The spirit of the seasons

According to Taoist philosophy and Chinese medicine, there is an emphasis on living in harmony with the natural rhythms of the seasons. One of the reasons for this thinking is that every season pertains to an element and is also said to have a spirit. When looking at the seasons in this way, we can see they affect our external environment, but they also impact us on an internal level.  What is transforming around us is a larger reflection of our own internal processes.  

There are five elements. One for each season, plus a fifth that represents the rest periods in between. The cycle goes something like this:

At the height of summer we have fire, these fires produce the ashes that become the earth. In late summer the earth begins to rest to prepare for Autumn and the element of metal. All metals are harvested from the earth.  Winter brings us into the depths of the water element. The water prepares us for the rebirth of spring and supplies nourishment to the roots of the wood element.  The wood then feeds the fire. Each element supports the one that comes after, creating harmony.  This is referred to as the productive cycle.  When this cycle is disrupted, there is a disharmony which can present itself as a physical, emotional or spiritual imbalance.  This same five elements theory is used in Feng Shui to evaluate the balance of elements within the home.

Now onto the spirit of each element! 

Fire houses the Shen*. Another word to describe this would be simply the spirit. If you think about the essence of fire, ascending or rising, it makes sense that this element pertains to the Shen* I like to think of it as our inner light. That sparkle in the eyes. Unwavering positivity and compassion.  We are all born with this, but shen* can also be cultivated through practices such as meditation, tai chi, yoga etc. Activities that reconnect you to your true essence. The fire element also pertains to the heart.

The spirit of the earth element is what is called Yi, or intention.  Proper thought. This is our center and pertains to the abdomen or in Chinese medicine the stomach and spleen. The polarity of proper thought is worry and most of us have experienced the physical pit in the stomach that comes with worry! With excessive worry, we can begin to experience digestive upsets or problems. The equinoxes and solstice periods are ruled by the earth element and it’s not uncommon to experience digestive upsets during those transitions.

The metal element is ruled by the Po or the corporeal soul.  That little voice inside you that offers guidance for the physical body. When you get feedback to rest, to eat, to exercise, that is the Po! It also represents the relationship between our physical being and our spiritual being.  Our physical being is the yin aspect, and our spiritual self the yang.  In balance, we are continually having exchanges between these two aspects of self and hear the wise words of the Po!

The lungs and the large intestine are ruled by the metal and we can see this function of communication in a more physical way. With the breath, we have that exchange with our environment. In that moment of stillness in between breaths, all possibilities are present, beginnings and endings.  The large intestine is responsible for assimilation and releasing that which is no longer needed. On an emotional level, both allow for acceptance and letting go.  

The water element houses the Zhi or willpower. I look at this as our inner water well or reserve. If our well is deep then we have plenty of resources, power to put behind our purpose.  If the well begins to run dry, it’s much harder for us to muster up the desire to manifest or do much of anything! In traditional Chinese medicine, the water element also pertains to the kidneys or the adrenals.  We live in a society where it’s very common to overwork, overstress, overtax our systems, which can also lead to complete fatigue or burnout.  The water is the what feeds the roots so it is important to nurture your reserves!

Finally we have the wood element which houses the Hun or our ancestral spirit. This pertains to the energy of our family lineage, and also gives us the capacity to plan and find a sense of purpose, develop our intuition and regulate our emotions. The liver/gallbladder are also associated with the wood element. When there is an imbalance here we can experience outbursts of anger or strong emotions, resentments or feeling stuck.

We are now at the time of the equinox and moving into the metal element.  In a way it is that space between inhale and exhale. A time to release the thrills of summer and begin to prepare for a quieter more introspective period.  Listen to the whispers of the Po! Allow yourself this time to release and renew.  Let your reserves restore in preparation for the water element that winter brings! 

Happy Equinox! 

www.blossomingspiritfengshui.com