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EARTH ELEMENT
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Photo by Sukha Design & Photography
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Sources: Yin training manual, Detox training with Juan Pablo Barahona, Wood Becomes Water book by Gail Reichstein, fractalenlightenment.com, 5elementfood.blogspot.com
Organs: Spleen (yin) & Stomach (yang)
Emotions: worry, over thinking,
Flavor: Sweet
Color: Yellow, orange, and brown
Connecting to: muscles, mouth & lips
CYCLES
Seasonal Cycle: Late Summer/ Early Autumn
Phase in the Menstrual Cycle: Early Luteal (days 15-21 of a 28-day cycle), space between each phase
Lunar Cycle: Waning Gibbous Moon
Cycle of Day: Mid afternoon, Early evening
Human Life Cycle: Middle Years- a time of stabilization and the creation of home, family, livelihood, and community, reproductive years
Stage in the Manifestation Process: Assimilation, gratitude, receiving
Yoga Asana: Standing poses, lunges, belly down backbends, twists
Healing breath: Hu (whooo)
Balanced: calm, good memory, objective, organized, concentration/ focus, loyal, easily gives & receives nurturing, open to change, strong digestion (food & sensory intake), forms healthy boundaries
Earth in Deficiency: fatigue, weak muscles, dry lips & skin, bad breath, loose stools, craving sugar, poor appetite, mental spaciness, loneliness
Earth in Excess: heavy feeling in head or limbs, dull headache, sinus congestion, constipation, worry, clutter, over thinking, attachment
Hours: 7-9 am Stomach (Breakfast, good concentration, walk, yoga); 9-11 am Spleen (Clear thinking, most productive, food converted to Qi)
Process: Managing abundance, Assimilation, stabilizing, digesting & processing, balance, harvesting the fruits of our labors
Earth & Food: Eating regular meals, eating calmly, chewing completely, don't eat late at night (at least 3 hours before bed), food should be cooked (raw and cold foods are hard to digest), drink beverages at room temp or warmer
Sweet Foods: Grains, potatoes & sweet potatoes, beans, nuts, apples, apricots, cherries, corn, dates, figs, beets, carrots, squash, coconuts, licorice, ginseng
Refined and processed sugars weaken the spleen
Balanced lifestyle: Regularity & routine, sufficient amounts of work and rest, balanced mental & emotional habits, avoiding overindulgence
Elemental Spirit: Yi- intellect