| water | wood | fire | earth | metal |
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Water
is the name given to the energy of Winter. It is wet and cold, sinking
and receptive, (like the depths of the ocean or the still darkness of
a winter’s night). After the harvesting and letting go of the Fall,
all things go inside in Winter, or die down to their roots. It is a time
of seeming non-activity, of quiescence, when ground water is stored up
in the earth to nourish the new growth the following Spring. We experience this energy most in our old age, when the activity of our lives ebbs and we reflect over the past, remembering, collecting, and storing up the essence of this life in preparation for the next. But, we also experience this energy every day in the quiet times, every night when we sleep, and every year during our Winter’s rest. This resting phase, a time for replenishment and renewal, is absolutely essential for a healthy life. The activity most appropriate to Water and Winter is actually no activity—a difficult concept to comprehend, since we Americans value activity much more than we do rest. Learning to harmonize with the energy of this season is probably the single biggest gift you can give yourself. In a culture founded on the Puritan work ethic, a philosophy that advocates the virtue of rest is needed, indeed! Only if we allow for periods of rest in our daily, weekly, and yearly cycles will we truly be in balance and harmony with the Tao. From: DISCOVERING THE FIVE ELEMENTS |