Earth Element – giving and receiving

The Earth Element of Chinese Medicine

One big resource of the Earth Element is our ability to give and receive. I have noticed that health care practitioners in general, tend to “over-give” and “under- receive.” The Earth is literally our planet and our biological mother. To survive as infants, we rely on our ability to receive nourishment from a care-giver who is able to give.
In order to live on our planet, we must be able to receive nourishment from the food that grows from our soil (Earth).  If we want to have good soil for our food to grow, we must be able to nourish (give to) the soil. We nourish our garden soil with valuable nutrients from compost.
Earth energy expresses itself in enjoyable relationships between people that are based on the balance of what we give and what we receive.

Receiving balances giving.

Any energetic imbalance can lead to unwanted manifestations.  Although culturally applauded, over-giving creates an imbalance in the Earth Element. Imbalances in the Earth Element may manifest as any of these common complaints:

• Fatigue
• Overeating
• Undereating
• Scarcity mind set
• Excessive worry
• Digestive issues such as bloating or cramping
• Never taking time to nourish oneself

Digestion is the process directly related to the Earth Element.

In order to properly digest, we must be able to receive our food. Clearly, if we cannot receive food, we will not be able to survive. Energetically, an inability to receive compliments, help, support, good wishes, love, appreciation, etc., while not immediately life threatening, does add up over time.  As the energy of the Earth Element is more and more out of balance, serious physical manifestations may arise.

Come back to balance by learning to receive.

After a lifetime of giving, learning to receive can feel awkward, selfish, self-centered, or just wrong. Even so, you may have a sense that your Earth Element is out of balance from excessive giving vs. receiving. Learning the to say “yes, thank you” to help, support, love, and appreciation is the perfect medicine for you. Learning to receive nourishes your Earth Element.
Start small, be patient, and give yourself the love and compassion you so easily give others. Coach yourself along gently, notice the offers of support, and practice saying “yes, thank you” once in awhile.  As you bring the energetic balance of receiving into your system, notice how things begin to improve in body, mind, and spirit.