The Zen Diarist

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How to balance our inner fire

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Fire and WaterFire, one of the five elements in Qigong, is particularly strong this year, and even more so in the summer months. Fire governs the heart and circulatory system in our bodies. When it is in balance, the body functions well, but when it is too strong our health can suffer. When we are feeling agitated, irritable or angry, it is often because our inner fire is burning too vigorously. There is too much heat in our system, which can easily damage our heart and circulation.

Fire on the world stage

This year, we have seen many examples of anger and hatred in our towns and cities. On the world stage also, violence in the Middle East conflict has flared out of control. Untold suffering is being created by the thoughts and actions of supposedly intelligent people, but when Fire is too strong, it unbalances minds. Hatred ignites far too easily and intelligence becomes charred remains. But all is not lost.

The antidote to excess fire

The strongest healing power in the universe is love, unconditional love. That is what the world needs and that is what a balanced heart will give out. Fire element is not bad – it helps us to think clearly and to radiate love and joy, healing and nurturing – but it needs to be in balance.

Balancing with water

We cannot change the world directly, but we can help ourselves to find balance. In the summer months, it can be helpful to balance our inner fire by being near water and greenery. We can meditate near water or simply visualise a lake or a waterfall – whatever appeals. Fire can make us overthink or become anxious. Sipping water often can help. Breathe slowly and calmly, then smile. That way, our contribution to world consciousness will be more balanced and soothing, and that is no small thing.

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Vibration – the key to our wellbeing

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Vibration affects every second of our lives

Vibration is the key to all life. Everything in the universe, us included, is energy and takes and maintains its form due to vibration. A significant factor for our wellbeing is the effect of the vibration of things around us, and of the people and organisations we associate with. We similarly have a vibrational impact on others and our environment by the way we think, speak and act. To use a modern idiom, each one of us is an influencer, whether we use social media or not.

Vibration to make a difference

Many people can feel the “vibes” or energy a person or place gives off. These may be uplifting, which we could say are positive. A comparatively negative quality, on the other hand, might make us feel uncomfortable or even pull us down. If we want to make a difference to our world, we can. We can do it by aligning or associating ourselves with higher quality energy, and the highest form is love – unconditional, non-judgmental. The universe has an unlimited supply of it – we just have to be open to it. It really is that simple.

The best vibration is the simplest

Simply by being kind and by loving, we raise our own vibration – of our mind, emotions and our entire energy field. That’s all we have to do. When we love, our body heals faster because all our energy channels open up. Loving those around us helps them heal faster, too. When we love unconditionally, we help the world because all tension eases, both in us and around us. Everything responds to love. Whatever our day to day responsibilities, grand or small, spreading “good vibrations” is our role, too. Cheers to that, I say!

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Tune in – the Magic of Spring Energy is here

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Spring is well and truly with us now. Just as the energy in Nature is changing, so is that within our own bodies. In Qigong practice, we understand this as the time of year when the Wood element* predominates. This is the energy that gives rise to growth and activity, and is closely associated with the liver. The body is seeking to cleanse itself of the stale energy left over from the colder months, so the liver will be working hard. There is a touch of excitement about this season, too, because Fire is also strengthening as we begin the trek towards the heat of summer.

Tune in outside

What does this mean for us? Cocooned in our modern homes and workplaces, we may forget that the body is intelligent and is informed by its surroundings. Getting outside into the fresh air more helps us to stay in tune with our environment. Having a little more physical activity is important, too. Nature prompts us, quite literally, to spring into action.

But don’t overdo it

That doesn’t mean trotting off to the gym, necessarily. Having just passed the Spring Equinox, we are at the halfway point between the maximum Yin energy of winter and the Yang energy of the summer. The balance is actually a little delicate, like a seesaw balancing on its fulcrum. If we do too much, it is easy to put the body out of balance. Moderation in all things is the key if we want to keep our immune system strong.

Be happy!

The emotion of happiness is very supportive for the liver, so it is very good to keep smiling, even if life is throwing a few curved balls at us. Smile to yourself when you wake up in the morning and send a smile out from your heart into the world. “I am happy and grateful for being right here. Thank you.” Words like that – there is no formula, so use whatever phrase you feel comfortable with – immediately begin to change our energy for the rest of the day. It works like magic, so perhaps it is!

*The Five Elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water

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Smile, and tap into your joy

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When we smile at someone, a genuine smile from the heart, we do more than just smile. There is a communication, of course – a communication of friendliness and perhaps understanding. Most say that love must be unconditional to really mean anything and the same must go with a smile, surely? And when we receive a smile from someone, does it not light us up in some way?

Smile and touch your essence

This world of ours is very technical and very materialistic. In a way there is good in this. Humanity has made major strides over the centuries to make life better – eradication of disease, improvement of hygiene, living conditions and so on. There is, some would also say, a curse with that. We have lost sight of our spirituality, our inner essence. If we are pleased to see someone, we smile without any thought. Our response is spontaneous. We don’t have to look it up on some database or search engine – we just smile and convey, dare I say it, love.

Let joy and universal law support you

For life to be worth living, it has to have joy in it. Joy springs from the heart, as does love. We may not have what we think we should have and others may have what we think is an unfair proportion of wealth. But if we think in that way, it is like pouring water on the fire in our heart. If we can simply be, smile and be grateful for whatever we have, however small, and without judgment of others, the quality of life – the internal quality that springs from deep within us – can manifest. Then the laws of the universe, the unseen support that comes from way beyond the realms of man’s little thinking, can be tapped and flourish in our own lives. And it all starts with a smile.

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Healing energy, the Universe and You

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Healing energyHealing is not a great mystery – everyone has healing energy and the ability to help heal themselves and others. Everything in the universe is energy, from a star to a rock to a speck of dust. Your body and mine are both energy, as is the plastic waste in the sea. Energy is not destroyed, it just takes different forms. Problems arise when there is an interruption to the  flow of energy and too much accumulates in a particular place. In the environment, this excess gives rise to pollution and imbalance, and in the body to congestion and disease.

Healing is dealing with excess energy

When we are ill or simply out of sorts, it often feels as though we are lacking energy in some way rather than having too much of it. We may feel lethargic or headachy, or there may be pain or soreness. Whatever the symptoms, there is inevitably a blockage or blockages somewhere in our system. If a river is flowing well, everything along its course is fine but if something blocks that flow, silt builds up and flooding occurs in that location. Elsewhere, there may be a shortage of water. Our energy or qi is rather like that – too much in the wrong place throws everything out of balance.

Giving it back to the Universe

When too much energy has accumulated, it does not stay still, hanging around until someone invites it to a party. By its very nature, energy is always moving and, like water, will always find somewhere to go. If there is no outlet, it will form unwanted complex patterns and it is these that can cause health problems, possibly severe, over time. As the body is energy, the essence of healing is to create the right conditions to allow the excess to return to the environment – the Universe – and restore balance.

The healing power of the mind – and a smile

The flow of energy, qi, in the body is directly affected by our awareness, by our thoughts and by our feelings. In traditional Chinese health systems, it is said “the mind leads the qi”. It is difficult to feel cheerful in every waking moment, perhaps, but the more positive we are, the healthier and happier we are likely to be.

A very easy thing we can do is to smile more often. Smiling helps to open the energy channels in the body and release little blockages. Breathe in, smiling to your body; breathe out, letting your smile extend beyond your body. Try it for a minute or two. It is so simple but is extremely effective at making us more receptive to healing energy.

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