Wood/Life
Image: Green Spiral
Season: Spring
Sound: Shhh – Helps release anger, soothe the liver and promote flow
Calling Sound
Negative Emotion: Anger, Negativity, Frustration
Positive Emotion: Patience, Altruism – selfless acts of kindness, Feeling Complete, Compassion, Oneness
Agriculture: Sprouting
Environmental Factor: Wind
Direction: Centre – Here and now
Virtue: Kindness
Animal: Tiger – The General
Sense Organ: Eyes
Taste: Sour
Organ Yin: Gall Bladder
Time: 1-3am
Organ Yang : Liver
Time 11pm-1am
Body Tissue: Sinews/joints/ tendons and ligaments
Body System: Nerves
Finger: Thumb
Energy Pattern: Generating
Spring is the Wood/Life Element
Spring is the time to clear the dampness of winter.
As spring kicks in the liver and gall bladder become most active, they contain alkalising properties which increase the flow of qi/energy and blood around the body.
In winter we become more sedentary, the blood vessels contract and we move inward, giving us time to self-reflect on the past year and begin to decide what we want create for ourselves, it is a yin season.
In spring the liver and gall bladder work their strongest to clean out the damp of the winter season. This spirit/alkaline energy tends to spiral upward, giving the name “wood” like a tree branching out and reaching up to the universe.
It is very important to relax and stay calm for the liver not to become over-heated, try to let go of those repetitive thoughts – meditate, breathe; use a positive, repetitive mantra.
The liver feeds your body 2 litres of bile every day ensuing a free flow of energy throughout the body; the gall bladder stores the bile. Our blood passes through the liver every two hours, keeping the blood clean.
If the liver and gall bladder are depleted you may feel dull, lethargic, depressed and angry!! You become more acidic, giving the body tension and inflammation.
Once you spring these organs into action you will feel a sense of liberation, connectedness, calmness and expansion. You will have the sense of a free spirit!!
In winter we tend to do less (reduce yang) and self-reflect more (increase yin), we think about where we have been and what we have done and start to plan a new beginning. You could see this as tilling the soil and preparing the seed for the growth and new beginnings of spring.
Imbibe all aspects of spring, the warm sunshine and cool air becoming slightly warmer, new life – birth of animals, the scent of the colourful flowers blossoming, observing the sprouts rising from the earth, whatever spring means to you. This will already begin to balance your wood energy.
Wood is the fifth element that is created by the other four elements coming together. Wood gives life to create life/wood.
About the Liver and Gall Bladder:
The Liver sits in the lower right rib cage and covers its entire space from back, outside to inside, in fact it goes a little further than the upper inside of the rib cage it sits in the centre just under the meeting of the two lower ribs.
The gall bladder should reside just inside the bottom centre of the liver, but it slips out of place due to prolapse and slouching into the solar plexus (between the apex of the lower ribs and navel), which you may be doing as you read this post, so lift up from your sit bones reach up to the crown of the head!
Slouching and folding forward in the solar plexus causes many digestive issues such as: excessive belching, acid reflux to inconsistent defecation. It is pretty much the cause of about 90% of all ailments in the human body as it also puts the pH out of balance, confuses mind, body balance. Such as swinging from anxiety to depression, lethargy to constant movement and so much more.
If we still swung from trees all of this would lift back into place, so every time you pass monkey bars in a playground, have a swing from bar to bar.
The liver tends to make more alkaline substances to cleanse your body; it is this natural substance that also makes us feel naturally high. The liver is seen as spirit, when in a state of good health, it allows you to feel light, clear and enthusiastic, giving you a sense of expansion and connection, a sense of spirit.
Drinking alcohol wipes out the liver’s ability to create its own natural alkaline substance, it destroys the liver. Regular intake of alcohol will weaken the liver, it wipes out your spirit because the liver thinks it does not need to make its own natural alcohols. You lose that sense of expansion, instead feeling depressed and or angry. Good news though!! Your liver is the easiest organ in your body to repair, so make yourself a cup of dandelion leaf tea to cleanse it, St Mary’s Milk thistle to rebuild it.
In the physical body, the element of Wood governs the inner legs, groin, diaphragm, eyes, eyebrows and lashes, thumb, tendons, ligaments, sinews, connective tissue, nails, small muscles that move joints, peripheral nerves, vagina and labia, penis and scrotum. Bile and tears are the fluids governed by The Wood Element
Eat alkalising foods: It is always recommended to eat organic, seasonal foods and sometimes it is difficult to know what they are due to our easy access to food from all over the world. The best way to know the seasonal food is grow your own organic food or speak to a local spray free grower.
