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Love is the essence of our humanity and what makes life worth living. In Five Element acupuncture theory, the Fire Element within us is the foundation for love, trust and the ability to connect to others. Love makes us vulnerable, and to express it we need to feel safe. In this extraordinary year of pandemic, we face unusual challenges and
Healing the Heart: the Fire Element and Summer Part I of this article explained how the Heart in Five Element acupuncture is understood differently than in Western medicine, opening the door to new ways of caring for and healing the Heart. Part II will delve more deeply into the connection of the Heart to the Fire Element, and will explain
The Heart in Eastern and Western Medicine The Heart in Five Element acupuncture is understood in a fundamentally different way than in Western medicine. Embracing this understanding can help us heal the heart, physically and emotionally. The heart in popular Western culture has long been understood as more than a mere biological pump. It is widely regarded as the seat
Thinking and Over-Thinking: the Earth Element in Five Element Acupuncture Information overload is the source of many maladies in the Information Age, discussed in Part I of this blog post on the Earth Element in Five Element acupuncture. Distracted thinking, worry and obsession are so widespread and habitual that they are almost invisible and appear to be a “normal” state
The Power of Love: the Fire Element in Five Element Acupuncture Love is at the essence of the Fire Element in Five Element acupuncture, and love connects. Humans cannot thrive in isolation. Maintaining a vibrant Fire Element is key to health in body, mind and spirit. The Fire Element, within us and around us, gives us the power to break
Five Elements, Portland and the Eagle Creek Fire Late Summer in Portland (the Earth Element) has brought us face-to-face with the Five Element cycle in the rawest form. As the Eagle Creek fire in Columbia River Gorge continues to burn, we see at play the fundamental energy of the creation or “sheng” cycle of Five Element theory. The ancient Chinese saw the Wood
Warmth and Sun: the Fire Element in Portland, Oh Joy! For a few fleeting weeks in July and August, the climate in Portland, Oregon, is transformed. Shifting from dreary, drizzly damp to sunny, dry warmth, Summer and the Fire Element in Portland has magically appeared! The shift to Summer and the Fire Element in Portland is often abrupt but typically
The Fire Element Around Us Warmth, joy and love are at the heart of Summer. In Five Element acupuncture, these qualities are embodied in the Fire Element. The sun, the ultimate source of Fire, is high in the sky and bathes us in sunshine. Summer is truly the zenith of activity in nature, as all things take in the sun’s
The Fire Element in Summer surrounds us. Dry leaves and grass bake under the hot summer sun. A spark, a flash of lighting, or perhaps the heat of the sun itself, ignites the blaze. In Five Element Acupuncture, the Wood Element is called the “mother” of the Fire Element. There has to be an initial spark to light the flame – the
Seasonal crossroads are times of transformation in the inner and outer worlds. Adams Community Garden is an oasis of quiet tucked back from Cornell Road, a busy commuter thoroughfare between the City of Portland and its western suburbs. The Garden lies in the embrace of Forest Park, a miles-long wooded area within the City limits. In this peaceful, sylvan setting,
