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March - the courage to change

“Master, I am afraid of change. How do I welcome him?”

“There is a person who can show you the way. Go to the blacksmith and stop and observe his work!"

“What can a blacksmith teach me?”

“The art of transformation. He uses fire to shape metals. He shapes them according to his will. He is the father of creation. Like the blacksmith, you too can shape your life, give your days the shape you want. You are the father of change. How can you be afraid of your creation?”

“I'm afraid of the change that comes from outside…”

“If you are afraid of fire, you burn yourself. If you learn to dominate it, you become the creator of wonderful masterpieces. Just like the blacksmith who with his millenary art manages to melt metal and bind it to give life to a new object, you too grasp the change that comes from outside, burn it with your inner fire and bring out new life, new ideas, new thoughts.”

“I'm not sure I can…”

“Your problem is not the fear of change but of the fire that is inside you. It's burning a lot, at very high temperatures, because it wants to accomplish its assignment. But you are turning it off. With fear, worry, fatigue. Don't be afraid of seeing new parts of you born: the blacksmith is an artist and what he creates is only a work of art."

Elena Bernabè


Spirit Focus: grasp the change

From the Classical Chinese Medical point of view, the above story talks about three Elements: Fire, Water and Wood. The Fire and Water elements are the heat and cold used by an iron maker to melt and solidify but his hammer is a vector of creation, that is the Wood element - the element of Spring. Whereas the Fire and Water elements are the basis for any existence, they also maintain each other in equilibrium by their interplay. The Wood element is the courage with which the iron maker raises his hammer and decides on his next move in accordance with his vision of what he intends to create.


The passion of Fire although essential for creating, is not enough without an act of doing. Spring is just about that: taking the steps, raise your hammer and change the shape according to your vision. Those who burn inside but do not apply the hammer (here meaning: direction, decisions, moving ahead, etc) will produce certain psycho-somatic symptoms, especially so in Spring.


Mind Focus: resistance is in the mind

The Nature does not resists that which is inevitable. The realisation of self is a natural result of us being born and alive. Not accomplishing our destiny (called Ming by cinese) is when the disease sets in. The only obstacle on your way is your mind, precisely the resistances you have created in your mind.


What are your beliefs about not doing, having or being who you burn inside to be? There isn't a better month in a year than March to challenge what you think about yourself and the world. The winds of change blowing in Spring will help you be more creative and flexible with your thoughts.


The resistance is also in our daily habits, daily actions we take to go about accomplishing tasks. We are still at the beginning of Spring feeling so much potential ahead. It is a perfect time to address all your self-sabotaging behaviours, be it health-wise, relationship-wise or work-wise.


Body Focus: Marching like the Liver

There are two seasons in the year when the energy helps us to detox: the Autumn and the Spring. In Autumn we let go to create space. In Spring the release happens as the byproduct of the propelling force which must move ahead and leaves behind the unnecessary. It is thanks to Liver, known as the General of our body.


Liver is so strongly energised in Spring that even slightest support you give it, will help it cleanse your body of the Winter accumulations. If you followed my February advice to start gently on detox (https://www.dorotao.com/post/february-sprouting-time), this month you can boldly get into it.


Continue, if you have not done it yet, withdrawing heavier foods from your diet (check out my February blog) and add lighter foods instead. This month add daily one of these seasonal liver "friendly" vegetables:

- chicories

- artichokes

- red beets (root and leaves)

- radishes

- wild greens (dandelion leaves, nettle leaves, foraging greens).


As a supplement, I have prepared and used daily a hydro-alcoholic extract of Milk Thistle seeds. If there is one Liver herb I would use this month it is Milk Thistle. Apart from its known function in western herbalism of protecting and tonifying the Liver; in Chinese herbal medicine it moves the stagnation of Qi and Blood - aiding that propelling force of Liver to move ahead. Additionally, it helps removing the toxins out of the body via urine and intestines.


Exercise wise, this month you are bound to feel like doing much more than just gentle stretches suggested the past month. Do get out and walk to stretch your ligaments and include some exercises to strengthen your muscles. Otherwise, how are you going to sustain this month's work of forging the iron?


If there are any symptoms that arise at this season or get worse in Spring, do contact me for a thorough personal diagnosis.


