The Nature of Wind

Wind is a very elusive Element. 

As I am writing this post we are in the throws of yet another storm, it is dancing with the canopy of my Oak trees,  branches are twirling in different directions and leaves are darting through the air. 

For the past week and a half I have been sitting with the potential energy of wind since it made its presence known here on the East end of Long Island in the form of a hurricane. The day before the storm arrived I went to the ocean and saw the spray of the waves fly through the air while the shore line slowly disappeared. 

I also heard the winds howl, trees crack, break and fall while a full moon appeared in a dry sky. 

This week I revisited the energy of wind and all of its layers from a Chinese medical perspective.

In the medicine, it is said that
"Wind is the chief of the hundred diseases."
Wind can find it's way into our body and disturb the natural flow of Qi.
It often permeates cracks and influences our Wei Qi, or surface Qi, this might manifest as flu like symptoms and headaches. It often attacks the upper body first, the eyes, the nose, the throat and lungs. It may create symptoms such as an aversion to wind, a floating pulse and feverish conditions.
 It is known to be violent, changeable, and unfixed.  In the medicine, tremors, shaking, dizziness are all considered general signs of wind. It can also manifest as  jerky movements, itching of the skin, and migratory aches and pains.
On an internal level, wind may appear as vertigo, strokes or seizures. An internal origin of wind may also come about from an unsettled Yang Qi that stirs and rises to the top of the body, or perhaps a condition of blood deficiency. "Extreme heat stirring wind" may come from heat in the Liver that rises deep from inside and quite quickly.
When we are diagnosing different types of wind, we need to consider if the origin is internal or external. The treatment protocol will vary according to the presentation. Sometimes wind carries other elements from nature such as dampness, heat, cold and dryness. Conditions such as wind stroke, wind numbness, wind papules, wind-fireye, and wind water are additional conditions that may arise from the pathogenic factor of wind.
We can protect ourselves from this element by wearing warm clothes, staying away from a drafty space, covering our spine and lower back and staying sheltered on a windy day or during stormy weather. Specific Chinese herbal formulas also help rid our systems of wind. 

The photograph of the Camellia flower below was taken the night of the hurricane, oddly enough, this flower was intact despite the high winds. 

The feature for 'Comments' has been changed on my blog, so now anyone can leave a note without having to create an account with Google. I welcome your comments, feedback and experiences.
Since the hurricane, I have found a deeper sense of gratitude for all of the blessings and gifts in my daily life, my family, my friends, every one who called or wrote to offer the their hospitality, the greatness of nature,  and the company and strength of community.

Pretty Things in Small Packages

I am thrilled to offer my photographs as well as sparkly laptop covers and nifty iPhone covers in my new online shop.

Here are a few of the possibilities!

society6.com/prettymedicine

Thank you for visiting my shop!

Snake Medicine

This little creature crossed my path while I was on a walk with a fellow nature lover along the cliffs of  Montauk. The weather  is cool now and the snakes slow down their movement, so it was easy for me to get it's picture. I often see them in my garden but have not yet had the chance to photograph one so close. To see it's red tongue was truly amazing!

Farther into our walk we encountered a second snake.

In many cultures snakes are considered wise animals and are known to carry medicine, guard sacred temples, and carry powerful symbolic meanings. 

Because the snake sheds its skin, it represents the energy of transformation and transmutation. It also represents fertility, life force, rebirth, immortality, wisdom and initiation. 

Snakes can bridge obstacles with grace so they are powerful totem animals for when we need assistance moving through dense or difficult life situations. 

This particular snake is called an Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)

Autumn Goodness and the Spirit of the Po

The last of the Monarch butterflies can be seen as the light of the September fades. 

In Chinese medicine, we look at this time as relating to the element of Metal. (We have five elements/  phases also known as Wu Xing, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood). At this time the air is drier and more crisp and so it affects the Lungs and Large Intestine which are partner organs. Lung being the Yin partner while the Large Intestine being the Yang partner. 

The following correspondences relate to the element of Metal; the direction is West, the color is silver or white, the emotions are sadness or grief, the taste is pungent, the body tissues are skin and body part the nose. The animal associated with the Metal element is the horse, and the planet is Venus. When diseases manifest from the this particular element they may be seen on the skin and in relation to the body hair. 

