Medicine for the Soul: The dark side takes the lead these days, and many are uncomfortable with that. In Winter, food supply changes, temperatures plunge, and darkness surrounds. Remember the Yin/Yang symbol. Darkness/light co- exist. Winter Solstice is the time to embrace the Void as an ally, an aspect of Spirits of the East. This darkness is considered the eye of the storm and the place of everything and nothing. Grounding doesn’t seem to appear right now because it won’t help. The sea of memory crashes in and it is time to take toll of the past year. Not time to judge, but rather to let go with a blind faith. How to let go when there is fear? Perhaps it is time to become nature and not just watch it out the window. We are more than human, we are energy, re - member. Have the courage to have a conversation with your Dark side. It is the other half of YOU. Training in core Shamanism and Qi Gong has given me the freedom to step out of my comfort zone and come to terms in an energetic way vs an emotional conversation with Darkness.
Qi Tips: In Qi Gong tradition, the organs are related in an energy context. “Tis is the Season of the Kidneys…falalalala.” The emotion that arises during this season is Fear. Fear can lead to strategic thinking and activate intuition. If fear has frozen you, take your time, create patience. Befriend the darkness and make an ally out of fear. Kidney 27 – The Elegant Mansion, bilaterally hold/tap the areas to get energy moving forward and clear mind fog.
Major Snow is the phase of winter we are in right now and the vertebra is C1. Sit comfortably and collect inner energy from the Lower Dan Tien and exhale to C1 several times. One more breath collects the universal energy and exhales back into LDT. Abbreviated Sou Hai (immune booster) is to circle tongue inside mouth and collect saliva. Swallow and send energy into LDT. Repeat several times.
Kitchen Farmacy: We spoke of roots last month and how important they are for your health in this season. Working with Root Medicine helps us to connect with Mother Earth. Time to tune up your coffee with herbal roots. (Thank you Brita LaTona for this healing recipe.)
Herbal Root Coffee: 2 tbsp Dandelion Root, 2 tbsp Chicory Root, 2 tbsp Burdock, 1 tbsp Reishi, 1 tbsp Chaga, 1 tsp Cinnamon, ½ tsp Cordyceps.
Bring Root herb pack to a boil in 3 cups water, coconut milk/or milk alternative. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Strain and add honey to taste.
Other roots that are accessible and already made into teas include: Dandelion, Burdock, Chicory, and Reishi to name a few. Tea time equals immune booster time. The Root Chakra is activated and nourished.
Warm Salad: Remember to cook your salads. Add 1 cup matchstick carrots and boil one minute in ½ cup water. Drain and reserve cooking water. Place 2 cups chopped cabbage in this water and boil for one minute. Drain, and again, reserve cooking water. Put one cup celery and boil one minute. Remove and drain. Combine all and mix in 1 cup rinsed and chopped sauerkraut and one tsp chopped parsley. Wash and toast black sesame seeds, constantly stirring for about 5 minutes. They are done when they start to pop. Sprinkle on top of your warm salad.
I wish you a happy ending to 2018 and dreams come true in 2019.
“Be the melting snow, wash yourself of yourself.” Rumi