Summertime and livin’ is easy

Summertime and livin’ is easy: enjoying the present moment

Embrace the season of sunshine and warmth with open arms. Seize every opportunity to relish in the present moment. Let go of worries and stress, for now is not the time to dwell on them. Instead, bask in all that summertime has to offer – lazy afternoons by the pool or beach, savoring delicious ice cream treats under blue skies, taking leisurely walks through lush green parks…the possibilities are endless! So don’t let this precious time slip away from you; make it your mission to fully immerse yourself in everything summer has waiting for you!

This blog post is about the summer season and the Wood element that is associated with it, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) philosophy. The Five elements is more than a personality type system. It is your energetic constitution that is affecting all your energy systems, mind, and body.

This mind-body connection has always been self-evident to Chinese. What happens in our mind, happens in the body, and the bridge between the two, is the meridian – an energy pathway – that runs through our body. The main meridian is divided into 12 sections based on the organ they govern. You can read more about the meridian system on my website.

The Fire element is one of 5 elements in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Fire is associated with Heart, Small Intestine, Circulation Sex and Triple Warmer meridians and its organ network, includes heart, small intestines, and pericardium.

Fire Element is associated with the comedian and wizard archetypes, representing brightness, laughter, and presence.

No matter what’s your primary element, we all have Fire energy in us. Fire is about making the mundane fun and fulfilling. By embracing and strengthening your Fire, you can become lighter, more social, and present.

How do you recognize the Fire type

The best way to describe the Fire type is that they can be seen and heard in a crowd of people. They seldom stay in the background. Fire personalities love to have a lot of people around them. They tend to be hot, bright, and vibrant and they often enjoy the spotlight.

Fire types are the life and soul of every party, without Fire types, life would be just hard work, no fun.

Since Fire elements organ is Heart, the commander of all bodily functions, Fire types tend to have a big heart and a deep spiritual side that is not always easy to see from all their amusing and pleasing. They have trouble saying no to people in person and feel and think with their heart and talk in terms of heartfelt, wholeheartedly, from the bottom of my heart etc.

The common archetype of Fire is a Comedian, and a Wizard.

When I think of Fire type, I see a comedian Jim Carrey stretching his face in the film Pet Detective. He is the living breathing Fire who engages the audience with his tremendous energy and presence. He quickly became famous as a comedian and created a successful acting career.

His most previous work is more spiritual in nature. In the documentary film “Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond” he ponders the meaning of life, reality, identity, and career; All concepts that many Fire types have challenges with throughout their lives. The Fire architype: Wizard has a deep understanding and can see things in a different light and transform any life experience into magical one.

When Jim Carrey is asked what he thinks about all his fans around the globe think they know the individual who is Jim Carrey, even if he is a fictional construction in their — and even his own — minds, Jim Carrey says, “I feel lucky to have gotten the part”.

He’s not a bit annoyed by people, like a Metal type could be, or frustrated like a Wood type might be. He says it is like life would be a one big roleplay for him.

He also states, every role he ever did, chose him. The roles appeared in a moment he was ready and needed them. Have you seen his movies “The Truman show” or “Man on the Moon”? Or how about the “Yes man”? Yes, Fire types say Yes, when they mean no and yes when they mean yes. That’s a hilarious movie.

On the downside, Fire types live in the moment and have difficulties tempering their excitement and enthusiasm even so that they often get overwhelmed, which leads to nervous exhaustion and insomnia.

This dual nature of Comedian/Wizard also shows in disorganization and their sprawling nature. Their constant challenge is maintaining a balance between conserving and sharing their resources. Withdrawing and embracing, separating, and merging.

By embracing the empowering attributes of Fire this summer, you too can bring more excitement and fulfillment to your life. Try saying “yes” more than no. Try doing something fun you’ve never done before.

Let’s delve a little deeper into how to get your Fire element in balance and start living your life to the fullest.

Balanced Fires lead a fun-filled, exciting lives

In TCM, each Element has an organ network as their dedicated workforce. The heart is the Fire elements main organ network, and its superpower is communication. The heart is the great commander and a magician of our body, mind, and soul.

Balanced Fire personalities spark joy in everyone around them, things will never get serious with a Fire personality. They see the fun in everything they do, and they honestly love everything and everyone and in their innocent enthusiasm, often get jealous looks and behavior from others.

They live in the moment and find fun and enjoyment in the dullest of daily chores.

To counterbalance their rambling appearance, they often need order and control in their home environment and a place to spend time alone without anyone needing anything from them.

Fire personalities make decisions with their heart, so they lead fulfilled and happy lives. They don’t value money and prosperity, so they may not be the most successful in terms of finances, so they usually need help with that from a Metal or Water element.

When your Fire energy is healthy, information between heart and other organs flows freely. All the organs know exactly what their job is and their needs to fulfill their job are being met. Joy, peace and harmony exists, and health and happiness prevail.

Yin and Yang Fire

Heart organ networks energetic responsibilities are to command and carry the responsibility of all bodily functions. Therefore, the heart must be well protected. In addition to every other organ network’s effort to protect the heart, it has a dedicated organ to protect it, a sac around it called pericardium.