Enjoy a balance of raw and lightly cooked vegetables in spring.
Warm water with lemon with warm water is great first thing in the morning to boost the flow of bile or apple cider vinegar, please note lemon only has an alkalising effect first thing in the morning before you eat. Once you eat stomach acids are activated for the day. You may alternate or prefer to drink a tablespoon of mother apple cider vinegar in a cup of water.
Lots of alkalizing foods throughout the day such as sprouts, which also contain lots of protein, bitter dark green leaves in the way of sorrel and rocket and yummy celery sticks to snack on, try some baby beets and asparagus too. Snack on the more alkalizing nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts, brazil nuts and almonds.
Herb: Always consult with your health practitioner before taking herbs. Liver herbs are often not good taken with blood thinners.
Dandelion leaf tea a liver cleanser is lovely to sip through the day and can be drunk regularly, pick the weeds from your garden and gently simmer for a couple of minutes or put them in your salad or eat as soon as you pick them when they are full of prana. Always choose the dandelion that has one stem with one flower growing from it (not stems that branch out from the one stem).
St Mary's Milk Thistle is an excellent liver builder, avoid dairy products for full benefits.
Schisandra protects the liver from oxidative stress, it assists in tonifying, strengthening the liver
With liver problems it is best to first cleanse, then nourish and then strengthen.
Asanas: practice twists to massage and strengthen the liver, squeezing out the build-up and helping to release the bile. Twists will strengthen the liver
Side bends will draw the energy into the liver and open the meridians of the liver and gall bladder; they also open all the organs to receive the flow of blood and qi/energy, simultaneously squeezing the opposite organs to release the chemistry into the blood stream as well as pushing out any waste build up.
Back arches help to detoxify the body and open you into renewed spring energy and confidence. Back arches open you up to the world
Boat pose (navasana) seated - raising the legs straight and holding onto the toes also helps to strengthen the liver.
Uddiyana bandha (abdominal lift) if practiced correctly prevents prolapse of the organs especially the gall bladder, it deeply massages the liver, and lifts your spirit.
Pranayama: Prana runs along our nerves so remaining calm is of utmost important, so focus plenty on the breath.
When you breathe begin the in and out breath soft and gentle enabling a longer deeper breath, as you inhale expand into; your lower belly, solar plexus and chest. Exhale longer than you inhale, gently pulling in below, behind and above the navel (make sure you get that lower belly) this will to keep you calm.
Shhh Breath: Rock side to side 9x with eyes gazing down toward the liver with love, Spiral hands over the liver 9x. Interlace fingers, inhale, raise arms above head, lean to left a little and release with sound shhh, release anger resentment and unkindness. Release hands down, rock side to side; look down to earth forgive, forget, let go of; anger, jealousy, frustration, give this to earth mother with love and as nourishment.
Radiate hands around liver, open the heart send love, joy, gratitude into the liver, then activate liver and gall bladder with kindness and generosity.
It is believed to help regulate the liver and promote the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body.
This exercises is from Mantak Chia, there is one in every element
https://youtu.be/4_jq5tfOm0w?si=5rhfXAEg1VLPZLSc
Liver breath Inhale gently expanding the liver (covering the entire right rib cage front to back, side to side top and bottom), then exhale gently squeezing the liver. Repeat 5-10 times
Nadi Shodhana: Sit in a relaxed upright position and with your right hand place your pointer finger on the inside corner of the right brow, the index finger on the left brow and the middle finger on ajna chakra.
Close the right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left nostril for the count of 4 then block the left nostril with the little finger and hold the breath and relax for the count of 4.
Open the right nostril and exhale for the count of 4, immediately inhale right nostril for count of 4 then close the right nostril hold and relax for the count of 4, release the left nostril and exhale the count of 4. Continue for as long as you can.
The nostril you breathe out of is the nostril you breathe back into, and then you change. Ensuring the belly expands on the in-breath and gently squeezes on the out breath. This exercise clears your main Pranic/energy channels and helps to balance the left/right brain, mind/body and ignites ajna chakra.
Nadi Shodhana Cleanse
Block the right nostril and breath rapidly – inhale let the belly naturally expand then exhale push the belly back toward the spine with a little force. Ensure your belly breath is working below the navel as well as above, if you only breathe above the navel, you will be pulsing the adrenals and pulling the gall bladder down.
Practice 108 breaths if you can then change to the right nostril.