 

March - the Courage to Change
Spring Creation








Common fern (Polypodium vulgare) - timeless health and beauty

Whoever knows about plants knows that ferns belong to an ancient and "primitive" plant species which existed already over 400,000,000 years ago. Ferns are know as living fossils. The Chinese herbalists call them the "ancients", the "sages" and as such they pass on to us the ancient wisdom and ageless connection to the Earth. You can only imagine how useful that is to us!


They remained practically genetically unchanged over all those millions of years. That immediately brings to mind that they are hardy, stable and can root us down. Differently to some trees or other adaptogen roots, with ferns it is not so much the physical grounding. It is more of a Spiritual connection to that which is timeless, of being able to resist that what time changes.


That opens up so many potentials of this plant!


One Swiss cosmetic company studied Common Fern as one of the three major skin anti-aging plants*. But we can absorb better the time-resisting qualities of this plant by consuming it in herbal preparations. There are in fact numerous studies citing a wide range of benefits of Common Fern's herbal preparations. One study named Polypodium vulgare as a "versatile"** herb. The anti-aging qualities of Common Fern include: hydration, antioxidant properties, protection in neurodegenerative disorders, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, anti-stress.


However, most of Common Fern uses derive from its associations, as classified by the Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, with Spleen, Stomach, Lung, Large Intestine and Kidney. Therefore, it is outstanding in treating respiratory and skin conditions (Lung organ), especially for issues that include phlegm, such as coughs, catarrh, bronchitis, and congestion. It is both expectorant and transforming of respiratory phlegm (more of Spleen function). In the same time, it soothes the mucous membrane, including Kidneys' (Marston, 1995)*** - function related to Spleen and Stomach energetics.


The extension of its mucous membrane soothing properties is applied to healing wounds**** such as cuts, bites and scrapes, being effective also due to its anti-bacterial properties. Topicaly it deals with psoriasis and eczema.


Other application of its soothing the mucous membrane is on the digestive tract in relieving colic, stitches, heartburn, stomachache and constipation***. It is traditionally considered as a mild laxative therefore one should not exaggerate on the quantities. However, if you harvest yourself the root of Polypodium, you will find out that it is rather laborious to collect exaggerated amounts anyway. It is further aiding digestion by increasing good, healthy appetite (again Spleen function).


Its energetics are of lowering and eliminating. Therefore, in addition to lowering the food down the digestive tract, it also lowers temperature, lowers the blood pressure, as mentioned before, and "lowers" the overreactive nervous system.

In addition to aiding Colon elimination it also aids liquid elimination but not through strict diuretic properties but drying out the liquid accumulations. Thanks to this property reduces the swellings, especially of inflamed joints.


Interestingly this herb has a very distinctive sweet taste, resembling so unbelievably liquorice that it is often called False Liquorice. In fact, it has the potential to be used as a Western substitute to liquorice in the Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine.


I have utilised Common Fern in my seasonal February decoction: https://www.dorotao.com/post/february-sprouting-time, together with Nettle, Horsetail, Parsley seeds and Ginger root. "It is a perfect start for the prep ground in February: gently detoxing but still warming and nourishing."


Finally, Polypodium is a very safe herb. I have not found any reference to it having any adverse effects other than laxative in the large amounts or over a long period of time.


I may be completely sided in believing that two weeks of drinking my seasonal February decoction has improved my skin quality and drained more mucus from my sinuses, but I will definitely include Polypodium in my next decoction mix. Stay tuned to my March energy update.


 






February - sprouting time

With some delay, I provide you with a new format of my monthly energy updates starting from this month.

With February 5th started off the first month of Spring according to the ancient cinese classics. It is a time of great expectations, of awaiting for the potential to take form, the period of being an embryo "in the womb". The ground is getting ready, the seeds and buds swell by longer days and warmer waether. But the potential is still enclosed inside of them. It is a potential to which we need to tender and care for correctly, according to the Nature's pace, to make it develop into a whole new being.


So accordingly, for us, it is time for each human being to renew himself /herself, a chance to conceive a part of us that has not yet been formed but yearns to become. This month it is all about preparing the ground. How best to flow with these energies in February?

I outline some simple but effective ideas that anyone can follow. They are focused on Body, Mind and Spirit.


