'What pattern connects the crab to the lobster and the orchid to the primrose and all four of them to me? And me to you?' - Gregory Bateson
AWAKENINGS
Last night I returned from a short trip to England where I spent my free time at some of the most enchanting gardens on the North Devon coast.
Surrounded and engulfed by all the budding and bursting Chi, it was very easy to feel the various qualities of the Wood Element: its strong, upward-moving vital force, the vertical movements and its vast palette of greens.
After the long period of introspection during the Water phase of the winter the Wood energy makes it easy to once again feel optimistic, determined and energised. I even feel compelled to drag out my old, long forgotten membership card for the gym, spring-clean my house and myself, buy colourful clothes, walk with a spring in my step and smile at strangers on the streets.
Wood stands for expansion, for purpose, fervour and determination. The Wood in us inspires us to strive for higher goals, to face challenges with an optimistic mindset, to be brave and take action! It is the archetype of the Pioneer.
The Wood phase (spring) comes out of the Water phase (winter) and will expand into the Fire phase (summer). Now it is time to put our roots down, to grow and to flourish!
THE 5 ELEMENTS IN US
We all have an individual 5 Element make-up. Based on our birth date, time and place of birth our 5 Element profile tells us our birth Element and how it relates to the other four Elements.
Some of our Elements may be stronger than others (even overpowering), some may be weaker or even be missing initially in our chart. Which means life will nudge us to put some extra energy in developing the characteristics of the weak or missing Element!
In a perfect world all of our 5 Elements work perfectly together hand-in-hand. Which would resemble a perfect state of physical and emotional health! The same applies to our homes where all 5 Elements need to be represented and well placed in order to create a healthy Chi flow.
Our individual 'blueprint' of the 5 Elements says a lot about us: why we may be more emotional and artistic, for example, than our partner or sibling. Or perhaps react in a certain way which also slightly puzzles ourselves. Why we love certain colours or landscapes and dislike others.
It may also explain why during this time of spring a person with a strong Wood Element may feel slightly irritated (emotionally or physically - think of the irritation of a hay fever!) as the Wood energy will be enhanced and therefore be overpowering. (In TCM the Wood Element reigns over the liver and gallbladder. If those Elements are not in harmony we tend to over-react or may feel indecisive and confused).
THE 5 ELEMENTS IN OUR HOME
In Feng Shui we observe the interaction of the 5 Elements on the material and energetic level in a space: Are all Elements equally represented? What Element type of house are we dealing with? What Element type of landscape is the home surrounded by? Is there an over-emphasis of certain Elements, are certain Elements weak or missing? And how do the 5 Elements in the house relate to the 5 Element profile of our clients?
The 5 Elements form three cycles which either nourish each other or control or even block the other Elements. A thorough reading of the 5 Elements in us and around us give very important clues as to where we may be stuck and how to move the obstacle. It forms the basis for the Feng Shui analysis.
If you are curious about your own 5 Element profile, have a look HERE and click on the '5 Element report' icon for more information! This report will be calculated for you personally and gives you ±45 pages of valuable tips and information around your birth Element and how to use it to enhance your home and life.
If you feel physically or emotionally out of balance and live in or near Amsterdam, I highly recommend you pay a visit to my lovely colleague, Sandra Guy from www.heavenlystaracupuncture.com !