Water Time Frost on the wind shield in the morning, geese flocking South, the cold is upon us; Winter is coming. Time to go underground. “Once again, we find the pattern characteristic of all initiations: planning of the expected journey; the invitation to the unknown; the placing of trust in the situation and in the one who initiates; the loss of the known and the entry into the unknown; the loss of personal identity; the fear of the initiation; facing the fear; active surrender; the epiphany; the restoration of personal identity; the return to the known world, this time with more spiritual understanding and lived knowledge; the long integration of the experience into daily life. These are developmental steps we face if we actively surrender to the call of our soul.” Jill Mellick from Coming Home to Myself The two main concepts that encapsulate the time of water are darkness…

“To have bitten off the matter with a smile, To have squeezed the universe into a ball To roll it toward some overwhelming question, To say: ” I am Lazarus, come from the dead, Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all”- If one, settling a pillow by her head, Should say: “That is not what I meant at all; That is not it, at all.” T.S Eliot excerpt from The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock The mid- late stages of Fall, constitute Metal time. Organic matter collects on the earth’s surface and decomposes into a rich mineral content, the nutrient humus feeds and facilitates new growth in the Spring. Popular words to describe this time are decay, death and grief. We witness the turning of the planet towards the dark, the depth, an introverted time in the calendar year. This is felt in the upper…

“Without the light of spirit to guide us out of the morass of the material world, we wander in a haze of endless desire and hunger that can never be satisfied. In order to transcend this condition, we must open not only to the Transpersonal energies of the self but to the Shen light that courses through the material world and through our own flesh.” Lorie Eve Dechar ( Five Spirits, Lantern Books, pg.61) One of the most popular questions for modern acupuncturists, is does “acupuncture help with weight loss?”. Not my favorite question because, 1- there is no simple answer and 2- it is ultimately an answer that few people want to hear. There is no magic fix for any symptom. Weight loss is complicated it has a branch in all the aspects of health, physical, emotional/mental, and spirit. For effective work to be accomplished all these areas have…

“From Ancient times it has been recognized that there is an intimate relationship between the activity and life of human beings and their natural environment. The root of all life is Yin and Yang; this includes everything in the Universe.” – Neijing Suwen Heat! The Sun is hot above us. The Air warms around us. The Earth below us, absorbs the Sun’s rays and the flora and fauna grow. It is Fire time! Everything is alive, moving with zest and expanding; a full expression of energy as the light is at it’s Zenith in the sky. The world is bright; full of joy, enthusiasm and connection. It is a time to give and to receive, to be open and honest and to mature. It is a romantic time when hopes and dreams are fulfilled. The present, the Summer, a time for possibility to become manifest. Fire is the time of…Love.…

After a long and hard Winter – where it snowed and snowed and iced and snowed – the first stirrings of Spring are long awaited and cause for rejoicing!  The birds have become much busier and there is more light, a sure sign that Winter is ending, the time of rapid movement and small miracles beginning. Wood time is miraculous and moving, a time of growth. We begin to hear the hum of life as the animals, birds, and plant life re-awaken and return.  A similar process happens within all of us.  After a Winter of staying indoors, moving more slowly and resting, we feel the urge to stretch our limbs, feel the sun on our faces, visit our friends and clean out the cobwebs. A wonderful time to begin projects, plan trips, look into our vision of the future and embrace change. Wood is a time to feel the…

Water time is upon us again. The darkness extends longer into the day, the cold air pervades our houses and contracts our bodies. Snow and ice fall and cover the earth, freezing water into stillness and elaborate design. Trees are bare, plants and flowers go dormant, animal and bird life become quiet. As our qi naturally flows deeper inside, we reflect on the coming months of cold. This is typically a time of dropping. People begin to feel more reserved, have slightly less energy and savor the idea of curling up in front of a generous heat source. In accordance with the cycles and rhythms of the seasons, we initiate the traditional time of rest, retirement and restoration. Refilling the storage tanks of energy in preparation for the spring, when our seeds can sprout and our energy can push forward. The element of water is associated with the movement of…

Summer light becomes golden, the cicadas sing their ceaseless anthem.A hearty dusty feeling pervades the landscape. The horse drawn wagon pulls us slowly and steadily forward, we hear the echoes of the hooves as they hit the packed earth clop, clippity -clop, clip pity -clop… This season creeps upon us. It is only when the harvest, the season of nourishment encompasses us fully that we find ourselves immersed in Earth time.It is the season of harvest, reaping the bounty of the dark earth to feed us on a physical and spiritual level. We need total nourishment. Just as a mother gives her love unconditionally to her child, we find the earth offering us the foundations for a nourished body, mind and spirit. “We mainly feed our bodies pay little attention to the spirit.” – J. R Worsley With out proper digestion and assimilation we can not utilize the energy from…

“When the king is happy the whole of the kingdom cannot fail to be happy too.” – J.R Worsley As the temperature rises and the heat of the sun descends upon us, we move into the time of Fire.  This is the most Yang time of year. The sun resides at it’s zenith, the warmth pervades every dark corner. Flowers blossom displaying their striking beauty and color like fireworks. Bees buzz with the business of pollination. Plants and animals alike express their full potential of energy. Days are longer with more light, invoking the impetus to connect with others. The feeling of joy and lightness spread outward. The job requirement of the supreme controller is spreading warmth and unconditional generosity/ love.If that organ’s energy is out of balance, everything within us falls apart. The spark is dulled, fear and anxiety run unchecked,. Our spirit has no place to rest and…

I set some mung beans to soak. The jar is in on the windowsill in the sunlight.The beans are sprouting little tails.The rays of sun inspire activity.We are driven outdoors to suck in the fresh air and light.To move our cramped contained limbs.At last, the first stirrings of the long awaited …Spring.  It is Wood time- Break free from stagnation.  Invoke visions, plans and journeys. Get motivated! Key Words: Vision, Hope, Purpose, Birth, Regeneration, Growth