like mental energy makes us super curious, our mind is more open to that which is new. We accept differences easily as we want to learn more about the world not yet uncovered.

In fact, we can take advantage of this energy to pick up a new hobby, start a new job or a totally new activity. Our minds are more likely to absorb the new as well, so it is boding well for the study.

Body Focus: your muscle is your limit

Just for this month let yourself of the physical limits as to what your bodies could or should do at a certain age. Although clearly fittness isn't achieved over night, when you see such inspiring examples as a gymnast who is 86 years old and still competing (Johanna Quaas) or a 99 year old dancer (e.g. Shirley Goodman), it appears there is nothing, or hardly nothing, you cannot do with regular practice over time.

Of course, it wouldn't be sensible for anyone to do a headstand without a sufficient preparatory practice beforehand, however, our mental preconceptions about what our bodies can achieve should be totally put aside. Using this Spring lamb's energy and motivation, feel what it is that you would still like to do with your body and get started with your daily practice. Is it dancing you've always wanted to start but had never time for? Is it time to get on your bike (literally)? Is it a half (or full) marathon you've always wanted to complete? Is it a split or a headstand that you would like to work towards? Give yourself a goal this month and you are more likely to achieve it.

In everyday activities and jobs we don't use all of the 600 muscles our bodies are made of, and we only use between 30-60% of our strength. Practicing a sport increases that dramatically making us more physically able and agile.

Diet wise, keep it simple as children do. Make simple combinations but make it exciting! This month is for eating with your eyes more than any other time. So, make it colourful too. Keep the diet "innocent" too with unadulterated, fresh foods, with lots of green and leafy vegetables to stimulate your Liver to dream big.

Some of you may still feel the invasion of a Cold Wind this month and should add warming spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves or ginger to their diet. Keeping warm inside will protect from the external Wind invasion. Others may not be as bothered by the Spring Winds. On the contrary, they may feel the rise in temperature following the Winter and put on a T-shirt. I suggest some Forsythia flower tea for such Spring Heat in the body.

If you are in any doubt as to how your body reacts to the seasonal change and you want to make the most of the energies of April, book yourself for a consultation and treatment by clicking below. I look forward to seeing you soon!

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February - sprouting time

With some delay, I provide you with a new format of my monthly energy updates starting from this month.

With February 5th started off the first month of Spring according to the ancient cinese classics. It is a time of great expectations, of awaiting for the potential to take form, the period of being an embryo "in the womb". The ground is getting ready, the seeds and buds swell by longer days and warmer waether. But the potential is still enclosed inside of them. It is a potential to which we need to tender and care for correctly, according to the Nature's pace, to make it develop into a whole new being.

So accordingly, for us, it is time for each human being to renew himself /herself, a chance to conceive a part of us that has not yet been formed but yearns to become. This month it is all about preparing the ground. How best to flow with these energies in February?

I outline some simple but effective ideas that anyone can follow. They are focused on Body, Mind and Spirit.

BODY FOCUS: FIRST STEPS IN DETOX

If you'd have read my energy updates for December and January, you would remember I do not advocate doing detox during those Winter months. February is the first month after the Winter break when we can and should take the first steps in detoxing our bodies. The increasing energies in the Nature will assist you with shifting some accumulations and habits.

Take a look at my plan for February:

1. Gradual elimination of heavier foods

- from today take one thing out of your diet which you know you need a break from (e.g. wine, coffee, cigarettes, chocolate, fried foods, red meat, etc). Anything you have recently overdone on or food that is considered "heavier" to digest;

- after one week take a second food out of your diet (the more you are attached to some food the more your body will need a break from it now);

- following another week take out the third food and then the week after the fourth food. By the end of the month you will be in a much better shape and your body will hardly notice you cutting out all those foods.

Breaking off physical habits helps us breaking free from mental and behavioural ones as well. Plus, we give our senses a pause so that they have a heightened perception and help us awake from the winter lethargy.

2. Gradual addition of lighter foods

- from today drink at least 1L of herbal tea/decoction a day. Make it into a thermos and drink throughout the day (the body needs hydration and warmth to sprout this month);

- the next week, continue with at least 1L of herbal tea a day and start your days with a glass of warm water and a half of a lemon juice on an empty stomach (lemon is an alcaline acid but it is related to Wood/Spring element and moves the energy);

- the third week, continue with the previous and add just one raw vegetable (saying "one" as too much raw in cold whether is still too cooling) a day to your diet

- the fourth week, continue with the herbal tea, water with lemon juice, a raw veg a day and add fresh sprouts once a day to your diet. Sprouts are easily done at home and gives you just the right affinity to the season.

By the end of the month you will feel so much lighter and the passage of the change in season will be a smooth ride for you.

The herbal decoction I have prepared for myself for February consists of: Nettle, Horsetail, Parsley seeds, Fern root and Ginger root. It is a perfect start for the prep ground in February: gently detoxing but still warming and nourishing.

This month is good for giving your body some stretches, especially reaching up and bending the lumbar back.

MIND FOCUS: OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

February is probably the last chance to review the previous year cycle before the energy moves full on into a new life cycle.

Set yourself this month for reviewing the last year. What have you actually done during the last year, month by month? Was it time well spent? Do you feel completed, satisfied? Are there any issues, projects, relationships needing closing off. Put the dots on the "i's" and crosses on "t's" on the last year projects or those that are near their completion.

Once you've dealt with your review and closures, take some seeds (e.g. tomato, beans, sun flowers, calendula flowers, etc) and sow the seeds in a pot by the indoor window with the intention to grow one new specific project or intention. Each time you water it, look and care for it, remember the project/intention in mind. Are you giving it the right amount of attention? Before the end of the month speak about this project with at least one person. Speaking about the ideas and plans is like exchanging seeds, one can grow a more abundant garden.

SPIRIT FOCUS: RECONNECT TO YOUR ESSENCE

"When five organs are able to submit to the heart without resistance, then however powerful the rising of the will, the behaviour does not deviate. (...) the vital spirits thrive and the Qi are not scattered. (...) then there is perfect order. (...) then the spirits. With the spirits (...) in doing there is nothing that is not accomplished." (Huainanzi ch.7)

In other words, if your body follows the Hearts/Spirits it will lead you to accomplishment.

Coming out of Winter lethargy in February we are loaded with the will power to go forward. Let's be mindful of the Heart and Spirit connection in conceiving plans for the new life cycle. Check that your plans and intentions find a resonance with your Heart.

There may be some emotions or states of being that cloud the "music" of the Heart. Identify at least one such emotion/state during this month. It can be worry, anxiety, anger, frustration, procrastination, it can be chronic tiredness, poor health, depression, victimhood, state of poverty, or the so called "sacred cows" in your life. Challenge them. Why do these states repeat? Repeated emotional states are energies imprisoned by that emotion. Acupuncture can assist you in changing your emotional state by working with the body's energy points and liberating by that a lot of vital energy.

Book an appointment

One way to settle the emotional turmoil and hear your Heart is to join me in weekly on-line meditations on Mondays at 9.30pm (CET). Click below to register for a link:

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