Winter & The Water Element
With winter embracing us, we enter into the water element – it is the most elusive and impenetrable of the five elements, bringing us to the most yin time of the year – a time to sink deep into ourselves. It is reflected in nature in the tree that has finished its yearly cycle, completely barren of leaves, with its life force, its sap, receding into its roots, sinking deep into its essence. It is a time for us to do the same to simply be with what truly feeds and nurtures our essence, our sap.
The energy of winter is latent and potent. It is a time of collecting energy and holding it in reserve. Winter allows us a time to pause and go deep within, to gather strength and energy, to replenish and protect the reserves gathered in the harvest of fall, so that we are able to birth the next cycle in the spring. If we don’t build up and maintain our reserves in winter there will be no growth in the spring.
When balanced, our water element gives us our energetic reserves: willpower, courage, the will to survive, ability to pro- create, self-actualization, faith and trust. It is this element that gives us the will and determination to fulfill our destinies, aiding us on our path to enlightenment and truth.
Fear, or conversely, the lack of fear, is the emotion related to water, often manifesting as anxiety. One may experience panic attacks about the future and the constant struggle to survive. When there is a lack of fear one may seek out fear-inducing activities and high-adrenaline sports. Surfing is a good example of the water element as it brings us close to our fear, often taking us through that fear and ultimately nurturing our deepest essence.
When our reserves are low and our water element is compromised, we may experience a deep level of fatigue, low libido, timidity, or a lack of trust in others and ourselves. On a physical level, we may see exhaustion, premature graying of the hair, knee pain, low back pain, hearing loss, infertility, failing mental abilities, hair loss, night sweats and insomnia.
The organs related to the water element are the bladder and the kidneys; thus we might see urinary tract disorders, puffiness, swelling, edema, hypertension, kidney stones, tinnitus or arthritis.
IS YOUR WATER BALANCED?
Do you push yourself beyond your natural limits?
Do you feel tired or exhausted?
Do you have low libido?
Are you over DO-ing instead of BE-ing?
NURTURE YOUR WATER!
Sit by the sea, river or creek and let nature nourish and strengthen your inner reserves!
Spend time each day connecting with your essence through meditation, silence, yoga, surfing or whatever else replenishes you!
Drink plenty of water – a good daily formula is at least half your body weight in ounces.
Get plenty of rest!
