Today we invite you to embrace your Earth Element via self-care.  Take this quiz and download a tip sheet full of balancing superfoods, lifestyle suggestions and even an affirmation to start or refine the dynamic journey to the healthiest version of you as you discover your Elemental Constitution and begin your journey of re-wilding yourself back to source.

Click here for Elemental Wisdom Quiz

Clicking the grey ‘follow’ envelope above will deliver weekly health and wellness tips to your inbox via our weekly cultivating wellness blog.

We are dynamic beings.  We change.  We change under influences such as the seasons, life situation, and our current physical, mental, emotional and spiritual states and even the aging process.  Typically we have main constitution element and a secondary constitutional  (which may be the same or different as the main element). As we become more and more self aware and heal our imbalances, we will manifest and move more freely from one elemental state to the next during the natural generative cycle represented by the seasons.  Come back and take our quiz again in another iteration of yourself!

The 12/12 full moon illuminated our final earth transition phase for the year.  In Traditional Chinese Medicine the transitional time between the changing of the seasons, is referred to as the ‘Doyo’. Each season corresponds to a specific element and the seasonal transition periods relate to Earth element(click to read Return to the Earth post). As we approach the Winter Solstice (December 21), we are currently in the transitional period between Autumn to Winter from the end of Metal to the start of Water.

Earth element is the transitional time between the seasons.

The Earth element is associated with times of change throughout the year, which happen between each of the seasons around the two solstices and the two equinoxes.  Solstices and equinoxes are astronomical event of the Sun reaching its highest position in the sky as viewed from the North or South Pole, one day to mark the onset of the winter season and one day to mark the onset of the summer season of 72 days each . On these days the tilt of the axis of the Earth (with respect to the Sun) is the maximum at 23° 26′. A transition phases begin about 7 days before each solstice and equinox and continue for about 7 days after, which constitute an approximate three-week period of adjustment between the seasons. Totaling 72 days, the Doyo, or Earth, is its own “mini-season”. It is a time of transformation and balancing, as well as a time of fluctuating temperature and weather before completely transitioning to the next season. It is common for people to get sick or have health complications during these transitional periods. It presents an opportunity for us to fortify our own internal Earth, to claim or reclaim our central and rightful position between heaven and Earth, and to allow the proper flow of energy (qi) and healing light through us.

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RETURN TO EARTH ELEMENT

Autumn days come quickly, like the running of a hound on the moor.
–Irish proverb

Autumn is right around the corner for all of us in the Northern Hemisphere, while the folks in the Southern Hemisphere are preparing for warmer, spring weather. 

In 2019, the Autumnal Equinox arrives on Monday, September 23, at 3:50 A.M. Eastern Standard Time. The autumn equinox happens at the same moment worldwide marking the astronomical start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere. After the autumnal equinox, nights begin to grow longer than the days until the winter solstice in December, when the days start to grow longer and the nights are shorter. The Autumnal Equinox represents the symmetry between light and darkness, as a balance is struck between day and night.

According to the Chinese Medicine understanding of the cycle of the seasons, we have technically returned to Earth phase, or Doyo, which is the transitional time when the seasons change, four times per year. After this return to earth transition, we will be in the metal phase of the seasons which invites reflection and resonates with breath and sound healing.

The Earth element is associated with times of change throughout the year, which happen between each of the seasons around the two equinoxes and the two solstices. These transition phases begin about 7 days before each equinox and solstice and continue for about 7 days after, which constitute an approximate three-week period of adjustment between the seasons. The Doyo, or Earth, is its own “mini-season”. In case you missed our earlier post on the Return to the Earth Element, click here.

I  embrace and promote the wisdom of seasonal cycles  increasing awareness of and balancing our individual constitutions within dynamic change and to honor repeating cycles throughout our return to our wholeness.  

WHAT IS THE EQUINOX?

The word “equinox” comes from Latin aequus, meaning “equal,” and nox, “night.” On the equinox, length of day and night are roughly equal.

During the equinox, the sun crosses the “celestial equator”—an imaginary line or extrapolation of Earth’s equator line into space. The equinox occurs precisely when the sun’s center passes through this line. When the sun crosses the equator from north to south, this marks the autumnal equinox; when it crosses from south to north, it marks the vernal equinox.

At this exact moment, the lengths of day and night are approximately equal around the world in the Northern and Southern hemispheres — hence the term “equinox,” which is derived from the Latin phrase meaning “equal night.”

Image credit: NASA

Why the Autumnal Equinox Doesn’t Fall on the Same Day Every Year

Depending on the part of the world and time zone where you live, the equinox usually falls on either September 22 or 23; although it can sometimes occur anytime between September 21 and 24. That is because the equinox is not an exact, daylong event but is defined by the position of the Earth and the sun at a particular moment in time. 

