After the peak of Summer and before Autumn sets in there is a space where time seems to stand still, a sort of suspension where crops ripen for harvest and we can savour the fruits of our labour. This is Late Summer and here we move into the Earth Element.
“Earth is the pivot for all the other elements…it is a place of stability within the body, mind and spirit. From this stable anchor, change and growth can take place.”(Hicks, Hicks & Mole, Five Element Constitutional Acupuncture)
The Earth Element corresponds to the colour yellow, the taste is sweet, the the sound is singing, the emotion is sympathy and it’s flip side is worry, over-thinking or obsessive rumination.
The Stomach and Spleen meridians sit in the Earth Element. The stomach receives and ripens food and fluids. Food begins to decompose in the stomach and sends part of this to the spleen for transformation into Qi and blood. The rest is sent to the small intestine for further sorting. An imbalanced Earth Element can result in digestive issues, nausea, or feeling heavy, tired and listless. Nutrition for the Earth Element includes vitamin B as found in wheat germ, whole grains, liver, tripe and brewers yeast. We should chew food well and avoid sugars and sweets.
The archetype is the Peacemaker, the guiding principle here is Unification. “Through her power to establish and sustain relationships, she nurtures and promotes our connectedness with each other and our world…negotiating peace for its own sake, she tirelessly serves humanity as the great balancer and equaliser, the preserver of families and societies. ” (Beinfield and Korngold, Between Heaven and Earth)
Let yourself be sustained be the energy of the earth and sustain each other through acceptance and support.