Is your life what you imagined it would be?
Have you ever felt like you’re going along in life and suddenly realize that even though you’re doing what you thought you should, it isn’t making you happy anymore?
Maybe you’re exhausted. Or you’re not happy in your marriage, job, or life situation. You’re not the parent you want to be or the person you used to be.
Even though you’re doing what you (or others) think you should it’s not filling your soul.
There’s not enough fun, rest, or play in your life.
When did you stop laughing? Or stop dancing? Or doodling just for the heck of it? Everything feels like work, effort, hustle, and it SUCKS! And you can’t take it for one more minute.
The solution is simple. Change it. But how?
Coming Back into Alignment
When we’re out of alignment with our truth, our soul’s calling, or our life purpose, the universe will drop subtle hints at first in an effort to get is back on track. If you ignore them, subtle hints turn into the proverbial 2×4 over the head!
Things become awful until we can’t ignore them anymore.
The one thing in my life that I constantly return to in difficult times is the Five Element system in Chinese medicine.
Whether it’s our health, relationships, or overall happiness that is suffering, each of the Elements give us the medicine we need to speak our truth and change our lives so they work for us!
We reclaim our personal power when we realign our energies and our lives with the seasons, cycles, and rhythms of nature. That’s what the Five Elements teach us to do.
The Five Element Way is our path back to wholeness, to finding happiness within. It’s been there all along, we just have to tap in.
What is the Five Element Way?
The Five Element Way uses the Elements of nature – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water – to bring dynamic balance to your life. Real life is never balanced like a scale and the idea of work-life balance can keep us striving towards an unrealistic ideal.
The pace of life is too fast and things change to frequently for static balance.
Dynamic Balance
What we need to find instead is dynamic balance. In dynamic balance, we can easily adapt and change in order to handle the left turns of life without being thrown completely off course.
The Five Element Way teaches us how to live in dynamic balance through honoring the seasons and rhythms of nature that are also reflected in the cycles of our own lives.
It also teaches us how to honor our own unique nature and needs, our light and shadow selves.The Five Element Way gives us permission to be who we are without comparison or judgment so we can nurture our children in the same way.
They guide our actions and help us find our unique way of nourishing our body, mind, and spirit.
Each Element Brings Aspects of Dynamic Balance:
The Wood Element gives us our drive and helps us create step-by-step plans and take inspired action toward our goals
The Fire Element teaches us epic self-care, self-love and inspires fun, play, creativity, and spontaneity
The Earth Element teaches us to connect with nature, friends, family, food, and how to keep the peace
The Metal Element teaches us to set healthy boundaries, to find our life’s purpose, and to live authentically
The Water Element helps us be mindful and present in the moment, to connect with our inner wisdom and tune in divine guidance.
When we’re stressed, sick, or unhappy we can look to the Five Elements to figure out where we’re out of balance. Then we can bring in the right kind of support to create dynamic balance and feel our best again.
After working extremely hard to complete my book while also practicing full time in my clinic and teaching, I had overextended my Wood Element. I was so used to working all the time, I wasn’t slowing down to nurture my Water Element.
I got so out-of-whack, my work that I love, was no longer fun anymore. That was when I knew it was time to reassess my Five Element balance. What I needed was to create space to take a sacred pause. Slowing down and doing less was just the medicine I needed to feel lit up again!
I might have felt guilty about taking a 6 week break from my work had I not know about the Five Element Way. But, I knew that if I honored my physical and emotional needs and nurtured my Water Element I would feel rejuvenated!
The Five Element Way is our path back to our true selves, to feeling whole and happy again.
The more you understand and embody the Five Element Way, the easier it becomes to live a life aligned with your true calling and to create more ease, flow, health, and happiness! But, in a way that’s uniquely yours!
- copyright Robin Green