I love feeling the particular relationship we have with the sun in late winter. For me, there's a sense of unknownness in the air - almost as if I can sense new life ideas that have been dormant through the winter, moving into the first phases of germination. There's an enjoyment of these not known aspects of self as I tend to the basic tasks of the day. Still beneath the surface, there's a sense of new shapes that could emerge in Spring.
But for now we are a month into a new year, I wonder how its been for you? Feeling easeful and cosy, accepting of mid-winter energy limitations? Or busy and scattered, pushing on through - for me it's often both at different times - of the week, of the day. A continuous balancing act of work and social commitments; when is there too much, when is there not enough. Seeing ourselves with an awareness that we are seasonal beings can be tricky if our work culture doesn't support this; we need to create space for ourselves.
The element for Winter in Eastern Medicine is water, the meridian pair is Bladder and Kidney. I've been listening to The Apricot Grove podcast with Dr Edward Neal, and who is trained in Eastern and Western Medicine. He speaks about our relationship with our phones and how this takes our energy and self-sense up into our brains - a feeling we all likely know - "your focusing on a world of information and words and your trying to make sense of it...and it leaves out the rest of your body including your heart".
This is exhausting for the brain and confusing for the heart. The constant stimulation of impulses to our brain; scrolling, searching, concerned, wanting - what starts as interest and enjoyment easily turns to exasperation as we get caught for too long, losing connection to our breathing bodies.
"Your heart is comparing resonances of meaning...your brain is just making connections."
Dr Edward Neal.
This feels like a useful reminder, when many of us are spending longer connecting with a screen than with the humans in our lives, with nature. That for life to feel meaningful we need to spend time dwelling in heart centered knowing, to know what resonates with us and ultimately what we truly want and need.
"Shiatsu helps us learn to appreciate the uniqueness of each person and the value of life itself". Pauline E Sasaki (1996)
This year I'm offering a 25% discount for 6 sessions taken in 12 weeks, to start between now and April 1st. Having a focused series of treatments gives us time to go deeper, using the lens of Zen Shiatsu to see any emerging patterns and find new ways of working with presenting issues. As a student I worked with 6 session case studies and both I and my clients really appreciated the depth it allowed. I love that many of you use shiatsu as a personal insight practice of deepening your relationship with your body on all levels. As well as offering support with pain and discomfort, this exploration is something shiatsu can offer, as a small part of your whole life process. Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like to learn more.
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