Entering Winter

Autumn is changing to Winter in Seattle. Most of the leaves have fallen and are waiting in piles if they have not been taken away. All that energy from the sun, rain and soil went into the production of so many leaves. Oak leaves in particular are so sturdy; thick, hard to even tear apart. As they sit in a compost pile, laced with horse manure, they break down slowly, becoming rich soil thanks to the worms and microbes. As the pile gets one last turn before it is tucked in for a winter slumber, I think about the yucky stuff in each of us that melts slowly into enriching insights if we are willing to give it some air and proper attention. Like jealous feelings that lead us to realize that in the light of consciousness all positions are equal, all is one. Or the intense grief and heartbreak felt when we are rejected. It shows us the depth and capacity for love that exists in our hearts.

As we move into Winter, are there any areas of difficulty that you want to unearth and explore, and then allow to soften and melt during the dark months, liberating and enriching you for the Spring?

Autumn Practices

In Autumn we Let Go.
Move downward.
Seek Inspiration.

Here are some great practices to make use of the energy of the season:

Clean out the old:

• Go through your home and work place. Clear out places where clutter collects. Clean out closets, filing cabinets & medicine cabinets. Comb through your bookshelves for items that you no longer need. Sell, give away or recycle as much as possible.
• Assess your schedule - clear out any activities that you are done with - pare down to essentials.
• If there is any unfinished business in your relationships, clean it up
• Let go of pain that causes you unnecessary suffering. If appropriate, write down the things you need to release, then burn the paper.
• Autumn is a great time to cleanse the body. Eliminate toxins from your diet and eat simple, whole foods.

Receive the pure energy of the season:

• Go for a walk and breathe deeply - experience the clear, crisp air and feel how much energy it gives you.
• Honor the friends, relatives, pets, colleagues who add to your life.
• Seek out things that inspire you - read an inspiring book, listen to music that moves you, view art that touches you.
• Is there anything that you want to add to your life to enhance your health, energy or soul? Meditation, regular breathing exercise, a gratitude journal are some examples.

Engaging with this season also prepares us for the deep stillness of Winter, when it is appropriate to be more quiet and restful. May you have a rich and beautiful Autumn!

For more information about Five-Element Acupuncture, see the Center for Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in Seattle.

Practices for Late Summer

Late Summer is almost gone...

While its still here:

Go apple picking

Do a gratitude meditation - focus on all that you are grateful for or spend a few minutes at the end of each day feeling gratitude for specific people, events or moments.

Take a long slow walk outside, really taking in and savoring all that you smell, see, hear.

Bake a pie or crisp - share it with loved ones.

Slow down and let the magic of life and Nature feed you.

Let pear juice run down your wrist as you take a sweet bite.

Have an acupuncture treatment to facilitate balance and being in harmony with Late Summer.

For more information see The Center for Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in Seattle.

Late Summer

Aaahhh! Late Summer! A sweet time! The harvest is flowing in - plums, pears, & apples are literally falling from the trees. Tomatoes are popping off the vines. Blackberries are sweet and abundant, slipped warm from a branch into our mouths. The earth is feeding us.

Chinese philosophy recognizes five seasons - Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer, and Late Summer. It is Late Summer in Seattle right now. The heat of Summer is gone - the earth is cooling and Nature is pouring forth a great harvest.

The energy of Late Summer exists in each of us. When it is in balance we truly receive. We feel nourished & satisfied with our lives and the abundance that we have. There is a sense of gratitude for our health, family, and friends. We feel delighted with life!

For more information see The Center for Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in Seattle.

Practices for Summer

Celebrate! Take advantage of the natural enthusiasm of the Summer and do things that bring you Joy.

Play! Join a team, get on a swing, paddle a boat, laugh with friends, build a sand castle, play hopscotch and blow bubbles.

Work from the Heart. Recall your passions and express yourself from your Heart in everything that you do.

Notice the unique fragrance and presentation of the flowers in bloom. Let yourself blossom and show yourself to the world. See the beauty in those around you.

Rise early in the morning.

Connect with people you may not have seen in awhile. Reach out to neighbors and extend yourself just a little further than you might in cooler months.

Eat summer fruits - raspberries, blueberries, cherries. Focus on what is fresh and growing near you.

For more information see The Center for Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in Seattle.

Summer Lovin'

Summer is here in Seattle. The rapid rising of Spring has given way to the full energy of Summer. The days are long and plants are maturing rapidly. Small fruits will ripen soon; larger fruits are growing and maturing. The tall trees are in full leaf - able to gather huge amounts of energy from the sun. Early summer flowers are in bloom and many plants are buzzing with bees carrying information from flower to flower - connecting them all together.

There is a tremendous amount of energy available right now - this is a great time of year to rise early and get going with the day. If you rested well in the Winter, and sprouted your vision and laid plans in the Spring, Summer is the time to busily fulfill your vision. Its a time of action. Its also time to play and be with loved ones. The warm weather brings people out onto porches, balconies, and into parks. Socializing and connecting with friends and neighbors is a natural activity.

Living in a place where Summer is often short makes it all the more important to really fill up on sunshine, fun, love, and play.

For more information see The Center for Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in Seattle.

Spring!

Its clearly Spring here in Seattle! Plants are growing inches a day and nature is busy. The deep rest of winter has given way to a flurry of activity. It is happening inside of us, too. If we are well and in balance it is natural to rise early, to lay plans for the coming year. We look into the future and see a clear vision for our lives. Its time to launch ideas that have been gestating. Favorite springtime activities include:

A visioning exercise - create a vision board - a collage of images that embody your dreams and plans for the future.

A deep spring clean, internally with a cleanse, or externally in your space.

Trying a new activity, joining a class, or stretching into something you have never done before.

Making decisions and moving forward in any areas of life where you have felt stuck.

Happy Spring!!

For more information see The Center for Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in Seattle

Late Winter

It is late Winter here in Seattle.  The first bulbs are flowering and buds are beginning to swell on the trees.  All of a sudden the days are lengthening - in fact the rate of change speeds up this time of year - it is getting light faster!  You can feel that the energy is starting to change.  

There is caution needed this time of year.  Although things are changing quickly, it is still winter.  Professor Cheng, the great Chinese physician and T'ai Chi Master, used to caution that this is the time of year when many people get sick because they do not keep warm.  The earth is still quite cold.  Just sit down on the grass and you will feel it!  I often see people with the flu this time of year and sometimes ending up with pneumonia or a bad sinus infection.  It is time to use energy wisely.  Sleep as much as your body needs.  Be inside in the evening.  Let small projects begin to flower, but keep ambition in check.  Spring is coming, and with it plenty of energy and momentum.

For more information see The Center for Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in Seattle.