BODY FOCUS: FIRST STEPS IN DETOX

If you'd have read my energy updates for December and January, you would remember I do not advocate doing detox during those Winter months. February is the first month after the Winter break when we can and should take the first steps in detoxing our bodies. The increasing energies in the Nature will assist you with shifting some accumulations and habits.


Take a look at my plan for February:

1. Gradual elimination of heavier foods

- from today take one thing out of your diet which you know you need a break from (e.g. wine, coffee, cigarettes, chocolate, fried foods, red meat, etc). Anything you have recently overdone on or food that is considered "heavier" to digest;

- after one week take a second food out of your diet (the more you are attached to some food the more your body will need a break from it now);

- following another week take out the third food and then the week after the fourth food. By the end of the month you will be in a much better shape and your body will hardly notice you cutting out all those foods.

Breaking off physical habits helps us breaking free from mental and behavioural ones as well. Plus, we give our senses a pause so that they have a heightened perception and help us awake from the winter lethargy.


2. Gradual addition of lighter foods

- from today drink at least 1L of herbal tea/decoction a day. Make it into a thermos and drink throughout the day (the body needs hydration and warmth to sprout this month);

- the next week, continue with at least 1L of herbal tea a day and start your days with a glass of warm water and a half of a lemon juice on an empty stomach (lemon is an alcaline acid but it is related to Wood/Spring element and moves the energy);

- the third week, continue with the previous and add just one raw vegetable (saying "one" as too much raw in cold whether is still too cooling) a day to your diet

- the fourth week, continue with the herbal tea, water with lemon juice, a raw veg a day and add fresh sprouts once a day to your diet. Sprouts are easily done at home and gives you just the right affinity to the season.


By the end of the month you will feel so much lighter and the passage of the change in season will be a smooth ride for you.


The herbal decoction I have prepared for myself for February consists of: Nettle, Horsetail, Parsley seeds, Fern root and Ginger root. It is a perfect start for the prep ground in February: gently detoxing but still warming and nourishing.


This month is good for giving your body some stretches, especially reaching up and bending the lumbar back.


MIND FOCUS: OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

February is probably the last chance to review the previous year cycle before the energy moves full on into a new life cycle.

Set yourself this month for reviewing the last year. What have you actually done during the last year, month by month? Was it time well spent? Do you feel completed, satisfied? Are there any issues, projects, relationships needing closing off. Put the dots on the "i's" and crosses on "t's" on the last year projects or those that are near their completion.


Once you've dealt with your review and closures, take some seeds (e.g. tomato, beans, sun flowers, calendula flowers, etc) and sow the seeds in a pot by the indoor window with the intention to grow one new specific project or intention. Each time you water it, look and care for it, remember the project/intention in mind. Are you giving it the right amount of attention? Before the end of the month speak about this project with at least one person. Speaking about the ideas and plans is like exchanging seeds, one can grow a more abundant garden.


SPIRIT FOCUS: RECONNECT TO YOUR ESSENCE

"When five organs are able to submit to the heart without resistance, then however powerful the rising of the will, the behaviour does not deviate. (...) the vital spirits thrive and the Qi are not scattered. (...) then there is perfect order. (...) then the spirits. With the spirits (...) in doing there is nothing that is not accomplished." (Huainanzi ch.7)


In other words, if your body follows the Hearts/Spirits it will lead you to accomplishment.


Coming out of Winter lethargy in February we are loaded with the will power to go forward. Let's be mindful of the Heart and Spirit connection in conceiving plans for the new life cycle. Check that your plans and intentions find a resonance with your Heart.


There may be some emotions or states of being that cloud the "music" of the Heart. Identify at least one such emotion/state during this month. It can be worry, anxiety, anger, frustration, procrastination, it can be chronic tiredness, poor health, depression, victimhood, state of poverty, or the so called "sacred cows" in your life. Challenge them. Why do these states repeat? Repeated emotional states are energies imprisoned by that emotion. Acupuncture can assist you in changing your emotional state by working with the body's energy points and liberating by that a lot of vital energy.



One way to settle the emotional turmoil and hear your Heart is to join me in weekly on-line meditations on Mondays at 9.30pm (CET). Click below to register for a link:



 








Thank you for joining in!

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