Whether we’re concerned about questions we have regarding our health, decisions of the heart and other important life issues, it seems we always are asking for signs. Truly, they are all around — and we can tune into them, ride the wave, and catch the momentum of what is happening in our sphere.
Oftentimes, we can find the answer in the seasons.
When we think about summer, heat comes to mind. Just take a moment to ponder some of the phrases we often use or hear — possibly without realizing we are assigning a temperature or an element (fire) to get our point across:
– “I’m on fire.” (Something one might say when feeling creative.)
– “That’s hot!” (Possibly admiring a friend’s new sports car or sexy party dress.)
– “He looks like he’s about to blow!” (A volcanic reference one might make about an infuriated or overly excited person.)
After exercise, our muscles, tendons and ligaments have become more flexible because they have been heated. And often we’ll light a flame for someone in memoriam, or to bring energy to our prayers. In general, activity — whether it’s physical, emotional or social — elevates temperature. It’s basic chemistry, right? Think back to those high-school experiments where your science teacher would heat still water to a rolling boil to demonstrate how molecular activity elevated with higher temperatures, and you’ll get what I’m saying.
Just like that water, we tend to move more quickly in the summer months. So it’s natural to use the momentum of this heat generated by this season in the sun — and the increased activity it brings — to ride a wave of energy that is being gifted to us at this time of year. Of course, the trick is in knowing how to use it without over-using it. So let’s take a closer look at the fire phase (of the five phases that also include earth, metal, water and wood) and its nature so that we understand how best to work with it.
How do we relate to the element of fire and the season of summer? Some properties that tie the two together include: growth, generativeness, transformation, movement, heat, brightness, and climax/apex. And we get to all of these things by working our way, literally and metaphorically, through the seasons.
Each season generates the next season. Autumn brings the falling leaves and a bountiful harvest as it leads us into the season of hibernation. We fill our tanks in winter, eating hearty soups and stews … and we move more slowly because of the colder temperatures (and, in some climates, the worry of finding sure footing on icy surfaces). Spring starts the thaw, bringing kinder temperatures to flora and fauna alike and beginning the season of growth and rebirth. And the summer sun entices us all out to enjoy hobbies like swimming, boating and picnicking to enjoy summer-specific crops like corn on the cob and watermelon.
Each season is better and stands out more strongly in your life because of the acknowledgment or consciousness you brought to the season preceding it. And summer is a wonderful, active, fiery time to be alive! We enjoy longer spans of daylight, so we wake up early and go to bed late to take full advantage of the day. And we can enjoy every day, because each one is a gift. But, sometimes, we “fire up” too hard. Perhaps it’s due to not taking advantage of the stillness of winter to refill that personal energy reservoir. Maybe now, especially in the wake of COVID and a “long, cold winter” of social inactivity, pushing too hard in too many directions to experience too many things might find our personal “gas tanks” teetering on that empty line.
It could be a number of things leading up to feeling you don’t have the necessary fire to accomplish everything you’d like to do. But, very likely, it can be traced to a deficiency in the heart organ. One must have a fire to light. Conversely, if you’re one of those people who feels like you’re constantly in summer mode it probably means you have too much fire and need to pour a little water on it to find balance in your life.
Because each season feeds the next, being mindful of how we show up to summer dictates how we will meet autumn … then winter, spring, next summer, and so on. Our minds, bodies and spirits need to be well tended so that we move harmoniously through our lives. If you’re feeling like your tank is overflowing or running on empty, we at The Center can help with acupuncture, psychotherapy and mindfulness to keep you in your best lane, driving with the top down and enjoying the shine, throughout summer and into the seasons to come.