Wood Element-Spring
"In Spring people should rise early with the sun, and take brisk walks."— Nei Ching
During the spring the Will of the winter is aroused and given direction, a sense of purpose. The Wood phase of the Five Element Cycle is supported by the Liver who ensures a smooth, even flow of Qi and blood throughout the bodymind. Strong, smoothly flowing Liver energy can be encouraged during the Wood phase by permitting ourselves to express our anger appropriately as it arises (shouting in the forest, chopping wood, other suggestions?), as well as beginning those new projects, nutritionally cleansing, and spending more time outdoors!
Wood gives us a vision of the future and the energy, determination and motivation to move towards it. Self-assertion and the ability to put up appropriate boundaries. Out of balance: frustration, depression, boredom, hopelessness, and lack of motivation. Meridians of Liver and Gall Bladder.
COMPASSION, KINDNESS, DECISIVNESS, APPROPRIATE ANGER, WILL TO BECOME, SELF-ASSERTION, MOTIVATION, RESPNSIBILITY, CONFIDENCE, COMMITMENT, DIRECTION.These are all gifts of Wood in balance.
Spring is a time of yin growing into yang. Like the Wood element of spring, wood itself in the Spring is wet from the hibernation of Winter’s snow, but drying out day by day with the increasing warmth and light of the sun. As the wood in the forests, so are we drying out, stretching our winter-bound muscles and planting the seeds of new projects that have surfaced from our deep Winter storage.
SEASON: Spring
ORGAN: Liver (yin) 1-3pm Gallbladder (yang) 11pm-1am
DIRECTION: East
COLOUR: Green
SOUND: Shouting
EMOTION: Anger/Will to become
ODOUR: Rancid
TASTE: Sour
ORIFICE: Eyes
SENSE ORGAN: Eyes
FLUID: Tears
CLIMATE: Wind
PLANET: Jupiter/Uranus
QUALITY: Decision making/Planning/Action
GOVERNING BODY PART: Muscles/Tendons
INDICATING BODY PART: Nails/Hands&feet
HIGHEST EXPRESSION: Benevolence
SPIRIT: Ethereal Soul (Hun)
SPRING FOODS
Wheat, peaches, fowl, sprouts, fruit & veggie juices, young spring greens, dandelions, nettles, basil, fennel, marjoram, rosemary, dill, bay leaf are all Wood nourishing foods. Begin to eat more raw foods and start to cook food for shorter times.Sprouts and other "light" foods encourage quickness and outward movement of the Wood phase in general.
Doing a Liver Cleanse ANY time during the Spring is always a great idea! Our livers are just waiting for the abundance ofdandelions blossoming during this time.
SPRING HERBS
Nettles – blood purifier, high in chlorophyll,iron, vitamin C, trace minerals, diuretic, tonic, skin cleanser & liver tonic
Dandelion root & leaf- greens are high invitamin A; roots are a kidney & blood cleanser, liver cleanser & tonic,diuretic.
Great for congested liver.
Sassafras bark- blood purifier, skin & jointcleanser, cleanses the whole system
Burdock –bitter, diuretic, skin & bloodpurifier, great for liver and skin conditions
Yellow Dock –blood cleanser, promotes bileflow, stimulates bowel & liver
Simmer 1 tbsp. Root/bark in 1 cup waterfor 15-20 min.Steep 1tbsp. Leaves in 1 cup water for 10min.
ESSENTIAL OILS
Lavender: self expression, insomnia, nervous tension, palpitations, skin imbalances
Bergamot: uplifting, relaxing, releasing, digestive stimulant, colic, urinary infections
Chamomile: calmative, digestive stimulant, nourishes solar plexus, pms relief, clears heat
Everlasting: unblocks emotions, colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, allergies
Grapefruit: lymphatic decongestant, astringent, cooling, cleansing, reviving
Yarrow: diuretic, healing, protecting, flues, fever, urinary antiseptic.
SPRING OIL BLEND:
6 DROPS LAVENDER OIL,
4 DROPS BERGAMOT OIL,
2 DROPS GRAPEFRUIT OIL IN 1 OUNCE OF CARRIER OIL (GRAPESEED, SWEET ALMOND)
USE IN BATH, DIFFUSER, OR AS BODY OIL.
