Water Wood Fire Earth Metal These five archetypical agents influence our perceptions of the world. They help us see pathways and direct us to rediscover our core natures, our pre-ordained destiny. Collectively, the elements teach us agency and design. They have accompanied human evolution for thousands of years. Five colossal energies that assist, in the re-patterning of our neuropathways and the healing of trauma. Nature is the ultimate teacher. The five elements are systems, voices, images, sounds, and olfactory sensations. Together they offer us a salient way to use our inner laboratories of consciousness and effect change, promote resilience and embodiment . The five elements, natural forces that make up a powerful energy. They live within us and surround us, constructing a web of life. We can simplify the extraordinary, invite the elements to help us sort the clutter, and get to the root. It does not matter if the…

Water Dreams: Any type of Water in the dream, dreams with fear themes, prophetic dreams. Dreams about teeth, especially teeth falling out, dreams about bones. Dreams about swimming or taking a bath. Dreams with a fear overtone. Wood Dreams: Dreams about appointments or dates, missing the planned appointment or not having what is needed, for example going to the wrong gate in the airport or not having luggage. Getting to class and not having homework or not being prepared. Dreams about making things happen, having visions and “seeing what will happen (Hun). Activism or political dreams. Dreams of anger, frustration, irritability or resistance. Fire Dreams: Love and intimacy of any type, romantic or sensual. Connections with friends, family, strangers, animals. Dreams about fire itself or a spark. Dreams about flowers blooming, bees buzzing, the hot Summer time. Dreams of anticipation of something exciting about to happen. Dreams of the sun.…

ONE OF THE HAPPIEST MOMENTS IN LIFE IS WHEN YOU FIND THE COURAGE TO LET GO OF WHAT YOU CAN’T CHANGE. anonymous Metal season is upon us. The focus in on the Lung and Large Intestine meridians. Everything is precious, each moment is unique- a snapshot in time. Letting go of what does not serve us, breathing in the impermanence of the life cycle. Metal has an edge, as well as a soft warmth. This is the time of year to breathe in as many creative ways as you can come up with.

Photo credit: Katherine Nagy The Five elements make up an ancient diagnostic method that supports the harmony among Heaven, People and the Earth. Energy is the language, the vehicle of communication amidst all parties. Energy is in constant motion, remember that an atom (the smallest unit of matter comprising all elements) can be seen as a particle and a wave. The core tenet of Chinese medicine is to support the transformation and transportation of energy within the body and in relation to the surrounding environment. This doesn’t always represent a positive constructive cycle, it can be a negative cycle such as negentropy. But the key is, that things are moving, even if compost is deconstructing into dirt or an animal is digesting another animal. Otherwise, there is stasis which is represented by sickness or possibly death. Death can just be part of the ever rotating cycles. So the question is how…

Totally Loving the sentiment of Transformation. Especially the trends of (inner) emotional imbalance into Revolution-al Action. It is about time, Baby. This is based on the work of Thea Elijah, Lonny Jarrett and a tiny bit of me. Transformation of The Spirit Energies- imbalance into action. SHEN/FIRE- Apathy into Spark- Sovereignty of the Heart directed action. HUN/WOOD- Anger into Vision- Constructive action. YI/EARTH- Worry into Integrity- Ecological action. PO/METAL- Sorrow into Virtue- Righteous action. ZHI/WATER- Fear into Wisdom- Forceful action.

I had the pleasure of teaching a class on the Five elements to students and faculty at Hudson Valley Sudbury School. It was a great pleasure and lots of fun. Everyone learned a lot.

An honest discussion of Earth season would have to include both Sympathy (with-feeling) and Empathy (in-feeling). The most defining quality of an Earth imbalance is the mixing up of messages sent and received by the part of us the interprets feeling. Earth is a container. in proper function, it will be a solid nourishing vessel that does not leak or allow for stagnation. In improper function it will leak energy all over the place and it will drain the sources that surround it. Earth imbalances can be tricky because they can show up with a person that nourishes everyone else but can not nourish themselves. Or a person that can not get enough sympathy or energy from others and sucks it from everyone around them. And there is the person that just stagnates in the same place and complains constantly. I believe that a lot of the empaths have their…

We are now in the full stride of Fire time, the heat is on, this is where the rubber meets the road. Everything is at the height of openness, the most Yang state. It is time to connect and engage. It is no mistake that these fiery inclinations are synchronized with the events that are currently transpiring around us on both micro and macro- levels. How are we going to let our hearts direct us in truth and action? How do we stay open and not shut down in the face of the unthinkable? In what way do we use our voices to be effective? How can we do this and maintain our own safety? These questions hail straight from the realm of Fire. And the response… Fire opens it’s big mouth and unfurls a long red tongue, the answer it joyfully laughs is love. Fire non-discriminantly pours it’s warmth…