Each element has its own Spirit manifestation. The Spirit associated with the Metal element is the Po. 

The Spirit of the Po, also known as the Corporeal Soul, has the capacity to transmute sadness into preciousness and great beauty. I have been thinking a lot about this specific spirit as we are now in transition, and I like to explore how we can transmute, cleanse and clear grief into beauty. 

In this time of year it is natural to feel a sense of loss as the trees are losing their leaves and falling to the ground. The peak time for the Lung is 3-5 am, so if we are waking with a feeling of sadness it may be that we need to focus on nourishing the Lungs. The large Intestine time is between 5-7 am. 

We may nourish this element by allowing the manifestation of precious things, and moments that uplift and bring us joy. According to the Suwen, 'Grief injures the Lungs, but elation overcomes grief'. 

I have been taking my camera on small trips and finding butterflies and dragon flies in abundance.These pictures were taken in Southampton, in a filed that is rich with wildlife and magical flowers.

                                                An iPhone was used to create the nine patch collage below. 

Nourishing Yin

 The topic of the month is nourishing Yin. So often in my practice, my patients ask me what is Yin and what is Yang? How do these principles apply to my treatment? How do I work with these aspects of Chinese medicine in my every day life?
These are very big questions with multi-dimensional answers. I am going to answer them from my own personal perspective. Please note that each practitioner of Chinese medicine will have their own definition and application of these theories...
Yin is the passive energy that is defined by contraction.  As the season shifts and we go into the darker days and cooler nights we are entering the Yin cycle within nature. The element is water, the organs are the Kidneys and the Bladder, the colors are black and blue. This is the time where we prosper if we simmer savory soups, make congees, roast root vegetables, drink hot herbal teas with Manuka honey, rest more, go in, sleep longer hours, honor the delicate needs of our bodies,  and nourish our deepest Essence on all levels.
My favorite source of inspiration for recipes and food suggestions for nourishing Yin is Paul Pitchford's  book Healing With Whole Foods. Yin foods tend to be more cooling, salty, descending in energy and by nature build blood and nourish fluids of the body.
Outside of Acupuncture and massage treatments, rest and seasonal diet modifications, creative activities   may also nourish Yin.
The balance between Yin and Yang will manifest as a more balanced Qi, or vital life force.

Yin is the energy that is governed by darkness, creative energy, passiveness, serenity, moisture, the seed, the quiet, cultivation of nutrition, the new beginning, softness, the feminine, our sweetest inner dreams that wake us up in the early morning where we say 'yes' before the day begins. 

Knitting, cooking, embroidery, wood work, meditation, resting by a fire, enjoying the close comfort of a best friend with tea, a nap under a special quilt, a rest in the warmth of the afternoon Autumn sun, the essence of the moon, a rich velvety congee,  a stew simmering  in a crock pot, the sweet smell of the most delicate flowers, the essence of earth, all speak to the energy of Yin. 

For me, the expression of Yin comes when I can take a beautiful picture of an opening flower, or seeing the sparkle of the sun light on water that translates into an opening of my Heart. Also,  being in the vastness of the open sea...with my camera, or experiencing a special moment in nature... touching the earth,
and  knowing that it will nourish me for a long while.

'The closer you can lie against the Earth, melting into the Earth, the better. You become nothing in order to be come something....Touching the Earth, you are able to reabsorb the vital source of energy  bequeathed to you by your ancestors.'

Thich Nhat Hanh

A Strange and Beautiful Visitor

This visitor appeared yesterday in the soft September light. 

The picture was taken as this small moth was resting on a window, it was taken from inside of the glass. I found it rather mysterious to see how the light came through the wings. 

Wishing everyone a sparkly week end.

The End of Summer

As the light and the colors are shifting with the seasons, the spiders are busy weaving their incredible webs and many of the berries are turning the most delicious shades of red and orange.

Before the warmth and the sound of the crickets slip away I want to share my summer snapshots.

All of these pictures were taken with my iPhone.

The anagrams below came from my grandparents farm house. They have been with me since my childhood. Just today I took them all out of the box and began to make words. They remind me of the  precious hours that I spent with my grandmother learning how to spell at the dining room table on summer visits.

Wishing everyone a happy September.