Does the title entice you, and bring out your curiosity? I hope so…thought I would share the elements of summer and how we can create joy in the season.
FIRE ELEMENT
On the 21st of June, we had the summer solstice here in the northern hemisphere. Creating the longest day of the year and the shortest night as we return to the light. Summer is the most yang season of the year, and it’s element is fire.
Remember fire is a powerful force that can be positive as well as negative [destructive]. Fire can scorch and burn us, and also awaken our pure potential for growth and expand the awareness of possiblities.
YIN ORGAN ~ HEART
Unlike other seasons, summer [fire] has four main organs associated with it. The main organ is our heart and it houses our spirit [or our Shen] and is responsible for housing our thoughts in our mind. In Chinese medicine, the heart is also considered the sun and supreme sovereign of the body. It coordinates all activity—physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
When the heart is in balance we are optimistic and enthusiastic about our life, and connect our actions to our heart. [compassion / kindess / love] We are creative and able to be expressive, creating depth in all our relationships. [vulnerable truth]
When the heart is out-of-balance we may find ourselves being impatient or uninspired, and have a strong tendancy to letting down our defenses. In other words, saying yes when we really desire to say no.
EMOTION ~ JOY
Qigong/Tai Chi practices enable us to shift and move our body’s chi so that it flows in a more natural, balanced way. Shen is the spirit of fire. It resides in our heart and is believed to rise in the summer months.
Even though love most nourishes the heart, the emotion associated with summer, is joy. When we are balanced in joy, we feel lighter, more connected with ourselves and others. Too much joy can lead to overstimulation, think of a someone who is scattered and tense with excitement.
So how then do you create a joyful summer? By listening to your heart, not your head. Saying no when it serves you—which will also be beneficial for others. How? Because when we say yes, we will be there 100% and not just have our bodies there why our mind is wishing we would of said no.
Be present. It all comes back to the gift of being present, following the flow of creativitity when it’s there, and resting when our body declares it.
Trust your intuition. When we know something in our heart, we are connected to a deeper part of our being. Try to engage in this deeper knowing, and take the time to listen to your inner voice.
Engage your senses. As summer brings with it a myriad of intense colors, sounds, and fragrances, make yourself available to the abundance all around you.
- Go outside in the grass barefooted and feel the textures that greet your feet.
- Go into the garden and listen intently to the sounds of the birds and crickets, or of children playing.
- Smell the flowers, the smells of summer, and take time to allow them in.
- Taste the fresh fruits and vegetables, and linger over their unique flavors.
Enjoy the playtime the season, making sure to create time to “de-stress” and take a few minutes for conscious breaths every day or maybe even a siesta nap. [I love those!] Let your heart lead you this summer into joy, and allow the mind to follow—not lead.
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