Wood: Channel Your Frustrations and Expand
/[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 third element we explore is wood, which is associated with the liver and gall bladder.]
“Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky.” Kahlil Gibran
This week we explore the element of wood, which is associated with the liver and gall bladder and also corresponds to the energy of springtime. Like the tree, wood energy is both rooted in the earth and reaches upward and outward in expansion. This pandemic presents a few challenges for wood, as when liver energy is activated within us at this time of year, the impulse is to move up and out, to burst forth with renewed robustness. So the fact that we are under orders to #stayhome creates a direct opposition to this inclination. As the emotion related to the liver is anger, it is no surprise that many people are experiencing anger, frustration and other related emotions as a result (aggression, irritability, etc.) But the wood element has much to teach us about how to weather this situation we are in.
If you consider the tree, you can observe both incredible resilience and adaptability. I am reminded of a giant 500 year-old live oak tree that lives on the gulf coast of my native state, and while Hurricane Katrina decimated the homes that had been in the surrounding area for nearly 200 years, this oak tree survived and continues to thrive today. Now that is resilience.
The tree not only weathers the extremes of the seasons, it is the expression of the seasons, offering beautiful blossoms in the spring and brilliant foliage in the fall. I am greatly appreciative of the trees that live in my Brooklyn neighborhood as they offer the reassurance that the seasons are still turning as usual and hope in the blossoms of new beginnings. It is a joy to see how they catch the light in the afternoon sun. The birds sing from their branches, we will be ok; we will weather this too.
During this season of rebirth, verve and exuberance, since we are confined, wood invites us to find creative ways to channel that energy. As the liver also governs the tendons and sinews, it invites us to channel our energy into physical movement, such as brisk walks outside, yoga or dancing. If you’re feeling frustrated or angry, exercise is a surefire way to release it. Spring cleaning, de-cluttering and organizing can also satisfy that need to move our bodies and be actively engaged in an activity. Or the Chinese practice of qi gong utilizes breath and movement in ways that can help disperse and re-balance the body’s energy.
As wood is the element of creativity and self-expression, creative pursuits are another good way to channel your emotions at this time. Wood energy is the kind of inspiration that led to the great works of Monet or Seurat, so perhaps now is the time to pick up those watercolors. Or pick up that guitar, or put pen to paper and see what your soul sings. Like the birds of spring, sing to your heart’s content (Zoom karaoke, anyone?)
There are many ways we can expand and grow internally, as well. We can do the inner work that creates a garden within, as how we experience the world within is how we experience the world without. Now is a good time to try coaching, therapy, online classes, or read mind-expanding books. (You might try the books of Pema Chodron or Byron Katie). Growth and expansion are natural processes, but if you consider childbirth, for example, these processes are not always without discomfort. This pandemic is uncomfortable for all of us in some way or another, but perhaps we are also being stimulated to grow through it.
Especially if you are feeling frustrated or angry at this time, now is the time to be like a tree and change with the seasons, and with what life is sending our way. Channel your vigor into physical release and your vitality into new kinds of creative expression. Find new ways to play and celebrate life.