Welcome to the Big Tree Blog
Self-care redefined The 5 Elements of Chinese medicine express themselves in our body-mind-emotion-spirit. Imbalances within ourselves are eased by taking a little time to care for ourselves. Using the wisdom of the 5 Elements, we have access to innovative possibilities for self-care. Below is a short list to get you started: Earth -Nourishing, giving and receiving…
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“Quitting” has many connotations. If I quit school, I’m a failure. If I quit smoking, I’m a success story. Personally, I have quit many things – some would be declared failures and others successes. Quitting is an ending of one thing, and the beginning of another. Endings, letting go, limiting – these balance all the beginnings, the…
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The Gallbladder meridian tends to have blocks that restrict the flow of energy (Qi). When Qi (“chee”) flow is restricted, we feel pain, tension, or restricted movement in the area of the blockage. Similar to traffic backing up at a site of road construction, Qi can back up within a blocked Gallbladder meridian. And just…
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The Wood Element is a time of explosive growth. Spring is the season of the Wood Element. We use the same energy that seeds use to sprout up through the hard dirt towards the sun, to move ourselves toward our goals and dreams. That energy is “Wood energy.” Wood energy is forceful and moves up…
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From the seeds and roots held steady in winter, new growth emerges in spring. I’ve been around for decades and witnessed this event many times. However, it wasn’t until Khadro pointed out that the seeds we plant in our Water Element (which correspond to Winter) will grow in the Wood Element (which correspond to Spring), that I really…
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The Liver is in charge of keeping the flow of Qi, our energy, smooth and even. When the Qi does not flow, we call the condition “stagnant Qi.” Stagnant Qi feels like pain and distention.
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The Gallbladder meridian has many points for relieving pain. “The Gallbladder is like a judge for its power of discernment.” – Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine The Gallbladder meridian begins at GB 1 (Gallbladder 1), located at the outer corner of the eye. The Gallbladder meridian is famous for the way it zigzags along the…
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A Quick Reference Guide to the 5 Elements: Fire – Extroversion, love, joy, warmth, heat Earth – Satisfaction, nourishment, center, abundance Metal – Courage of one’s convictions, inward, letting go, boundaries Water – Introversion, quiet, Life Force, creativity, cold Wood – Growth, birth, outward, expanding
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A Yin & Yang Balancing Act The Wood element of Spring gets plenty of attention here in the west! In general, western culture worships the Wood element to such an extreme that many of us live with a Wood imbalance. We’ve been living with it so long that it can seem “normal.” When the Wood…
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The plants are making their way up through the soil, reaching for the sun. It is spring, and time for the sprouts of winter’s seeds to push up and out, expanding back to life. We might notice a similar energy within ourselves, a desire to get going, start new things, turn over a new leaf,…
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