Hope Springs Eternal

One of the attributes of the wood element is Hope.  With the ability to look into the future comes the hope of being able to influence it. 

Every year at this time, the sun comes out and I start dreaming about what my backyard could look like.  And every year I clear away all of last year's brambles.  And I plant seeds.  And every year the weeds come up faster than my seeds and choke them out.  However- this does not stop me from doing it all over again the next year as soon as the sun comes out.  So- here it is.  Cleared.  Seeded.  Probably soon to be the favorite litter box of all the cats in the neighborhood (nothing like freshly turned soil for the feline connoisseur).  But if you only knew what it is going to look like in my mind. . .  

Hanging on to Last Year

Today was the first really gorgeous day of spring.  The sunlight and warmer temperatures brought out the contrast of this hawthorn, still hanging on to the berries of last summer even as buds of new leaves begin to form.  Soon these berries will be offset against white blossoms, reminiscent of drops of blood on snow.  I suppose it is comforting to know that a heart tonic like hawthorn is available all year round, an exception to prove the rule.  

More on the Power of Spring

When you think of strength, plants are not usually the first things that come to mind.  Mighty as a tree?  Maybe.  Strong as a shrub?  Not as much.  What about horsetails?  These are pushing their way up through a thick layer of asphalt.  Imagine what it would take to do that.

Not quite the same feat, but this little plant has managed to sprout somewhere almost equally inhospitable.  Rather then push through the stone, it moved around it.  Wood energy is also about having the vision to move around obstacles, rather then letting them stand in your way.

This is the kind of energy to which we have access at this time of year.  It's time to start thinking about getting your seeds in the ground, both literally and metaphorically.  Plant the seeds of your dreams today, and they'll have the added energy of spring to help them sprout.  Be as strong as a horsetail and as visionary as a seed.

Lion?

I'm going to say that March came in like a lion this year. True, the temperatures rose and the snow turned to rain on the actual first day of the month, but it wasn't any lamb.  Looking at a torrential rain storm and blue sky simultaneously out my office window today made me think spring.

Spring is when the energy of Wood is at its strongest in the Five Element theory of the ancient Chinese.  Wood energy is the power of wind, and the energy of vegetation bursting forth after hibernation.  This energy needs to be almost violent.  It takes a great force to awaken nature from the sleep of Winter.  This is why spring is often tumultuous:  one minute its raining, the next, the sun is shining.  It is difficult to know what to expect. 

It is one of the most difficult transitions to make healthwise as well.  We have to rouse ourselves from hibernation, and begin to use all that energy we stored up over the winter.  The tumultuous energy both within and without can often leave us vulnerable to seasonal viruses, which is why it is important to get a seasonal acupuncture tune-up at this time of year.

I can personally attest to this.  Disregarding my own advice about wearing a scarf, I decided it would be a good idea to practice some qigong outside when the weather was at its coldest last week.  As a result, I'm getting over the worst sore throat I've had in years.  But- I look on the bright side as its enabled me to fully experience the seasonal transition.