Ancient Autumn Traditions 

The fall equinox has been celebrated by cultures for ages as people track the transitions of the Earth’s paths around the Sun. Indigenous cultures recognized EARTH wisdom and understood that the Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, and Autumn Equinox reflect our own inner spiritual journey.

• An ancient stone monument called Intihuatana at Machu Picchu in Peru, which means “Hitching Post of the Sun”, serves as a solar clock to mark the dates of the equinoxes and solstices.  
• In Mexico, the Mayans built a giant pyramid called Chichen Itza. On the equinoxes, a snake created by light appears to slither down the pyramid’s steps.
• And of course, in England, Stonehenge is aligned with the equinoxes and solstices.

An image of the serpent appearing on the side of the Temple of Kukulcan on the equinox at Chichen Itza

SIGNIFICANCE

The Autumnal Equinox is a significant time of year to honor the harvest, which may be an actual harvest of fruits and vegetables from your garden or the harvest of efforts and intentions for your life that you set earlier in the year.  This Earth seasonal return represents the harvest time of year, when we acknowledge the gifts and abundance in our lives. It is a time when we can see, in nature, a reflection of our own lives as we go through cycles of growth, harvest, death, and rebirth.

At the Autumnal Equinox, it’s important to take a moment to go inward. Life is a continuous circle of shifting and evolving, dying, and being reborn again. Because change is a constant, it is possible to identify unbroken patterns within the ebb and flow of life. As we become quiet during this time of transition, we are allowing space for our greater vision to emerge and set in motion the intentions for another cycle. I encourage you to take some time September 23 to be mindful of your life cycle and spiritual path. Honor your own growth and inner light.

Express GRATITUDE for everything ~ the easy stuff and the challenging stuff.  Give THANKS for the ability to awaken to our true nature, to the awareness that everything we need is available or made available to us. Acknowledge the gifts and ABUNDANCE in our lives.

WE HAVE RETURNED TO THE EARTH ELEMENT SO LETS TALK EARTH OR IN THIS CASE LISTEN TO THE AMAZING SOUNDS OF  EARTH FROM SPACE.  IT’S SO COOL!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x8P-o296ZI#action=share

Click here to learn more about the scientific underpinnings of  ‘harmonic resonance’ and the sounds of the earth.

DID SOMEBODY SAY BEES?

We have all heard about the declining bee populations caused by pests like tracheal and varroa mites, colony collapse disorder (CCD), and the use of pesticides and other agricultural chemicals. Unfortunately, toxic chemicals like pesticides harm not only bees, but also butterflies, bats, birds, and other animals. A focus on natural, nontoxic beehive management including keeping bees without harmful antibiotics, pesticides, and other chemicals, may not only save the bees but save us!

Bees are responsible for pollinating much of the food we eat. Without pollinators like honeybees, up to 30% of our food would actually disappear including many of our favorite fruits. Foods such as plums, beans, broccoli, and mangoes all depend on pollination by bees.

Natural beekeeping is an approach to beekeeping encouraging minimal manipulation and as hands-off an approach as possible

Backyard beekeeping ensures that the food crops in our backyard gardens are pollinated. Bees forage up to two miles from their hive, so a colony of bees in an area or neighborhood translates to everyone’s gardens and orchards producing more yield. I’m fascinated with and awed by bee wings and their frequency which you can read all about here.

Tips for a Healthy Earth Element Season

The organs of digestion and nutrition~the spleen, pancreas, and stomach~ are associated with the Earth Element. Western Medicine views the spleen as part of the immune system; however Chinese Medicine couples the spleen with the stomach as part of the body’s digestive system. The stomach receives and breaks down the food we eat while the spleen separates the pure from the impure for proper distribution. The pancreas regulates blood-sugar levels in the body.

The Spleen, Stomach and Pancreas comprise the Earth Element organs from a 5 phase system.  The return to the earth during this period of transition invites us to concentrate our healing aim toward blood sugar balance. Naturopathic Physicians choose to address the cause of dis-ease and have a lot of wisdom to offer us!

