Self-care. We hear so often about self-care and so many perspectives on the topic. As a relaxation specialist, I encourage others to find self-care resources that work perfectly for them exactly when they need it most. It does not matter what works for anyone else. It's about you! We are all individuals and so are our preferences for the re-energizing time in our day that helps us be healthy and happy.
An interesting perspective to consider is comparing our personal re-energizing to the something that we recharge daily, or even multiple times daily . . . our mobile devices!
What if we took the same time - and sometimes the same urgency - to replenish our personal energy and well-being as we did to our inanimate devices? Isn’t that a fascinating perspective? In this blog post we will explore how to replenish our energy using the four elements of life.
Understanding The Four Elements
Energy gathering in our physical bodies comes from the air, earth, water, wind, and sun. Ancient Greek philosophers developed the theory that all life on earth was made up of four major elements: air, fire, water, and earth. They also recognized a fifth element, the Aether, which was more spiritual than it was physical. These early philosophers believed that the four elements affected personality and believed a person needed to have balance in these areas to be healthy.
The Greek civilization was not the only one to believe in these healing elements. Ancient Hindu scholars and healers also believed in these same elements. The four elements continue to be part of Ayurvedic medicine today. All the elements can create calm as described in this article, 4 Simple Way to Calm Stress Using the Elements.
Replenishing Our Energy with The Four Elements
So, if you could choose the resource that brings you the most satisfaction, what would it be? Here are some of the ways that I personally love to replenish my own energy.
Have you ever spent time walking barefoot on Mother Earth? I love to do this in my yard just gathering branches that have fallen from my big maple tree in the front yard. Feeling the coolness of the grass is so nurturing and refreshing. I know that I can discharge negative energy and at the same time allow myself to gather positive energy from the earth.
I love feeling the wind blow through my hair while driving with the windows open in my car. I keep a window in my bedroom at least cracked open all year around, winter or summer. It just makes me feel good to know there is some fresh air circulating. The movement of the wind feels clearing and cleansing as it can displace stagnant air.
Have you ever stared into a fire, candle, or light source and just gotten lost in it? I know I have and been inspired to write some poems which are found in my poetry volumes, Weaver of Words and My Pen Sang. The sun and moon are tremendous sources of energy and light and have a surprising ability to calm the senses, soothe the mind, and inspire a connection to the heavens.
I love setting all of the rocks I use for my hot rock massages out in the full moon and let them recharge. I can really tell when they need it because they do not retain the heat as effectively.
Water is one of the elements that we cannot live without. If you have ever been dehydrated, you completely understand how the lack of water is literally a life-or-death factor for every human being. One way I integrate a love of water is the gift of floating in a float tank. It is something that nurtures body, mind, and spirit for me. They describe it as a bit of a deprivation tank experience, but I love being deprived of sound, electronics, people, and responsibilities. If you have never experienced it, you are missing something nurturing and amazing, in my opinion.
Now I fully realize that it is not for everyone, but many people I know really find it enjoyable. For me it is simply one hour of being off the grid with nothing to do but breathe and float. The tank is filled with large amounts of Epsom salt in body temperature water which makes it effortless to float. The water is only 10” deep at the float club where I go, Anicca Float Club and the tank is 7’x7’ so you can spread your arms without feeling closed in at all. Check out the link here to see more about this. It feels like a big hug.
Finding Ways to Replenish Your Energy Using the Four Elements
As we honor the elements and appreciate the rituals we can integrate, this article gives some very practical suggestions of how you can ritualize some things for yourself. Earth represents birth and death which we witness daily in the cycles of nature, especially in this season of Springtime and all that birthing that is evident around us. The air represents our mind, wisdom, and our intellect. Water symbolizes emotion, feeling, empathy, and intuition.
I love being a relaxation specialist, and helping others refuel their energy by practicing self-care. Self-care is not about what works for anyone else, but exclusively for you. Sometimes we have no idea what will resonate with us the most, but that is part of the adventure we can experience if we are open to it. I love a 3 step process of exploration, experimentation and implementation. Look into and investigate the options and enjoy it and have fun. Look at it from this adventurous perspective and let yourself fully enjoy what it can offer you to be nourished and nurtured by these elements all around us.
One of my guided meditation selections was recorded while sitting in a secluded nature setting and allowing the thoughts to simply flow through me. I recorded it on my phone and then transcribed it and recorded it with a calming background soundtrack. You can enjoy this recording by sharing your information on my website and receive this digital recording which you can download on any of your devices and enjoy as often as you like. The title of this recording is “Relax Me Response.” That is what nature provides for me.
Always remember, my wish is for you to Be Well
