. . . The Nature of Energy

Processing emotions and flowing with seasonal changes is an integral component to living an optimally healthy, balanced, and purposeful life. The purpose of this article is to discuss the subtle yet intricately vital connection we all share with nature. Even further, to awaken an active relationship with our emotions (e~motion) that empowers us to flow, grow, and shine as we embrace the natural changes of life.

 Are you aware that each and every emotion you experience becomes a unique chemistry in your body?

Moment to moment, our individual and collective cells experience the blood pressure, sleep patterns, immunity, and muscle tone of anger and anxiety, joy and gratitude, sadness and despair, hope and compassion, jealousy and loneliness, or courage and confidence. Our emotional flow can be as predictable or unpredictable as the weather. We can shift from sunny blue skies to thunderstorms in a heartbeat based upon our perception.

Take a moment to think about someone who frustrates you. Think about what they do or don’t do that’s frustrating and notice where that feeling of frustration is living in your body. Give yourself permission to really feel. Close your eyes and acknowledge the intensity of the frustration and even more, notice how familiar it feels. Write down these feelings on a piece of paper. On a scale of 0 to 10 where 0 is nothing at all and 10 is the most extreme, rate the feeling of frustration.

Now, take a moment to connect to someone who fills you with love. Visualize their face right in front of you. Notice how you automatically begin to smile and how in an instant your body goes from feeling the constriction, tightness, and pain that goes along with frustration to feeling open, light, and expansive. Your body is speaking your mind and the consequence of your emotions is both tangible and relative. Imagine receiving a hug from the person you love. Allow yourself to feel how love is alive inside of you. Feeling is healing.

Emotional patterns go on all day long, day after day, week after week, month after month, season after season, and year after year. The ability to shift your mindset and thus your emotional lens can be the difference between a strong or weak immune system, marriage, or will power to move forward being true to your highest and best self. Based upon the tools you possess to process your emotions will result in being stuck and stressed or in the flow.

Energy in motion stays in motion.

In my humble opinion, the ability to process and move through emotions is the single most important skill one can learn to master. It requires a disciplined practice that when applied becomes a journey of self-realization, self-empowerment, and self-love. Do you have a practice for processing your emotions? Do you love yourself?

Every aspect of life is directly linked to this one simple, but not always so easy concept . . . self-love. The ability or inability to process your emotions will enable you to embrace and create change or get stuck in cycles of self-destruction, self-defeat, and self-hatred. Creating and courageously following a daily practice will give you confidence and capabilities for staying present during the subtle and sometime extreme emotional fluctuations of life.

I want to share a tool that I use from The LifeLine Technique called The LifeLine Law of Transformation and Change:

Emotions transform energy. Energy creates movement. Movement is change, and change is the essence of life. The more I learn to embrace change and even further, create change, the more I am capable of reconnecting to the present moment, finding inner peace, and thriving.

This statement makes a great affirmation, mirror exercise, and meditation. Understanding and acknowledging emotions and change is at the core of any spiritual practice. It’s such an oxymoron, but change is the constant. Seasonal changes are the outer most expression of our inner most self.

Our emotions are not only natural, but they are necessary. They are an inner barometer or feedback system to the rhythms and cycles of the natural world. For thousands of years the barefoot doctors of Chinese Medicine recognized and lived in harmony with nature. They created an entire healing system based upon the cycles of nature. They saw how each of the elements of nature – Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood – magically and miraculously dance in creative, destructive, and connecting cycles. They were able to recognize that these cycles also live within our bodies.

It’s an amazing orchestration called The Five Element Theory and it celebrates how each part of the body corresponds to a pathway of energy that in Chinese Medicine is called an Acupuncture Meridian.  The energy that flows within the Acupuncture Meridians is called Chi. Chi is our vital life force.  The flow of Chi directly influences healing and regeneration by activating the flow of rich oxygenated blood and the elimination of waste products. The quality and quantity of blood flow on a cellular level is directly influenced and directed by the movement of Chi.

The Five Element Theory is both beautiful and elegant while at the same time humbling in its power. When understood and applied, The Five Element Theory completely shifts our ego driven perception of the ‘Self’ and place in the Universe. I have found a deeper level of inner peace as a result of being able to see myself as a bridge to nature. For example, within you is the power to flow like an ocean wave crashing upon the shore, break through huge rocks like the roots of a tree, and shine bright even when it’s cloudy. Nature is an extension of our body, mind, and spirit.

