Dive Deeper

Spring in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) is related to the Wood Element. This element governs our relationship to order, planning, and control. Wood energy also involves our physical and mental flexibility. If there is an imbalance in the wood element, the result is stubbornness, and narrow-mindedness like a rigid branch that cannot bend but will break instead. Wood element is a delicate balance of asserting and expressing our truths and preferences while accepting other points of views and processes without judgement.

Imbalanced Wood tends to suppress emotions, staying quietly rigid and inflexible in their views and behavior.  Likely to have episodes of explosive reactivity, stubbornness, irritability after suppressing for so long.

Balanced Wood is confident and intuitive, patient and able to express emotions as they arise. Able to express their personality instead of assert themselves, smooth and relaxed.

Is this Retreat for you? Ask yourself:
How am I with expressing myself? Am I allowing growth with patience and compassion and fully accepting myself exactly as I am?

Fall in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) is related to the Metal Element. It governs our ability to take in life and let go of the rest, making space for the new. Surrendering for true transformation. Fall is the turning point from the yang of summer, back toward the yin of winter.

Imbalanced Metal may be blocked from fully expressing oneself. Instead of being proud we have unrealistic, rigid expectations of ourselves and others- a perfectionist paradigm. Sometimes this is demonstrated in difficulty in letting go of emotional pain and dealing with grief.

Balanced Metal allows the process of letting go of the past in order to gain wisdom. They release attachments and form new bonds without fear of loss.

Is this Retreat for you? Ask yourself:
Have you been able to let go of seeking and attachment, forgiving oneself and others and releasing the past? Are you grateful and preset for what’s arriving in the here and now?

Summer in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) is related to the Fire Element. This element strongly relates to touch, intimacy and connection. Its’s through touch that we affirm friendship, warmth, communicate, give and receive, and share.

Imbalanced Fire can experience lack of self-compassion, self-love, manifesting in a need to ensure they are loved and have someone to love. They often feel lonely, or socially/sexually overactive (yin/yang). Inability to authentically connect but always searching to fill that.

Balanced Fire is loving, spontaneous and joyful. Life is full of laughter, fun and creativity. Feeling of being in sync with the self and others. Emotional warmth and radiance. Able to learn and grow with awareness and acceptance.

Is this Retreat for you? Ask yourself:
What has been giving me an authentic feeling of joy in my heart lately? How have I been dealing with disappointments and disillusionments in relationships, are they helping me to grow, or do I shut down?

Winter in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) is related to the Water Element. The wisdom of water is its incredible strength, it carves rock and shapes the entire earth, but without force. Water allows for adaptation to all of life’s changes, challenges and stresses.

Imbalanced Water tends to have excessive reactivity and emotional responsiveness (opposite of equanimity.) Fear, stress and anxiety drain the system of motivation, so they are unable to cope with issues that arise.

Balanced Water empowers us to govern emotions, rather than letting emotions govern us.
Water energy enables us to act effectively in regard to a problem despite emotional responses, from a place of stable clarity. To act consciously, rather than react unconsciously. Allowing feelings to be there, without suppressing or indulging them. They trust in the flow of life. They are motivated and thus flow around obstacles with a skillful balance of effortlessness and determination.

Is this Retreat for you? Ask yourself:
Do I know when to stand my ground and when to surrender? Am I making choices which deplete my vital energy, or allowing spaces to replenish and revitalize my system?