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.

Purchase Element Wisdom Card Decks here

Did you know you can search the card titles on the Cultivating Wellness Blog? 

Our real time project for 2022 and 2023 is adding musing about the cards. 

Send us your favorite ways to play and images for 10% off any card deck or the entire collection!

albertaorchard@gmail.com

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, wholeness.

Many of us were raised to value external validation of self.  We formed a weak connection to our true self, our divine nature, our core, our internal earth. We slowly and repeatedly began to see ourselves as good when our parents or bosses said so and successful when we achieved society’s standards. In this method, our shadow side was punished, discouraged or banished. Conversely, we may have developed a personality that commands attention and gains success from being uncompromising, naughty, contrary, shocking.  What would inviting the opposite feel like?

The Earth receives everything equally. What would it look like if our Earth welcomed the darker, less encouraged parts of ourselves that have been split off? What would it look like if our edgy became smooth? What would it look like if our hard became soft? What does it feel like when we start to check in with our whole self first?

To balance the earth element within, send golden light to your spleen, stomach and pancreas area and vocalize a breathless, guttural “who” now. Tap the spleen and stomach channels.

Repeat five times, sending love to your spleen, pancreas and stomach area, releasing all the air from your lungs.

Ask yourself, if your ‘yes’ serves the balance. Listen to your organs for the answer.

The healing sounds are one of the most effective medical qigong practices. They clear heat and toxins, cool the body, release unfavorable energy and emotional qi, and build the connection to the natural virtue of the shen. The healing sounds are a powerful emotional transforming qi gong.

Sound is a powerful way to heal!  

Find a routine which invites healing vibration and sound into your world.  

What would it be like to play background sound as you get ready for work in the mornings or when you are preparing dinner?  

Maybe to celebrate the weekend upon waking? Find a healing sound routine!

SOUNDS OF EARTH FROM SPACE 

Earth time is gut time. Did you know that the estimated number of gut microbiota exceeds 10 x 14th power? This superorganism holds 100 times more information than our DNA code. Pretty Wild Wonderment! These bacteria, archaea and eukarya strengthen gut integrity, shape intestinal epithelium, harvest energy, protect against pathogens and regulate host immunity.

I invite you to feed your gut with ferments: miso, kimchee, tempeh, raw sauerkrauts and pickles, kavass, jun, etc!

I invite you to feed your soul. Find your wildest, most exquisitely free self. Roam the woods, sing to the plants, listen to the rocks, dance with the wind, talk with the birds, play with light and shadow, hug the trees.

For best practices to support your seasonal wellness journey, draw from or purchase an Eath/Transition Element Wisdom Card Deck. See link in bio for more information
#earth #equinox #dna #microbiota #elementwidsomcards #wild #ferments #southernwoods #healthcoach #naturopathicdoctor

While the more widely know organs of the earth element are the spleen & stomach, the lesser recognized earth element is the pancreas. So what does that mean for your seasonal wellness? The 18 days around the solstice invite us to become aware of, in tune with and balance our blood glucose levels. Besides the sugary treats that raise our levels, did you know that stress in the form of cortisol (particularly long term stress) can be a cause of high glucose and A1C levels? A common symptom is persistent elevated glucose levels in the morning. I also clinically observe that difficulty falling asleep can be a symptom of elevated levels. One thing you can do to help balance your pancreas and other earth organs is to start shining golden light within. Qi gong often uses color and sounds to help heal the organs. The sound that heals the earth organs is whoooooo; the color is gold. Practice internal alchemy at this pivotal time between the solar and lunar eclipses. Love your pancreas a little extra today by sending it golden light. It does so much for you – give a little back.
To learn more fun & easy ways to harmonize with the seasonal influences & re-wild yourself back to source visit www.element-wisdom.com

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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EARTH

TRANSITION

In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means knowledge of life.  Ancient Ayurvedic medicine classifies a person’s physical and emotional state of being using the three doshas—vata, kapha, and pitta. The doshas are the energies running throughout our bodies and minds that control all of our physical and mental systems. Everyone has a specific constitution, or Prakruti, that is determined by the proportions of the three doshas at the time of conception. A person’s body contains elements of all three of the doshas with one element usually taking precedence over the other two elements. These energies create the characteristics and particulars that define every person’s individual makeup. Disease and health issues occur when the three doshas are out of balance. The doshas derive from the Five Elements and their related attributes.

