Transition into late Summer – Element of Earth!
– If your Earth Element is imbalanced every part of our being will suffer from lack of nourishment
So what is the Earth Elemental season?!
The Earth elemental season in TCM (traditional Chinese Medicine) is late summer into Autumn and is connected to the organs of our Spleen & Stomach.
This is a time to begin to let ourselves slow down, to return to (or find) our centre, find more grounding in our days, allow more rest and find deeper nourishment from food and self-care.
This is the season for finding the sweetness of life, we can enjoy the harvest of the summer, indulge in naturally sweet foods like fruit crumble! Seek fragrant sweet scents. You might actually naturally crave sweet foods now, especially if your life does not feel sweet enough! You might have more tension in shoulders, tightness, cramps or weakness in muscles, feel bloated, heavy, lower energy with more water retention.
Nourishing late summer wild black berries
If the Earth Element is out of balance, we may be prone to digestive disorders – poor appetite, bloating, weight gain and swinging between loose stools and constipation. The Earth element relates to issues of ‘dampness’ (humidity, heaviness, phlegm) which shows in the body as physical fatigue, mental fatigue, heavy lower body, sinus issues, and swelling.
How do you nourish your Earth Element?
Grounding, Stability, Nourishment, Coming Home to yourself.
The Stomach and Spleen are the organs most affected by what we consume – emotionally, mentally and through food, drink and breath!
Consider how you absorb nourishment: energetically, emotionally, physically and spiritually? Our stomach is the first place we will begin to feel and to hold emotional stress, it’s interesting how IBS is so prevalent these days.
An imbalance shows up as low motivation, poor concentration, indecision constantly worrying, over-thinking & ruminating on everything you need to do, perhaps replaying memories over and over.
Do you get stuck easily in looping negative thought patterns?
Do you bruise easily, have pale lips, live with irregular indigestion?
These could be signs that your grounding Earth Element is out of balance.
When your Earth Element is balanced, we are able to be more dependable, caring, compassionate and giving from a centred grounded place, rather from a place of depletion and self sacrifice/martyrdom. We have clear thought, clarity on choices, are able to easily take on self work with courage, to make a better life for ourself, moving towards your dreams and purpose with calmness, and to digest life with ease and contentedness.
A person who’s Earth Element is in need of some attention might say…
“I just can’t stomach it” …
“The ground was pulled out from under me” …
“I have to care for everyone else but nobody takes care of me” …
“I’m always hungry, nothing fills me up”
Tend to your Earth Element by eating seasonal foods like black berries, and making time to be with friends, family, communities, to share gratitude for the abundance of the harvest of late summer. Its a cultivating, nurturing time, heart felt insights, being in service, empathy, listening to understand.