Imbalances in Fire element show up as either disintegration or immolation. In practice, diminished flame often shows up as desperation, isolation, and nervous exhaustion, whereas exaggeration shows up as total lack of boundaries, pleasing others to extremes and immolation, sacrificing their health over others.

What is interesting to me, is to notice how Fire deficiency makes us lean towards anger and Wood element which is its “parent element” in 5 elements cycle. Whereas Wood excess tends to assimilate its “child element”, Earth with endless servicing others at the expense of own health.

Some Fires lean overly on their heart and pericardium, which are the Yin organs of Fire element, making them more inward directed. Therefore, it’s not always easy to identify the primary Fire personality. Some that have a tendency towards deficiency are people pleasers at the expense of their own happiness, hoping to get acceptance and admiration.

The types that have a tendency to Fire excess are loud and big personalities that enjoy being on stage. They often rely on their Yang organs “small intestine” and “triple warmer”. I call them Yang Fire types, since their behavior is very much Yang in nature: outgoing, revealed, and charismatic. They are loud and love to be on stage.

Still, both Yin and Yang Fires have the same tendency of seeking pleasure and stimulation, bringing light and laughter to wherever they walk.

How to recognize imbalances in Fire Element and balance it

From seedling to blossom: Summer is a journey towards maturity, it is when the seeds planted in the spring start to blossom, and so do we as human beings. In summer, we are in full bloom and love is the primary feeling of the season and we feel it deeply in our hearts. It is a healing force connecting us to each other, and giving us a feeling of oneness.

Love is getting and keeping you in the network of satisfaction, creativity and enthusiasm and love. Lack of enthusiasm and love is a sign that we have turned away from that divine Fire. Due to the Heart being in charge of all the other organs, straying away from your destiny is noted in the blood and through blood all the other organs are informed.

Heart is in charge of the collaborative nature of life. We are wired to collaborate because we used to depend on it to survive, but modern people have lost that understanding of collaborative life.

Fire element also governs the fight flight response that keeps us alive but also sociability, the desire to be with other or not. When our nervous system is in fight or flight state, the world feels dangerous or overstimulating. We are reactive and irritable, and have a need to isolate.

How to balance Fire deficiency

Are you good with people, socially active and always looking for the next engaging conversation with new exciting people? You enjoy being with people and love talking but at the end of the day, when you get home, you’re totally exhausted and just want to be alone. If this sounds familiar, you might want to strengthen your Fire element.

1. Start by strengthening your Fire element, here Donna Eden shows you how.

   • foster your connection to people:

   • https://youtu.be/PUI6PAF4F1E?list=PLC_78_m58jGaEpG8gWo2zFj2nIhlm7aBY

2. A good protocol to try when you’ve exhausted all your energy to keep others happy.

   • Trace your Yang meridians in arms:

   • https://youtu.be/Rca3oQL6Lko?list=PLC_78_m58jGaEpG8gWo2zFj2nIhlm7aBY

How to balance Fire Excess

In the case of Fire excess, our reactivity to stress is increased and we’re vulnerable to infection. Organs and especially autonomic nervous system are in constant hyperfunction. This can lead to prolonged stress and anxiety.

When there’s an excess in Fire element, we feel out of control, as if there is no one to guide or lead us. With no one keeping order or assigning boundaries, chaos may result. People can become over-controlling and micromanaging in their panic state of mind.

To avoid a total collapse under the strain, try the exercises below.

1. Taking down the flame, to calm panic and anxiety attacks. It will also help with high blood pressure.

   • Here’s a video with Dondi Dahlin:

   • https://youtu.be/x66gycF9b5w?list=PLC_78_m58jGaEpG8gWo2zFj2nIhlm7aBY

2. Triple Warmer governs our ability to manage stress. The Triple Warmer Smoothie -exercise helps with releasing tension, anxiety and fear. It also helps with hot flashes!

   • Here’s a video showing you the Triple Warmer Smoothie:

   • https://youtu.be/zgMszksa0wk?list=PLC_78_m58jGaEpG8gWo2zFj2nIhlm7aBY

This is a season of awakening: unleashing maturity, mindfulness and fiery energy

So, are you ready to live in the present moment this summer and harness the power of Fire energy? Don’t let this season pass you by without taking advantage of its transformative potential. Summer is the time when we have a lot of Fire energy flowing in our bodies, therefore, it is also the best time to balance your Fire element.

By balancing your Fire element, you can tap into joy and align your thoughts and actions so that you can make decision from the heart. Find joy in everything you do, and it will help you live your life to the fullest during this season.

Healthy Fire element type means maturity:

• You live in alignment with your passion and values

• You are present

• You find joy in everything you do

• You include your heart into every decision you make

Take a deep breath, step outside to do some energy balancing, and let the energy of Summer infuse your being. You won’t regret it!

References and further reading:

1. Harriet Beinfield. “Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine”.

2. Eden, Donna with David Feinstein Ph.D. “Energy Medicine”.

3. Dondi Dahlin “The Five Elements: Understand Yourself and Enhance Your Relationships with the Wisdom of the World’s Oldest Personality Type System”.

4. Charles A. Moss. “Power of the Five Elements: The Chinese Medicine Path to Healthy Aging and Stress Resistance”.

5. www.acupuncturetoday.com5 Elements acupuncture: The Five phases – Acupuncture Points (acupuncture-points.org)