Vata ~ Space and Air

Pitta ~Fire and Water

Kapha ~ Earth and Water

Pitta energy, associated with fire, influences the digestive and endocrine systems. People with pitta energy have fiery personalities and are intelligent and quick-paced. Ulcers, inflammation, digestive issues, anger, heartburn, and arthritis can manifest when pitta energy is out of balance, and practices to restore balance are: staying cool, unwinding, laughter therapy, me-time and rest.

Vata energy is of the air and space. It is associated with breathing and blood circulation. Vata energy is dominant in people who are lively, creative, and think outside of the box. Vata imbalance can cause joint pain, constipation, dry skin, and emotional stress.  Vata types benefit from meditation, and other nourishing self-care practices like: oilation and oil pulling, staying warm, (learning how to) be still, relax and stay calm.

Kapha energy, related to earth and water, is associated with the chest, torso and back. Kapha dominant people display a strong constitution with a calm temperament. A person with a kapha energy imbalance may suffer from obesity, diabetes, sinus infections, and gallbladder problems and can benefit from dry skin brushing, short periods of intensive exercise that increase internal heat and result in sweating, energizing music and home/workspace organization.

The doshas are constantly reacting and responding to our environments and choices. Toxic exposures, an unhealthy diet, habits and lifestyle choices, seasonal changes, emotional upset, and stress all affect the balance of the tridosha. Watch for our upcoming fall guest post with Gillian Shapiro on sound healing;  she will provide a dosha quiz link to learn more about your patterns.

PANCHAKARMA

Panchakarma is the purification therapy used in Ayurvedic medicine , which is based on the concept that all disease is created by the build-up of toxins in the body and by imbalances between the body, mind and spirit. To address the accumulation of toxic substances in the body, a detoxification therapy is prescribed to cleanse the body. Panchakarma is used to treat any disease, especially those that are chronic, systemic, and stress-related. 

Panchakarma brings the doshas into equilibrium while restoring health and wellness.

Panchakarma consists of five detoxifying treatments that use oil treatments, massage, sweating, exercises, and herbal remedies among other methods to help restore balance in the body. I was fortunate to learn these treatments apprentice style at Mount Madonna Center just after graduation from NUNM. I worked at and managed Kaya Kalpa Wellness Center for three years, and fell in love with oilation therapies like abhyanga, swedena, and shirodhara (my absolute favorite treatment to bliss out!) I encourage all my patients to check out and book bodywork at their work or vacation destinations, particularly new therapies that may not be offered in their own communities. These cleansing treatments help to eliminate toxins from the body and restore the nervous system.  Panchakarma typically includes gut support through supplementation, diet and yoga exercises to cleanse the gut. 

I will be offering Shirodhara as a seasonal wellness opportunity this winter at my clinic in Tuscaloosa. You will be able to pre-pay and book online for my limited availability.  The treatment requires two quarts of pure or medicated and organic oils (typically sesame, sometimes cocount oil) or milk.  I create a ritual space and perform the treatment with a deeply meditative presence. Information and Pre-Pay link .  On-line booking will be available during December for Winter Solstice to Spring Equinox dates. You can also contact our office to pre-pay for first available and preferred scheduling choice. According to a research project published in Journal of Ayurveda Integrative Medicine. 2013.

A standardized Shirodhara leads to a state of alert calmness similar to the relaxation response observed in meditation. The clinical benefits observed with Shirodhara in anxiety neurosis, hypertension, and stress aggravation due to chronic degenerative diseases could be mediated through these adaptive physiological effects.

Herbal Gut Support

Support the Earth element and our guts, by trying Triphala, the “Ayurvedic pre/probiotic.” Triphala contains three fruits with five of the six tastes recognized in Ayurvedic medicine including: Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Pungent and Astringent. Triphala (or a constitutionally appropriate probiotic or a spore formulation) is an excellent supplement for the transitional Earth seasons (four times a year) and, at times, an appropriate enema ingredient with sesame oil. Two weeks of continual use then as needed or on a rotational basis is my general prescription for folks. I encourage you to try various probiotic strains, spores, fermented foods and drinks as well.  They can be used in a seasonal rhythm during the 14-18 day period around the solstices and equinoxes to support the earth element.

LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL

At Alberta Orchard Wellness in Tuscaloosa, we recommend shopping local when possible.  Manna Grocery (I worked here before going off to the West Coast for medical school) carries good quality herbs, supplements, produce, and spices. If you can’t find exactly what you need there, or you live out of town or simply don’t wish to deal with the traffic cones and road construction round town, we suggest you use our on-line pharmacies Fullscript or Wellavate, which deliver professional grade, reliable supplements, and teas right to your door.  If you are already established with them, just click through or visit our website to create an account. Simply enroll and search the catalog.  Be assured that all of these products are professional quality.  No worries for outdated, counterfeit, or adulterated products.

Persimmons & Park City!

I’ve been in Park City, Utah this week for a professional workshop (more on that later!) and I’ve been looking forward to coming home to the persimmons at AOW. They are approaching peak ripeness and I will be sure to post here and on my social media accounts when they are ready for U-peak. In the meantime, lets have a peek at the nutritional value of persimmons. They are a wonderful locally grown, fresh, whole food to include in your diet during their Earth transitional season. Just this past week, a study was published that shows that the stalk extract is an effective anti-inflammatory agent. Many Asian cultural medicines use all parts of the plant:  root, rootlets, bark, inner bark, caylx, branch/stem, leaf, flower, fruit, etc.  These different parts have  different affinities for the body parts and the same or different properties in the body.

The edible fruit of the persimmon tree is sweet, flavorful, and full of antioxidants and nutrients. In fact, the Greeks called the persimmon fruit  “the divine fruit”.  The tree belongs to the Ericales order of plants, which also includes brazil nuts, blueberries, and tea. Although there are several varieties of persimmon fruit, the most commonly cultivated comes from the Japanese persimmon fruit tree, known by its scientific name of Diospyros kaki. Persimmons originated in ancient China and a United States military officer brought a persimmon variety native to Japan back to Washington D.C. during the 1880s. Today, persimmons are grown throughout the U.S. and especially in California, where hundreds of different varieties are grown. These cultivars are most typically grafted to our wild, native persimmon rootstock, Diospyros virginiana.  This female wild variety produces a small fruit with a nutty, amaretto flavor only when completely ripe.  It is a favorite treat of our deer population, a puker trick for unknowing kids, and the seed design serves as winter weather folklore.
The persimmon fruits are eaten raw, cooked or dried and they be can added to just about anything from salads to baked goods and more!

At Alberta Orchard Wellness, our success with the Asian grafted fruit trees has been greatly because we planted where the native American persimmons on our property naturally grow.  Imagine that.  Nature shows us how to be successful gardeners if only we observe then act in harmony with her wisdom. 

https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2016/2

One persimmon (168 grams) contains:

• Calories:118
• Carbs:31 grams
• Protein:1 gram
• Fat:0.3 grams
• Fiber:6 grams
• Vitamin A:55% of the RDI
• Vitamin C:22% of the RDI
• Vitamin E:6% of the RDI
• Vitamin K:5% of the RDI
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine):8% of the RDI
• Potassium:8% of the RDI
• Copper:9% of the RDI
• Manganese:30% of the RDI

Also: thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), folate, magnesium, potassium and  phosphorus with trace selenium, copper, zinc.

Persimmon Benefits

1. Packed with antioxidants
2. Supports regularity
3. Promotes healthy vision
4. Reduces cholesterol levels
5. Decreases inflammation
6. Leaves: Lower blood pressure
7. Antibacterial

Gut Roll~the Good Kind!

Nauli is a yoga technique used in Panchakarma to cleanse the internal organs and tone the abdominal by doing a side-to-side rolling motion using the abdominal muscles. While perhaps more directly impacting the large and small intestines, the spleen, stomach and pancreas get a great massage with Nauli.

Give Nauli a try by following the beginner’s basics below!

NAULI 

• Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and  knees slightly
  bent (about 5 degrees)
• Straighten your spine
• Relax your shoulders, arms and chest; feel the weight of your body
  directed down toward your knees
• Begin the exercise by pushing your abdomen out, feeling a slight
  pressure as if your stomach was full
• Pull your abdomen inward and try to make your belly button touch
  the spine; this completes one full round
• After completing 10 rounds pull your abdomen inward
  as much as you can and hold then allow gravity to release the hold. repeat the series, increasing to 50 by the end of week four.

I find it convenient to start my morning with nauli immediately after I neti or brush my teeth.  Attaching a healthy habit to an already existing habit simply sets us up for success.  Try nauli every time you brush your teeth.

A video demonstrating nauli is linked below.

https://youtu.be/yHtNn0jKk0w