Not to be practised rapidly if out have high blood pressure, peptic ulcer or heart imbalance
Visualisation: Picture your liver and gall bladder in perfect health (truly believe your visualisation then it will work).
The idea is to feel energy spiralling upward throughout your body as you expel the winter damp, allowing a free flow of energy.
Meditation: Sit with the spine as straight as possible, close your eyes, allow yourself to breathe naturally, allow your body and mind to relax. The essential emotion for the liver is calmness. Fold your middle finger and ring finger into the palm of your hand and wrap your thumb over these two fingers. The pinkie and pointer fingers are straight.
Think of or visualise the colour green, embody all aspects of spring, the warm sunshine, the cool air, new animal and plant life, the scent of the colourful flowers blossoming. As you sit with yourself consider what you would like for yourself to spring into action; see it, feel it and imagine you are in it, create a new pattern for yourself.
When you feel you have nailed that visualisation via your feelings think about what pattern you need to dissolve all that may be blocking this. Start making the sound sh, you can sound it out loud or silently depending on how you are feeling and where you are. When you feel you have it has dissolved feel your new intention arise again.
Try to practice this meditation for 15 minutes or longer, if time is limited 5 minutes is also fine. Keep your new intention in mind, especially digesting at meal times and day dreaming times.
Massage: place your hand on the outside lower left ribcage and massage in circular movements all the way across to the outside of lower right ribcage, change hands move back to the left rib cage. Practice up to 36 rounds; this is especially beneficial if you are awake between the hours of 11pm-3am.
Lifestyle: eat natural foods, chew properly – to mush; the less you chew the more acid the stomach releases to break food down, the liver has to counteract this acid; if you make the liver over work, it becomes sluggish and this is when anger, depression and anxiety hits you.
Stay calm and remove yourself from stressful situations, chew your food properly, let go of repetitive patterns, get into clean ocean or forest air, practice yoga postures, breathe, meditate, do everything that gives YOU a sense of lightness and calmness.
When there is too much acid the nerves become fried creating stress and inhibiting the flow of prana/energy/qi through the body. Too much acid also burns the digestive tract, especially the small and large intestines and thickens the blood creating blockages and many diseases.
Take 5 minutes here and there through the day to focus on calmness, breathe deep and smile into the liver to keep it healthy.
Alkalising is essential to health.
“Most of all let go of resentment and move into acceptance”
Image: Green Spiral
Season: Spring
Sound: Shhh – Helps release anger, soothe the liver and promote flow
Calling Sound
Negative Emotion: Anger, Negativity, Frustration
Positive Emotion: Patience, Altruism – selfless acts of kindness, Feeling Complete, Compassion, Oneness
Agriculture: Sprouting
Environmental Factor: Wind
Direction: Centre – Here and now
Virtue: Kindness
Animal: Tiger – The General
Sense Organ: Eyes
Taste: Sour
Organ Yin: Gall Bladder
Time: 1-3am
Organ Yang : Liver
Time 11pm-1am
Body Tissue: Sinews/joints/ tendons and ligaments
Body System: Nerves
Finger: Thumb
Energy Pattern: Generating
Spring is the Wood/Life Element
Spring is the time to clear the dampness of winter.
As spring kicks in the liver and gall bladder become most active, they contain alkalising properties which increase the flow of qi/energy and blood around the body.
In winter we become more sedentary, the blood vessels contract and we move inward, giving us time to self-reflect on the past year and begin to decide what we want create for ourselves, it is a yin season.
In spring the liver and gall bladder work their strongest to clean out the damp of the winter season. This spirit/alkaline energy tends to spiral upward, giving the name “wood” like a tree branching out and reaching up to the universe.
It is very important to relax and stay calm for the liver not to become over-heated, try to let go of those repetitive thoughts – meditate, breathe; use a positive, repetitive mantra.
The liver feeds your body 2 litres of bile every day ensuing a free flow of energy throughout the body; the gall bladder stores the bile. Our blood passes through the liver every two hours, keeping the blood clean.
If the liver and gall bladder are depleted you may feel dull, lethargic, depressed and angry!! You become more acidic, giving the body tension and inflammation.
Once you spring these organs into action you will feel a sense of liberation, connectedness, calmness and expansion. You will have the sense of a free spirit!!
In winter we tend to do less (reduce yang) and self-reflect more (increase yin), we think about where we have been and what we have done and start to plan a new beginning. You could see this as tilling the soil and preparing the seed for the growth and new beginnings of spring.
Imbibe all aspects of spring, the warm sunshine and cool air becoming slightly warmer, new life – birth of animals, the scent of the colourful flowers blossoming, observing the sprouts rising from the earth, whatever spring means to you. This will already begin to balance your wood energy.
