Is Anger A Bad Thing?

Exploring The Role Of Anger

I have learnt through bitter experience the one supreme lesson to conserve my anger, and as heat conserved is transmuted into energy, even so our anger controlled can be transmuted into a power which can move the world.  --Mahatma Gandhi

Last week I wrote a little about the energy of the Wood element as defined by the concept of Chinese medicine.  I spoke of how the qualities of Wood energy manifest within the human body in the form of the Liver, Gallbladder and Eyes.

Assuming that everything in the material world around us is influenced by consciousness, and in turn expresses consciousness, I would like to talk about the role of anger today, which is associated with Liver/Gallbladder consciousness.

In the Chinese concept of medicine, Liver consciousness is all about planning and organization. It processes and stores experiences in our connective tissue so we can remember our lessons.  It generates anger to alert us to an invasion of our boundaries.

The Gallbladder consciousness is all about decisions and motivation.  It is the catalyst which gets us moving from the planning stage to activity.  It releases anger along with the bile to give us the courage and confidence to act on those plans.  And it regulates the strength and flexibility of our tendons, which reflects the way we perceive life.

Viewed within this system, the energy of anger is a natural, healthy emotion that keeps us moving on our path.

Only when it is denied expression does anger turn pathological, giving rise to resentment.

Think about a time in your life when you have pushed your anger down.  Explore how that felt.  Is there any resentment there?  Where do you think that resentment has gone?  Is it taking up space in your tissues somewhere in your body?

Now picture a stream.  The water is flowing pretty well and at an even pace.

Now picture that a beaver has moved in and built a dam.  And now the stream has changed it's course a little in order to keep flowing.  You can think of the beaver dam as your resentment.  It is an obstruction which is causing a blockage in the flow of your energy.  Your body may compensate for this, by redirecting the flow of energy.  But how many obstacles are there, causing slow downs and redirecting your energy flow?  Is your body experiencing a traffic jam?

The Blood follows the Qi

The Qi follows the Thought

The Thought follows the Spirit

The Spirit follows the Tao

Qi (pronounce chee) is the energy we've been talking about.  And Spirit is consciousness.  The Tao (pronounce Dow to rhyme with "now") is defined as the unconditional and unknowable source and guiding principle of all reality; the process of  nature.  It is the absolute principle underlying the universe and is in harmony with natural law, called God or Source Energy by some.

If the blood follows the Qi that would mean that the unobstructed energy flow is very important to the function of your body.  So it would seem like a really good idea to identify and clear out those obstructions to get your energy flowing as it was meant to.  You can think of a BodyTalk session like a Spring cleaning, where we sort through and identify what emotions, and perceptions are just taking up space.  I can help you shift that stuff.

We take on so much in our experience of living.

If you'd like a Spring cleaning to clear out those obstructions and get your energy flowing the way it was meant to, send me a message using the contact form in the side bar at the top of this page.

Wood Element

Seasonal Influences: Wood Element

Today's topic is Wood Element, the influence of Spring.

Spring has arrived for most of us.  She seems to rise up out of the ground, up through the trunks of trees and through the soles of our feet.

She tiptoes in tentatively in her green and floral garments with the freshness of new life.  Speaking the language of birdsong, buzzing bee, and wind.  Her influences over the land are obvious as seeds burst through the ground, birds break free of eggs, and new life begins. 

There is a lot of movement this time of year and expansion as Spring stretches herself, spreading her influence and permeating the land.

And we feel this too, and our bodies respond, as the consciousness of Spring awakens in each of us.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Spring is associated with the Element of Wood, which is linked to Wind, movement, expansion, birth and growth.  Those qualities express themselves within the human body in the form of the Liver, the Gallbladder, and the Eyes.  The consciousness of Wood relates to the Soul and to the storage of all experiences.

So what does that mean to you?  The Five Chinese Elements are concepts used to help us relate to what’s going on within the body.  The balance of Elements is a way of maintaining the delicate balance of energies within the body-mind complex.

In the cycle of energy associated with the 5 Elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wood feeds Fire Energy and controls Earth Energy, which would relate to feeding your spirit, your joy, the deep wisdom of your heart,  while keeping you from too much worry and confusion.

Wood Energy in turn,  is fed by the Element of Water, but it is controlled by the Metal Element.

To give an example, let’s just say you have an imbalance of not enough Wood Energy.  This might affect your ability to expand your perception, or it may affect your ability to make decisions, etc.  One way to balance that might be with more Water Energy because Water feeds and nourishes Wood.  Or maybe it’s a matter of too much Metal cutting off your Wood Energy.

These imbalances can be addressed in a BodyTalk session, where your body reveals what type of an imbalance it has, in other words, whether it's a matter of too much or not enough of said Wood Element, and how we will proceed within the session.

With BodyTalk we use consciousness to find the story behind the imbalance and to shift perceptions within the body-mind, which in turn causes the body to reset itself and to make the adjustments it needs to re-establish balance.

Equilibrium

The Summer holiday is over and we're at that in between season where the weather is still mostly fine.  In the Pacific North West we have misty mornings and mellow sunshine afternoons, with spectacular sunsets.

Let's take a moment to reflect.  I invite you to take a breath with me and  bring your awareness into your body. 

What is the very first thing you notice? 

Is it a sensation, or a pain, or an emotion?  Or are you deeply relaxed?

Acknowledge what you're feeling and then take a deep, full, relaxed breath.

So how was your Summer?  Was it restful?  Was it busy?  Did you have some fun?  Take a few moments to breath in the scents and memories of what Summer means to you.

And now come fully into the present moment.  How does that feel?  What sensations are you feeling in your body, when your awareness is fully in this present moment?  Is it different than when you were reflecting upon your memory of Summer?  And if so, in what way?

That short exercise was meant to bring you into an awareness of your Experience of Yourself.  How did you do?  Did you get any insights?  Were you made aware of anything you may not have been noticing?  If nothing else, you just meditated for a few minutes…and that in itself is very rejuvenating.

During this Season consider taking the opportunity to realign yourself.  To come into balance and find center.  Equilibrium.  Stability.

In Chinese Medicine, the Summer season is affiliated with the Fire Element and the Earth Element is aligned with this in-between season.  The season known as Late Summer.  This season of harvest, and abundance.  Still productive. Not quite Autumn.  This allows the opportunity to Earth the energy of the Fire Element, storing it to see you through the colder seasons.

This is a great time to align yourself seasonally with the Earth, and follow Her example as She comes into balance.  To Ground the Creative Fire Energy and bring it to Earth within yourself.  So you may be productive and create a state of balance and stability within yourself.

In that state of Balance you have clarity.  You have breathing space.  You have deep reserves from which to draw upon.  There you will find wisdom and peace.

Enjoy Your Quest.