What is wellness? Is it feeling happy or joyful all of the time? or most of the time? This would be denying a natural and human part of ourselves… the full spectrum of our emotions. E-motion stands for energy in motion. Five element acupuncture explains the emotions through their connection with the seasons and each emotion can be felt in dis-ease and in wellness. The emotion associated with springtime is anger.
Do you experience aggravation, irritation, or frustration? How about just full on anger? If yes, you must be a human. Let’s examine these emotions a little more and learn how they relate to the springtime energy.
As the days get longer, nature responds with its upward and outward energy. Plants start to emerge, buds start to open up, the earth begins its big exhale into the full expression of summertime flowers and fruits and lush green foliage. While we may think of this as a gentle delicate opening, it is actually a bold clearly directed strong force that precedes this transformative emergence. Picture a cluster of daffodils breaking through a thick mat of decaying leaves, or a plant growing through the crack in the concrete. Nature finds a way to express itself. Since we are part of nature, we have the same up and out energy in us too and each of us experiences it in a unique way.
When I first started getting acupuncture and learning about Five Element theory, I was surprised that Anger is actually a healthy emotional expression and frustration is the stuck form of the same emotion.
This can be tricky because Anger is a contagious emotion so we want to find ways to express it without causing harm to others. And we can practice feeling angry without judging ourselves. Here is a three-step plan you can follow to allow the Anger to manifest and move through you in a healthy way.
Step #1: Observe. When you get frustrated or angry, does the energy in your body move up and out? If so, who is around you and where does the energy land? Or does the emotion move up and get stuck? If so, where does it get stuck? In your chest? In your shoulders? In your face?
Step #2: Ask. Ask yourself, “Can I take a deep breath, gain some perspective and truly let this go?” If yes, go ahead and let it go… You can always get it back later. If the emotion is too strong, take a big deep breath, then ask yourself, “Where and how can I release this anger?”
Step #3: Release. Make sure you are alone to allow the anger emotion to fully move through you. You can scream in a car with the windows closed, punch a pillow, kick and punch the air, or whatever else works for you. This may lead to crying, which is another way to release anger. If you can’t be alone, you can warn those around you, “I’m going to kick and scream right now. It will help me release my anger.”
My hope is that you become more mindful about the oppositions in your life and allow yourself to feel and release your anger. Once your emotional field is clear, you will find it is much easier to be creative and take effective action.
Want more tips for staying well in springtime? Click here