Earth - the season of "change".

​The Earth Element – Work It Now!!!!

• Element - Earth – Adapting To Change
• Yellow Square
• Change of season, especially between summer and autumn 
• Organs working the strongest in this season - Spleen, Stomach and Pancreas and Muscles, especially between 7-11am.
• Emotions related with organs - Panic, Anxiety, Worry, Overthinking OR Confidence, Strength and Stability
• Feeling grounded, connected to earth mother, feeling nurtured.

 
 
The Earth element kicks in at times of change whether it be in between seasons, especially the hot months into the cooler months and in life in general.  
 
There is a heck of a lot that going on at the moment for us and earth mother, not that we are separate, we are one entity!!  At this moment there is a lot of fear and instability, which can lead to strong feelings of anxiety, which creates confusion.  
 
Even more so as the stomach, spleen and pancreas can make these feelings emerge quite strongly if the organs are out of balance and at the change of season these organs stand at the forefront.  Now more than ever is the time to balance these organs, allowing them to benefit us rather than be ruled by unwanted emotions and events.  Let’s embrace confidence and stability allowing us to adapt to and create change to our advantage.
 
The spleen is a fist-sized organ that sits just under the diaphragm at the back of the left rib cage, behind the stomach.  If you make a fist with your left hand, (this is the size of the spleen) and touch it to the back of the lower left ribs you are probably on the spleen.   This organ releases b-lymphocytes that target virus and bacteria and mark them for destruction, it often does this before we even realise we have symptoms.  The spleen also controls our mucous (and to a great extent our blood) as we move through change, such as in-between seasons or changes in life, this change often involves a cold.
 
Our body induces fever, which encourages lymphocytes to release, killing off virus and bacteria.  The fever burns out our old mucosa lining and pulls a fresh new adapted lining through, especially when we are going through big change in life not just the seasons.  It is important not to lower your temperature at these times unless you are in a danger zone, as we need to keep our natural heating/cooling system working. This system is known as the hara/dantien/tanden, which is approximately 3 fingers below the navel and three fingers inward.  This is where we should put our focus in every yoga/tai chi/chi kung practice as it is where we build our prana/energy/qi/chi/life force.  
 
This energy centre is connected with the tiny lymph in the small intestine called the peyers patches, which heat the body to create fevers and release lymphocytes to kill bacteria and virus that enter the gut.  The hara/dantian build energy/qi in the body that helps heat the body and fight infection.  This area heats, cools, thickens and thins our blood at the most appropriate times for our actions and reactions, allowing us to respond in the way we wish to, so long as we are not always pulling on our adrenals above the navel, giving us the same old responses.  
 
Seeing’s as there is such a strong flu going around it really is important to focus on the hara and work the spleen, giving it strength to bring through anti-bodies.  It is also a time to keep the muscles strong giving you the stability and confidence you need in all aspects of life!  Focus on what you are feeding into your stomach and that you are chewing your food properly to avoid the stomach having to make excess acid, as this also creates anxiety as well as digestive problems.  
 
Do this and you will have lots of calm energy.  You will feel strong and confident, you will move through change much more easily and create change to your advantage.
 
The spleen loves the flavours of bitter sweet, foods such as a salad of bitter green leaves with some grapes.  Drink Swedish bitters as it has massive immune and healing properties and chase that down with a teaspoonful of the golden elixir, honey!! Mmmmm 
 
The spleen also needs earthy, yellow foods such as pumpkin, which is delicious when cooked with aduki beans that help to strengthen and balance the kidneys, mix that with a little kelp as well, and you help to strengthen and balance the thyroid.  Sounds like a couple of good remedies to me.  Eating yellow fruits and vegetables is the key, all the foods that are growing in your season in your place.
 
Foods to eat for spleen qi include:
·      lentils

• quinoa

·      oats
·      malted grain beverages
·      root vegetables including sweet potato and taro
·      pumpkin and other squash
·      miso soup
·      orange peels
·      mustard leaf
Foods to avoidFoods to avoid for spleen qi include:
·      refined sugar
·      refined grains
·      fried or salty foods
·      iced or refrigerated foods or drinks
·      dairy products
·      citrus fruits
·      pork
·      yeasty foods, such as beer or dough

• banana

 
Read more about spleen energy   https://www.acupuncturepathways.com/news/2017/7/27/the-earth-element-spleen-and-stomach

If you wish to join my February retreat which begins on the 25th to create peace and stability book in now, only one room left Twin or Single
 
I have put together a little spleen yoga class for you to practice at home as there are now many that understandably don’t want to share space at the moment.  See home page
 
 I have a private Facebook page now where I am offering 4 classes per month at a fee of $28.   At the moment the classes are focused on the chakra system, there are many more classes up.   If you wish to join the monthly classes please click the link below.