The summer is green thanks to all the spring rain; the heavens have been generous and the earth is abundant.
The three months of summer are called prospering and developing the flower. . .
At night one goes to bed, at dawn one gets up.
The Qi of Heaven and Earth intertwine, the 10,000 beings flower and bring forth fruit . . .
One does not let oneself be overcome by the sun, assisting the brilliance of beauty and strength.
This corresponds with the Summer qi. It is the way that maintains the growth of life.
(Neijing Suwen/Simple Questions ch. 2, translated by Claude Larre SJ)
A daily physical practice of your choice
In this warm and expansive time, I invite you to live fully and cultivate virtues of prosperity, growth and bringing forth fruit: practice regularly.
- Walk, practice your Qigong or Tai Chi, pull out your yoga mat, swim, walk or sit mindfully in a quiet place.
- Practice for a minimum of twenty minutes.
- Practice every day for the next one hundred days.
- Observe the changes you experience, keep track in a journal.
Pablo Picasso once said “la inspiracion siempre me encuentra trabajando” ( inspiration always finds me hard at work).
The price of oil and rice: Resources within ourselves and our communities
As we adjust to changes in the non-renewable and renewable resources in our world and an economy in flux, many of us are slowing down to re-consider our needs and how to meet them.
How we spend our resources is a critical question both as individuals and as communities.
Chinese Medicine teaches us to spend at a conservative rate so that we may have reserves in times of greater need. In the treatment room and Qigong classes, many have heard me speak about working until you are 70% tired, eating till you are 70% full, and so forth.
By expending 70% effort in our endeavors, we protect our own “non-renewable” resources and ensure that we are not depleting ourselve
s even as we strive –like the sunflowers reaching for the sun- to cultivate our highest potential.
Within our communities, the same principles apply. We conserve our resources when we choose to eat locally grown food, walk, ride our bike, and take public transportation. This summer, invest your resources in your local community and cultivate a spirit of abundance.
Warmly,
Lucía
Lucía G. Perillan, M.Ac., L.Ac., Dial.Ac. (NCCAOM)