Take a deep breath . . . and now let it go.

I have come to appreciate how Acupuncture Meridians and the life force that flow within them are actually Emotional Channels where our e-motions – the energy that moves us – directly bridge our biology and behavior. At the same time the emotional channels metaphorically link us to nature. Each and every one of us has the ability to be one with the cycles, rhythms, and seasons of life. When we are in alignment with nature we naturally thrive and when we are resistant to nature, we automatically and reflexively begin to struggle with stress-based patterns.

Let’s take for example the seasonal change from winter into spring. Winter in The Five Element Theory is associated with the Water Element and is directly linked with the Emotional Channels of the Kidney and Bladder. Spring is associated with the Wood Element and is directly associated with the Liver and the Gall Bladder. This creative cycle from Water to Wood is remarkable as it impacts the circadian rhythm of the body.

The circadian rhythm is our time clock. Out of a 24-cycle period, every two hours a different Emotional Channel functions highest. The circadian rhythm of the Gall Bladder goes from 11 pm to 1 am and then passes e-motion to the Liver from 1 am to 3 am. The significance of this can be seen when there is an imbalance with the Wood Element based upon the inability to process anger, resentment, and frustration. Some signs that we’re imbalanced in the nature of the Wood element is we have a difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep, mood swings, shoulder and knee pain, headaches, blood sugar cravings, allergies, and hormonal highs and lows are all a sign that the emotional flow of the Wood Element is being impacted.

The Wood Element teaches us how to stay rooted in a storm. Just like trees, we have enzymes in our body that are stimulated with every storm we endure. These enzymes cause our roots to grow deeper and our bark to grow thicker. The Wood Element teaches us that where we are is where we are supposed to grow and that the shitty circumstances that we’re facing are fertilizer for growth. Trees teach us to let go in autumn so we can birth anew in spring.

Recognizing these natural cycles and patterns of flow in nature can directly influence a positive focus and change in the way you think, feel, and behave.

What value would it bring to create a deeper sense of passion and purpose for what you do for a living? Would you like to have more patience and compassion for your self, children, spouse, friends, and co-workers? How would having clarity of vision and determination to face the highs and lows of life impact you personally, professionally, or in your family?

The challenge we all face is we live in a culture that teaches us to suppress symptoms and stress and does everything to ignore or make them go away. More and more people are taking pills like they’re going out of style. As a result we oftentimes miss our emotional connection to the natural rhythms and cycles of seasonal changes. This is both counterintuitive and dangerous. Moment to moment, our body acts a barometer for the emotions we’re experiencing.

Symptom based ‘Sickness Care’ limits the breath of our emotional awareness and content for the way our body is authentically expressing itself. Taking a pill for symptoms without first applying a daily practice for processing emotions is like yelling “Shut up!” to a crying newborn.  It’s not only ineffective, but massive walls begin to build perpetuating deeper levels of disconnection.

Take it one step at a time.

During this seasonal change – it’s opposite depending upon what hemisphere of the planet you’re on – take the time to see through the eyes, smell through the nose, and feel through the heart of nature. Ask yourself, “How would Water handle these feelings of resentment and overwhelm?” or “What would be different if I embraced the pain of this loss with the core strength and stability of the Metal Element?”

Go out on a limb my friend and feel yourself dancing playfully in the wind. Take in the fresh fragrance of spring flowers. Listen for the new born birds chirping for their mothers to bring them food.  You will feel the warmth of the sun in your heart guiding you to grow strong towards the light bridging heaven and earth. Look for your blessings and you’ll find them. There is so much greatness within you!

We are all interconnected and in our recognition to this one truth, we begin to nurture our nature to transform a life of surviving into a life of thriving. Own your power by recognizing it’s your nature to create an emotional dialogue with nature. Soon you’ll discover a greater zest for life, gratitude for the little things, and the infinite power of self-love. I’d love to hear from you, answer your questions, or be of service for you in any way I can. My e-mail is [email protected]. Please feel free to go out on a limb and reach out.

Keep shining bright!

With Infinite Love & Gratitude~

Dr. Darren