Dear all,
In my last newsletter, I wrote about tending and befriending our bodies as a form of daily practice as well as a good way to come back to our bodies during this "Earth Time"- this time of seasonal transition as we think of it in Chinese Medicine. To "tend and befriend" is one of the constructive and helpful ways that we engage with stress (not quite as well known as the "flight, fight, freeze, fawn, flop" responses, but intrinsic to humanity all the same).
Just like kindness, compassion, and healing/loving touch, the practice of tending and befriending is quite wonderful to participate in with other beings, and just like those other lovely practices also works remarkably well when we direct it toward our own beloved beings, especially in moments of stress, crisis, unease, and so on. This is when attuning to our Heart can be a steady compass.
On the Chinese Medicine calendar, we've now begun the season of Summer, the season of the element of Fire, and organ systems of Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium (Heart Protector), and Triple Warmer. (For more info on all the seasons, organs, and elements, start here.)
We can think of the Heart as a benevolent, beloved, divine, wise, royal monarch (in the best sense) or sun: shining love, spirit, wisdom, vitality, and life-giving warmth to our other organ systems, as they in turn reflect this loving smile back to the Heart, working in harmony and synchronicity together to keep our bodies and minds and spirits alive and flourishing.
One simple practice for soothing, grounding, nourishing, en-joying, and tending to our whole body and our Heart spirit right now during this Earth time transition to Heart season, is a moment of HeartMath.
Feeling our feet on the ground (or any way our body is connected with something that is connected with the ground), feeling awareness in our belly, awareness in our heart center. Breathing in slowly through the belly, diaphragm, and chest, while feeling love or care or gratitude in our heart; exhaling slowly and continuing to feel this feeling radiating out like warm sunshine through our whole being.
Even just a few minutes of that practice can measurably shift our physiology and psychology. (I know I've said it before, but I personally always find reminders helpful...)
There is of course so much more to say about Heart, Fire element and organs, and Summer, but for now I will just say that our hearts and cardiovascular systems are also inextricably linked to and reliant on our lymphatic systems.
The lymphatic system is known in Ayurvedic medicine as the River of Life, and is incredibly essential to our whole body, including our immune system, circulatory system, fluid metabolism, and much more.
On that note, I'm super excited to welcome Radhe Hayton to Manzanita, who has been practicing and teaching Ayurvedic and lymphatic care and bodywork for many years.
Please come join us for:
Seasonal Summer Sanctuary & Salon:
Your Steady Heart and River of Life
Interactive, Experiential, Sacred Wisdom in Community
Sunday, June 7, from 11am-1pm
at Manzanita, with Radhe Hayton and Shoshana Uribe
~ Practices to Nourish and Balance Heart and Fire Element
~ Lymphatic Health and Abhyanga Self-Massage for Summer
~ Intro to Ayurveda and Seasonal Self-Care,
including Trine of Hydration and What to Eat to Beat the Heat
~ Acu Points & Essential Oils for Summer Harmony & Healing
This offering is a free gift to our community;
donations are welcome.
Please RSVP!
Respond to this email or send a note to:
info@manzanitawellness.com
Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas, comadres, aunties, sisters, and grandmas who gladden our Hearts and nurture our World! So grateful for you!
With Heart and Earth blessings,
and prayers for healing, peace, justice, and democracy,
Shoshana