In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the Earth Element governs this transition period between all the elements, or the 15 days surrounding the Equinoxes and Solstices, or 7.5 days before and after. It also shares the last month of summer, coined as "Late Summer". The Earth Element is the center of all the other elements that are the foundation of TCM, which are metal, water, wood and fire. The Earth Element guides this transition period between the seasons with a grounding energy that encourages stillness and contemplation. Think of the time you would plan out your end of the year, especially the holiday celebrations that follow one another in rapid succession. Or when it is going to be a brand new year and it is time to think of New Year's Resolutions. Or when the cool weather fades with Spring's emergence and all the budding flowers and vegetables in your home garden. Earth encourages this time of meditation and finding your center and which direction you wish to take the next approaching season.
Often it can be difficult to just begin a meditation practice on your own, and I would encourage anyone interested to take a class or read a book on the subject. The best baby step towards meditation and contemplation I have found is breathing exercises. When you focus on your breath you find that mindfulness and being present in the moment that is one of the goals in a meditative practice. Here is a simple breathing practice exercise, that can be found (with many more) in Pam Grout's book called Jumpstart Your Metabolism: How To Lose Weight By Changing The Way You Breathe. The two breathing exercises build on one another and are called "Geometric Breathing".
The first is called the "Triangle Breath" and it is a very easy breathing exercise to start with. Pay attention to your breath as you inhale deeply, making sure to expand your tummy (since that will let you know you filled up your lungs completely) and then exhale, gently since there is no rush. Once you finish your exhale, hold your breath; in the beginning, you may not be able to hold your breath that long, so maybe only to a count of three or five. The original exercise recommends starting with a count of four with all parts, but I would start where you are most comfortable and increase the count as you continue your practice. Now you can inhale and start the process again, with the goal of completing ten Triangle Breaths. You will notice almost immediately that you feel much more relaxed and by the time you get to ten Triangle Breaths, you will find yourself paying more attention to your thoughts and being in the present moment.
Simple instruction for the Triangle Breath: 1. Inhale 2. Exhale 3. Hold breath for a count of four before next inhalation.
Once you have mastered the "Triangle" then you are ready for the "Square Breath". Again it is very simple, we follow the Triangle Breath, by breathing in on the inhale and then at this point, we hold our breath for a comfortable count in the beginning, just like when starting out with the Triangle Breath. After this hold, we exhale our breath gently, slowly and let it all out. Then we hold our breath for a count we are comfortable with. Over time, you will be able to hold your breath longer and improve your lung capacity. That completes the "Square Breath" and we are ready to inhale again. We should be sure to do at least ten breaths of the "Square" to achieve the full effect of the breathing exercise. Many other things are happening in the body, more oxygen is enriching your blood and therefore your muscles, tissues and organs. I often share these breathing techniques with my patients if they are finding it hard to lie still during a treatment or ruminating over upsetting thoughts.
Simple instruction for the Square Breath: 1. Inhale 2. Hold breath for a count of four 3. Exhale 4. Hold breath for a count of four
Sometimes we need to give us the space and time to face our thoughts and feelings head on and really look at them and analyze them thoroughly. Rather than feeling chased by our thoughts, emotions and a potentially long to-do-list. Give yourself permission to find the peace and quiet inherent to this time in Nature and attune yourself to the Earth Element. Breathe in deep, find your center, and your inner peace and joy will manifest.
Often it can be difficult to just begin a meditation practice on your own, and I would encourage anyone interested to take a class or read a book on the subject. The best baby step towards meditation and contemplation I have found is breathing exercises. When you focus on your breath you find that mindfulness and being present in the moment that is one of the goals in a meditative practice. Here is a simple breathing practice exercise, that can be found (with many more) in Pam Grout's book called Jumpstart Your Metabolism: How To Lose Weight By Changing The Way You Breathe. The two breathing exercises build on one another and are called "Geometric Breathing".
The first is called the "Triangle Breath" and it is a very easy breathing exercise to start with. Pay attention to your breath as you inhale deeply, making sure to expand your tummy (since that will let you know you filled up your lungs completely) and then exhale, gently since there is no rush. Once you finish your exhale, hold your breath; in the beginning, you may not be able to hold your breath that long, so maybe only to a count of three or five. The original exercise recommends starting with a count of four with all parts, but I would start where you are most comfortable and increase the count as you continue your practice. Now you can inhale and start the process again, with the goal of completing ten Triangle Breaths. You will notice almost immediately that you feel much more relaxed and by the time you get to ten Triangle Breaths, you will find yourself paying more attention to your thoughts and being in the present moment.
Simple instruction for the Triangle Breath: 1. Inhale 2. Exhale 3. Hold breath for a count of four before next inhalation.
Once you have mastered the "Triangle" then you are ready for the "Square Breath". Again it is very simple, we follow the Triangle Breath, by breathing in on the inhale and then at this point, we hold our breath for a comfortable count in the beginning, just like when starting out with the Triangle Breath. After this hold, we exhale our breath gently, slowly and let it all out. Then we hold our breath for a count we are comfortable with. Over time, you will be able to hold your breath longer and improve your lung capacity. That completes the "Square Breath" and we are ready to inhale again. We should be sure to do at least ten breaths of the "Square" to achieve the full effect of the breathing exercise. Many other things are happening in the body, more oxygen is enriching your blood and therefore your muscles, tissues and organs. I often share these breathing techniques with my patients if they are finding it hard to lie still during a treatment or ruminating over upsetting thoughts.
Simple instruction for the Square Breath: 1. Inhale 2. Hold breath for a count of four 3. Exhale 4. Hold breath for a count of four
Sometimes we need to give us the space and time to face our thoughts and feelings head on and really look at them and analyze them thoroughly. Rather than feeling chased by our thoughts, emotions and a potentially long to-do-list. Give yourself permission to find the peace and quiet inherent to this time in Nature and attune yourself to the Earth Element. Breathe in deep, find your center, and your inner peace and joy will manifest.
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