The Quiet Of Winter Builds Potential for Spring

At the beginning of the year, I began an in-depth study of the Element of Water with students and teachers of taiji and qigong.

It was an amazing exploration of a way of living that truly brings some equanimity and balance. 

We literally played in the felt sense of being water - releasing all tension and simply being held. It created a true sense of relaxation, or in our world "song." But we went beyond the physical and looked at the other aspects of ourselves honestly exploring how we can be held emotionally, mentally, energetically.

We live through difficulties and water simply teaches us to pause and listen. 

This gathers our energy. It gives it a space to be held, nurtured, like a fetus in the water of the womb. Simply practicing being.

If you were to drop into a container and had the ease and ability to take the shape of it, letting go completely, held and supported in peace, wouldn’t that be incredible? To be that trusting, relaxed and flexible? And not just physically, but letting go emotionally - letting go of worry, fear. Letting go of the mindless chatter the hooks the emotions and heartrate and blood pressure? Letting to go be bathed in trust. Trusting that things will work out. Being at peace knowing whatever happens, you’ll be held.

That is the power of taiji and qigong. 

I learn so much from students as we all shared the difficulties we face and how this element offers a salve through philosophy, meditation, and movement that touches the whole of us.

The potential we cultivate in winter, that little seed of will (Zhi), comes alive in the spring and the Element of Wood. Wood gives us the drive to live our potential! It creates a spark that lifts us! Brings sunlight and energy to organize, plan, and create the path to what we dreamed up. 

But we don't leave the lessons of Water behind when we are in the element of Wood. Water feeds wood and it keeps us grounded as we plan so that we don't forget our being as we are doing.

I hope you can join me for our next session of Broaden The Path: Spring and the Wood Element. Where we discover the power of being assertive, owning our space without aggression, anger, and imbalance.

A PRACTICE OF PAUSE
The lungs are a great place to practice letting go. Releasing with the exhale, our lungs teach us how to let go of worries, past experiences, financial concerns so that we can learn to hold ourselves in peace rather than fear.

Here's an acupressure point that you can use to stimulate the process of letting go. It's the first point on the lung meridian, but we find it more easily by beginning at Lung 2!

1. FIND LUNG 2: Lung 2 is just beneath the collarbone where it meets the bones of the shoulder. 

2. Reach your arm forward and your finger should sink into the point. That's when you know you have the right spot.

3. Measure one "cun," which is the width of your thumb, below the Lung 2 point. 

4. You are now on Lung 1! Press or massage for at least 1-3 minutes, simply breathing.

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