WOOD ELEMENT
Sources: Yin training manual, Detox training with Juan Pablo Barahona, Wood Becomes Water book by Gail Reichstein, fractalenlightenment.com, 5elementfood.blogspot.com, acatcm.com for meridian jpgs
Organs: Liver (yin) & Gallbladder (yang)
Season: Spring
Climate: Windy
Emotions: Anger, irritability, frustration, resentment
Connecting to: eyes, tendons, joints, ligaments, nails
Flavor: Sour
Color: Green
Stage in the Manifestation Process: Planning & decision making, new growth
Healing breath: Shhhh
Yoga Asana: Side body opening, twists, hip openers, inversions, movement you enjoy, practice with a clear progression & purpose
Balanced: Peaceful, confidant, insightful, strategic, decisive, motivated, resourceful, forgiving, patient, assertive
Phase in the Menstrual Cycle: Follicular, build lining for implantation
Wood in Deficiency: Blurred or weak vision, deficient immune response, passive behavior, scanty menstruation, dry skin, low self esteem, cold hands and feet, inability to make decisions, depression, lack of creative interest, inability to take action or come up with ideas
Wood in Excess: moodiness/ irritability/ depression, high blood pressure, anger, menstrual cramps, rigidity, inflammation, diarrhea, nausea, pounding headache, lack of energy, stuffy head or chest, difficulties bending and stretching
Process:
Human Life Cycle: Birth through childhood
Cycle of Day: Sunrise
Direction & energetic Flow: South, upwards
Hours: Gallbladder (11 pm- 1 am) Sleep & regenerate; Liver (1 am- 3 am) Deep resting & dreaming. If you wake up during this time your liver is overwhelmed by the detox process (alcohol, chemicals, drugs, poor diet all need detox by the liver)
Wood & Food: The Wood Element manifests in the food we eat with its distinctive flavor, shape, and color. The foods eaten during Spring and the quality of the foods we eat affect the Wood element and the Liver (which absorbs the toxins and the excess metabolites).
Sour Foods: Bok choy, chard, broccoli rabe, spinach, asparagus, celery, citrus (especially oranges, lemons, grapefruit), sour plum, pineapple, sourdough bread, pickles, olives
Balanced lifestyle:
Elemental Spirit: Hun "ethereal soul" associated with long range commitments, karmic connections, and continues to exist after death
Essential oils: Basil, cedarwood, cypress, fennel, frankincense, juniper, orange, patchouli, sandalwood, ylang ylang...