Wood is the fifth element that is created by the other four elements coming together. Wood gives life to create life/wood.
About the Liver and Gall Bladder:
The Liver sits in the lower right rib cage and covers its entire space from back, outside to inside, in fact it goes a little further than the upper inside of the rib cage it sits in the centre just under the meeting of the two lower ribs.
The gall bladder should reside just inside the bottom centre of the liver, but it slips out of place due to prolapse and slouching into the solar plexus (between the apex of the lower ribs and navel), which you may be doing as you read this post, so lift up from your sit bones reach up to the crown of the head!
Slouching and folding forward in the solar plexus causes many digestive issues such as: excessive belching, acid reflux to inconsistent defecation. It is pretty much the cause of about 90% of all ailments in the human body as it also puts the pH out of balance, confuses mind, body balance. Such as swinging from anxiety to depression, lethargy to constant movement and so much more.
If we still swung from trees all of this would lift back into place, so every time you pass monkey bars in a playground, have a swing from bar to bar.
The liver tends to make more alkaline substances to cleanse your body; it is this natural substance that also makes us feel naturally high. The liver is seen as spirit, when in a state of good health, it allows you to feel light, clear and enthusiastic, giving you a sense of expansion and connection, a sense of spirit.
Drinking alcohol wipes out the liver’s ability to create its own natural alkaline substance, it destroys the liver. Regular intake of alcohol will weaken the liver, it wipes out your spirit because the liver thinks it does not need to make its own natural alcohols. You lose that sense of expansion, instead feeling depressed and or angry. Good news though!! Your liver is the easiest organ in your body to repair, so make yourself a cup of dandelion leaf tea to cleanse it, St Mary’s Milk thistle to rebuild it.
In the physical body, the element of Wood governs the inner legs, groin, diaphragm, eyes, eyebrows and lashes, thumb, tendons, ligaments, sinews, connective tissue, nails, small muscles that move joints, peripheral nerves, vagina and labia, penis and scrotum. Bile and tears are the fluids governed by The Wood Element
Eat alkalising foods: It is always recommended to eat organic, seasonal foods and sometimes it is difficult to know what they are due to our easy access to food from all over the world. The best way to know the seasonal food is grow your own organic food or speak to a local spray free grower.
Enjoy a balance of raw and lightly cooked vegetables in spring.
Warm water with lemon with warm water is great first thing in the morning to boost the flow of bile or apple cider vinegar, please note lemon only has an alkalising effect first thing in the morning before you eat. Once you eat stomach acids are activated for the day. You may alternate or prefer to drink a tablespoon of mother apple cider vinegar in a cup of water.
Lots of alkalizing foods throughout the day such as sprouts, which also contain lots of protein, bitter dark green leaves in the way of sorrel and rocket and yummy celery sticks to snack on, try some baby beets and asparagus too. Snack on the more alkalizing nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts, brazil nuts and almonds.
Herb: Always consult with your health practitioner before taking herbs. Liver herbs are often not good taken with blood thinners.
Dandelion leaf tea a liver cleanser is lovely to sip through the day and can be drunk regularly, pick the weeds from your garden and gently simmer for a couple of minutes or put them in your salad or eat as soon as you pick them when they are full of prana. Always choose the dandelion that has one stem with one flower growing from it (not stems that branch out from the one stem).
St Mary's Milk Thistle is an excellent liver builder, avoid dairy products for full benefits.
Schisandra protects the liver from oxidative stress, it assists in tonifying, strengthening the liver
With liver problems it is best to first cleanse, then nourish and then strengthen.
Asanas: practice twists to massage and strengthen the liver, squeezing out the build-up and helping to release the bile. Twists will strengthen the liver
Side bends will draw the energy into the liver and open the meridians of the liver and gall bladder; they also open all the organs to receive the flow of blood and qi/energy, simultaneously squeezing the opposite organs to release the chemistry into the blood stream as well as pushing out any waste build up.
Back arches help to detoxify the body and open you into renewed spring energy and confidence. Back arches open you up to the world
Boat pose (navasana) seated - raising the legs straight and holding onto the toes also helps to strengthen the liver.
Uddiyana bandha (abdominal lift) if practiced correctly prevents prolapse of the organs especially the gall bladder, it deeply massages the liver, and lifts your spirit.
Pranayama: Prana runs along our nerves so remaining calm is of utmost important, so focus plenty on the breath.
