Category Archives: Earth Element

Earth: Visualize Citrine

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

    Citrine is known as the merchant stone as it attracts prosperity and abundance. The crystal ranks 7 on the Mohs hardness scale The color ranges from lemon yellow to rustic red-brown It is associated with the solar plexus in the chakra system  Citrine balances the Earth Element Natural Citrine is found in igneous rocks like granite or alluvial deposits Citrine forms around 440 degrees  Citrine is a gemstone name for quartz with iron in the color center Lab made Citrine is an eco-friendly choice The color gold is associated with the earth element We, therefore, utilize the hues … Continue reading →

Earth: Be Loyal

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Welcome to Day 3 of Earth Element Wisdoms. The daily delivery of these clinical pearls, inquiries, musings, tips & Jedi mind tricks will continue until the end of the month.   I hope this series supports your deep dive into the dynamic of seasonal wellness & inspires you to play with the Element Wisdom Card Decks on your health journey. If you would like to invite a friend to join our late summer series, they can sign up here.  Be Loyal. Dogs are our best teacher when it comes to unconditional loyalty. Beyond loyalty they teach us about unrestrained love … Continue reading →

Earth: Spice it up with Ginger

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Spice it up with Ginger.   Meet Fresh Ginger. Nature: warm Taste: slightly sweet, acrid Action: releases exterior, disperses cold: stops cough, alleviates vomiting, regulates migrating motor complex of Small Intestine Skin: promotes urination, reduces edema Affinity:  Lung, Spleen & Stomach According to eastern dietetics & herbalism – foods, spices, herbs and medicine have a distinct nature, action, direction & affinity with one or more organs.   As we become more familiar with these qualities in some of our familiar foods, we begin to fine tune our eating & drinking to the dynamic rhythms of the season.  We also eat … Continue reading →

Element Wisdom Card Decks – Ways to Play ~ Mandala

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Check out the many ways to play with Element Wisdom Cards!   This is one of the amazing ways: Mandala ~ Create sacred space. Choose 5-8 cards. Arrange them in a circle within concentric rings of found or precious materials like seasonal fruits/vegetables, flowers, leaves, shells, stones, sticks, feathers, etc. Choose an elemental center piece: an earthenware filled with soil/clay, a transparent vase of water, a bell, a wooden bowl, an incense burner. Cards and objects may also be arranged by cardinal directions.     Did you know you can search the card titles on the Cultivating Wellness Blog?  Our … Continue reading →

Earth: How sweet it is

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Did you know that historically the apple was the standard for the taste of sweet? We’ve come a long (not so healthy) way from those days. I love to substitute applesauce in recipes for cakes and pies to create the taste of sweet in healthier ways. Last year, I also perfected a sweet potato pie with just three ingredients: sweet potatoes, butter and coconut. just bake, mash and combine into a nut pie shell. What are your sweet tricks? Sweetness is associated with the Earth Element. Although a touch of sweetness can stimulate the spleen and pancreas, indulging in too … Continue reading →

Earth: Down to earth

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Down to Earth. What does the phrase ‘down to earth’ mean to you? Earth Writing Exercise Take a moment. Find pen and paper. Transcribe the phrase Down to Earth.  Place both feet on the ground. Take three deep breaths, expanding your ribs. Write free associations of what ‘down to earth’ means to you for 90 seconds. Wake the spleen, an earth organ with the exercise below.  Repeat the automatic writing exercise.   Wake the Spleen With both feet on the ground, raise your left arm. Wake the spleen organ by tapping on your left side, one hand width below the … Continue reading →

Earth: Don’t worry be happy

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

  Don’t worry, be happy.   How to soothe your nervous system: Take a cold shower or plunge Splash cold water on face & neck Sing, laugh, chant, hum, & hug Restore the microbe of the gut Relax jaw tension Meditate on loving kindness Positive Social Connect Stimulation of the vagus nerve plays an important role in the management of anxiety and mental health issues. The vagus nerve is the longest running cranial nerve in your body. It is one of ten paired cranial nerves and runs from the stem of your brain all the way down to your gut. The … Continue reading →

Earth: Too much sitting injures the spleen: qi gong

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

The digestive organs are injured by stagnation.  Desk or remote virtual jobs, long hours of studying, research and writing keep us seated.  Relaxing and decompressing may also become habituated to screen time, gaming or media binging. Fatigue sets in from lack of activity; a sedentary life is injurious. Frankly, it is killing us slowly. The combination of oversitting and overthinking is a harmful combination for the earth organs,  particularly the spleen.  The lack of healthy circulation settles dampness deep into our systems. If you are prone to oversitting, please build in healthy habits.  Set a timer at the desk for … Continue reading →

Does your yes serve the balance? Earth Sounds

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

HEALING SOUNDS FOR THE EARTH ELEMENT The earth element, is involved with digestion and transformation of food. It can get bogged down with overthinking, oversitting, worry, anxiety. This can result in weight gain or indigestion. When the earth element is weak we may say ‘yes’ when we mean ‘no’ or ‘can I get back to you on that? In this way, we create imbalance within by giving ourselves away to be liked or approved of, to avoid conflict, to fit into social norms or to get something from the other party. The earth season holds the energy of center, return, … Continue reading →

Earth: Convert discord into harmony

Dr. Elizabeth Cox, ND, LAc Posted on by

Convert discord into harmony.       It is time to come home. It is time to find your true center.    The 18 days around each solstice & equinox hold the power of transition. The fifth season of earth resonates with trust, harmony and abundance.       Here are a few practices that I encourage my patients to utilize during the earth season to break up discord:   1. Take a walk.  Nature works best but a few flights of stairs, a walk around the building or the block interrupts the pattern.   2. Bring awareness to your … Continue reading →