My colleague, Dr Mona Morstein, discusses diabetes management and healing from a Naturopathic point of view:

PODCAST LINK HERE

The podcast begins with Type I diabetes, gut microbiome, intestinal permeability (17) Type 1.5 (18.3) Type 2 (20) Sleep (22) BMI (26) Inflammation/Oral Health (29)Blood Glucose monitors (32)  Levels (35) Dawn Phenomena (37) Concerns with A1C (39) Fatty Liver (42) Foods and Carbohydrates (44) Supplements (50) Insulin Resistance/Appetite (53) Complications (57)

You can purchase her new book on Amazon: B076DGZW1N

ep108-mastering-your-diabetes-with-dr.-mona-morstein

Here’s some of what you’ll learn:

• The many types of diabetes
• The pitfalls of conventional diabetes treatment
• The food that you’ll definitely want to eliminate to prevent type 1 diabetes
• The dietary approach (es) that’s helped Mona manage diabetes successfully for over 25 years!
• What your blood sugar numbers mean
• The shortcoming of HA1C measurements and new, improved test for glucose management
• What the “dawn phenomenon” is and how to fix it!
• The link between diabetes and oral health
• LIfestyle strategies for managing diabetes
• The shocking link between poor sleep and diabetes
• The best diabetes supplement on the market
• And SO much more

There are now adhesive (no more sticks) 14 day blood glucose monitors that may be right for you.

The product that Dr Morstein has developed is Diamend by Priority One.  

You can purchase Diamend by Priority One, Gymnema sylvestre by Wise Woman Herbals, Super EFA by Genestra (or Vegan Prenatal DHA) along with a large selection of protein powders and your other favorite professional grade products, through our electronic pharmacy, Fullscript.  Search, click and have delivered to your home.  Don’t have an account? Simply create one via the link below. 

To learn more about Dr Mona Morstein:

Dr Mona Morstein’s website

The concept known as the Doyo in Traditional Chinese Medicine means the transitional time between the changing of the seasons. Each season corresponds to a specific element and the seasonal transition period relates to the Earth element. Human beings are  grounded in and supported by the Earth below and, ideally, open to the flow of divine blessings from the heavens above.

Earth element is the transitional time between the seasons.

The Earth element is associated with times of change throughout the year, which happen between each of the seasons around the two equinoxes and the two solstices. These transition phases begin about 7 days before each equinox and solstice and continue for about 7 days after, which constitute an approximate three-week period of adjustment between the seasons. The Doyo, or Earth, is its own “mini-season”. It is a time of transformation and balancing, as well as a time of fluctuating temperature and weather before completely transitioning to the next season. It is common for people to get sick or have health complications during these transitional periods. It presents an opportunity for us to fortify our own internal Earth, to claim or reclaim our central and rightful position between heaven and Earth, and to allow the proper flow of energy (qi) and healing light through us.

As we approach the Summer Solstice (June 22), we are currently in the transitional period between Spring and Summer. Earth is a grounding force during these times of transition. The organs of digestion and nutrition~the spleen, pancreas, and stomach~ are associated with the Earth Element. Western Medicine views the spleen as part of the immune system; however Chinese Medicine couples the spleen with the stomach as part of the body’s digestive system. The stomach receives and breaks down the food we eat while the spleen separates the pure from the impure for proper distribution. The pancreas regulates blood-sugar levels in the body.

At Alberta Orchard Wellness, the fig leaves are in full development and the fruits are in a delightful baby stage. Interestingly, fig leaf tea shows promise in reducing blood sugar levels.  Imbalance of the Earth, spleen and stomach organ systems, affects the whole body as Earth constitutes our center. When a person’s spleen is out of balance, symptoms seen include mental and physical fatigue, worry, blame and forgetfulness, loose stools, nausea, poor appetite, bloating, as well as excess weight and being under weight.  When the Earth element is in balance, deep trust and integrity prevail, the muscles are toned, and digestion is optimized.

Sweetness is associated with the Earth Element. Although a touch of sweetness can stimulate the spleen and pancreas, indulging in too much sweet food and drink can cause digestive issues and decrease energy levels. The primary dietary tip for this transitional time of year is to avoid sugars and sugary foods; however, local (raw) honey in small amounts nourishes the spleen, emanating the golden color of the season.  All vegetables and fruits in earth tone colors benefit the Earth element. Supplement the diet with squash, carrots, dates, figs, peaches, pears, sweet potatoes as alternatives to unhealthy refined sugars and sweets. Picking fruit and vegetables perfectly ripe from the tree, vine, bush or ground gifts our bodies the most perfect form for consumption.  So grow your own fruits and vegetables or frequent your local farmer’s markets!  Consider shopping for smaller quantities more frequently during this season of abundance. It is also important to avoid foods that cause dampness in the body like dairy and fried foods. I know we Southerners love our iced sweet tea, but cold foods and beverages, especially putting ice in drinks and ice cream, shock the spleen causing digestive issues. Room temperature water is best or constitutionally corrective herbal teas or infused waters cooled in the refrigerator if you must. (We will tell you more about that in our summer hydration blog). Remember to chew your food well and eat slowly to support the spleen! More thorough chewing releases and magnifies the taste of the season, sweet.

This is the ideal time to nurture your Earth energy with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Also try yoga postures for your spleen and stomach as demonstrated here.