When you breathe begin the in and out breath soft and gentle enabling a longer deeper breath, as you inhale expand into; your lower belly, solar plexus and chest. Exhale longer than you inhale, gently pulling in below, behind and above the navel (make sure you get that lower belly) this will to keep you calm.
Shhh Breath: Rock side to side 9x with eyes gazing down toward the liver with love, Spiral hands over the liver 9x. Interlace fingers, inhale, raise arms above head, lean to left a little and release with sound shhh, release anger resentment and unkindness. Release hands down, rock side to side; look down to earth forgive, forget, let go of; anger, jealousy, frustration, give this to earth mother with love and as nourishment.
Radiate hands around liver, open the heart send love, joy, gratitude into the liver, then activate liver and gall bladder with kindness and generosity.
It is believed to help regulate the liver and promote the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body.
This exercises is from Mantak Chia, there is one in every element
https://youtu.be/4_jq5tfOm0w?si=5rhfXAEg1VLPZLSc
Liver breath Inhale gently expanding the liver (covering the entire right rib cage front to back, side to side top and bottom), then exhale gently squeezing the liver. Repeat 5-10 times
Nadi Shodhana: Sit in a relaxed upright position and with your right hand place your pointer finger on the inside corner of the right brow, the index finger on the left brow and the middle finger on ajna chakra.
Close the right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left nostril for the count of 4 then block the left nostril with the little finger and hold the breath and relax for the count of 4.
Open the right nostril and exhale for the count of 4, immediately inhale right nostril for count of 4 then close the right nostril hold and relax for the count of 4, release the left nostril and exhale the count of 4. Continue for as long as you can.
The nostril you breathe out of is the nostril you breathe back into, and then you change. Ensuring the belly expands on the in-breath and gently squeezes on the out breath. This exercise clears your main Pranic/energy channels and helps to balance the left/right brain, mind/body and ignites ajna chakra.
Nadi Shodhana Cleanse
Block the right nostril and breath rapidly – inhale let the belly naturally expand then exhale push the belly back toward the spine with a little force. Ensure your belly breath is working below the navel as well as above, if you only breathe above the navel, you will be pulsing the adrenals and pulling the gall bladder down.
Practice 108 breaths if you can then change to the right nostril.
Not to be practised rapidly if out have high blood pressure, peptic ulcer or heart imbalance
Visualisation: Picture your liver and gall bladder in perfect health (truly believe your visualisation then it will work).
The idea is to feel energy spiralling upward throughout your body as you expel the winter damp, allowing a free flow of energy.
Meditation: Sit with the spine as straight as possible, close your eyes, allow yourself to breathe naturally, allow your body and mind to relax. The essential emotion for the liver is calmness. Fold your middle finger and ring finger into the palm of your hand and wrap your thumb over these two fingers. The pinkie and pointer fingers are straight.
Think of or visualise the colour green, embody all aspects of spring, the warm sunshine, the cool air, new animal and plant life, the scent of the colourful flowers blossoming. As you sit with yourself consider what you would like for yourself to spring into action; see it, feel it and imagine you are in it, create a new pattern for yourself.
When you feel you have nailed that visualisation via your feelings think about what pattern you need to dissolve all that may be blocking this. Start making the sound sh, you can sound it out loud or silently depending on how you are feeling and where you are. When you feel you have it has dissolved feel your new intention arise again.
Try to practice this meditation for 15 minutes or longer, if time is limited 5 minutes is also fine. Keep your new intention in mind, especially digesting at meal times and day dreaming times.
Massage: place your hand on the outside lower left ribcage and massage in circular movements all the way across to the outside of lower right ribcage, change hands move back to the left rib cage. Practice up to 36 rounds; this is especially beneficial if you are awake between the hours of 11pm-3am.
Lifestyle: eat natural foods, chew properly – to mush; the less you chew the more acid the stomach releases to break food down, the liver has to counteract this acid; if you make the liver over work, it becomes sluggish and this is when anger, depression and anxiety hits you.
Stay calm and remove yourself from stressful situations, chew your food properly, let go of repetitive patterns, get into clean ocean or forest air, practice yoga postures, breathe, meditate, do everything that gives YOU a sense of lightness and calmness.
When there is too much acid the nerves become fried creating stress and inhibiting the flow of prana/energy/qi through the body. Too much acid also burns the digestive tract, especially the small and large intestines and thickens the blood creating blockages and many diseases.
Take 5 minutes here and there through the day to focus on calmness, breathe deep and smile into the liver to keep it healthy.
Alkalising is essential to health.
“Most of all let go of resentment and move into acceptance”
