Earth: Stay Grounded During Uncertain Times
/[This entry is part of a 5-part series in collaboration with Sah’m Acupuncture (https://www.sahmacupuncture.com/) to honor the 5 elements in Chinese medicine and philosophy. The fifth element we explore is earth, which is associated with the stomach and spleen.]
“Mother earth speaks to you through every flower.” - Anonymous
For the final element of our series, and to me it is a fitting element to end on, we explore earth. Let us all return to the grounding and security that earth affords us. Earth nurtures and nourishes us. It is associated with the warmth of late summer, the time of harvest. Just think of a garden full of vegetables. Throughout the ages, harvest time was a time of great celebration, as earth had blessed us with the foods that enrich and sustain us. Earth gifts us with abundance and supports us unconditionally.
When our earth energy is out of balance, we end up in chronic stress, worry, anxiety and overthinking. In other words, when we are too much in our heads, and not in touch with the constancy and stability of earth, we lose our center. When we are connected to earth, we experience a sense of trust that life is good, that we will be provided for and cared for. We experience ourselves as whole. When we are disconnected, we worry that there isn’t enough, that we aren’t enough. When you think about the prevalence of stress and anxiety that pervades our culture, it seems evident that we could all strengthen our connection to the earth element.
The organs associated with the earth are the spleen and stomach, which digest food and drink and convert them into energy. If you have an earth imbalance, you might experience a nervous stomach, poor appetite and other gastrointestinal disturbances. The stomach and spleen invite us to keep what nurtures us and let go of what doesn’t. A healthy body is consistently nourished with adequate liquid and nutrients through healthy food. But too much junk food burdens the body with toxins and interferes in healthy digestion. A poor diet disrupts the health of the gut, and in recent years, science has discovered the immense importance of the gut-brain connection. An unhealthy gut has been linked to depression and anxiety and is thought to be a risk factor in the development of Alzheimer’s, as well.
Similarly, what we digest mentally affects the health of our body-mind. If we ingest too much toxic news, we are feeding ourselves a constant stream of negativity. Our minds digest this negativity and transmit it to the cells of our bodies. Again, the body and mind are one thing. What you feed your mind impacts your body, and vice versa. You could liken too much social media to too much junk food. A little bit might be fine, but scrolling endlessly would be like eating cupcakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is especially important to remember at this time when there is so much going on in the world. While we all want to stay informed, more news is not better. In fact, choose wisely. Be selective about what types of news and social media you consume and how much.
Especially at this time of disruption and uncertainty, earth energy can offer simple but effective ways to stay grounded. For example, eating regular balanced meals is extremely important. You’ve heard the term “hangry,” well, it’s true. But also, anxiety increases when blood sugar isn’t stable. Find other activities that can help center you, as well. Gardening is an excellent one. Many people talk about how therapeutic digging in the soil can be, and it’s a way to witness abundance happening right in front of your eyes, as a seed sprouts into a plant and yields food. Cooking is a great grounding activity that can have the added benefit of nourishing the body. Try some new recipes with fresh, seasonal local vegetables. Learn about the health benefits of spices.
When your head is spinning due to the constantly evolving state of the world, a simple thing that can provide relief is to lie on the ground (or floor) and feel the earth support you. Really feel the comfort and stability that this solid, embracing element can give you. Helping others is a great way to get out of our own worrisome thoughts, and equally important is letting others care for us, too. Ultimately, we can be our own good mother, and feed ourselves healing, soothing thoughts.
At this time, there is a lot of intensity of emotion around world events. The pandemic already had many people experiencing fear and grief. And more recently, after the death of George Floyd, the resurgence of Black Lives Matter has brought renewed energy to this important movement. As emotions are running high, there is a need for grounded action. A great model of grounded action was Martin Luther King, Jr. Everything he did was deliberate, and when he famously said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice,” he pointed to the fact that sustainable change happens with persistent work over a long period of time. I would add that in order to be able to sustain oneself during that long journey, we can learn from the wisdom of the earth element. Earth energy is about building strong foundations so that sustainable change is possible. It is necessary to honor one’s need for periods of rest and to nourish oneself with healthy practices and joyful activities; otherwise it is easy to burnout.
Another aspect of earth worth mentioning is its association to the maternal qualities of unconditional love and compassion. This is also very fitting at this time when we are being called to come together as a whole human race to heal the hurt that some have inflicted onto others. So if you find yourself falling into thought patterns that are less than nurturing – thoughts of scarcity or comparison or judgment – try and reorient yourself towards gratitude as well as empathy and compassion for yourself and others. In the spirit of the earth element, let’s celebrate the bounty of the earth and the beauty of all the people who walk upon it.