Finding It Difficult to Feel Gratitude? Here's How Working With the Nine Palaces Can Help: Part 2 - Stone Medicine

By Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

The Nine Palaces relate to areas that we all seek to find a sense of peace and completion in our lives. The ancient system of Stone Medicine can help you have support in any of these areas you find challenging to cultivate peace and gratitude.

The Nine Palaces and Five Elements

The Nine Palaces of life are:

1. Health

2. Wealth (also called the Abundance Palace)

3. Prosperity (also called the Fame Palace)

4. Relationship (Love)

5. Children/Creativity

6. Career

7. Global (Travel & Adventure)

8. Knowledge (Wisdom)

9. Home

Each of the Nine Palaces correspond to a particular Five Element energy. To learn more about each palace and its Five Element correspondence, you can read Part 1 of this series.

My Personal Journey With Stone Medicine

When I first heard about Stone Medicine I thought it was rather ridiculous and not practical for my life or clinical practice as an Acupuncturist and Herbalist.

My interest and openness grew however when I was introduced to the history and clinical applications of this ancient form of Chinese Medicine by our teacher and 88th generation Daoist Master, Dr. Jeffrey Yuen. Following this introduction, I started to play around with the knowledge I gathered in the use of stones for some health challenges my family and I had.

I became amazed by the miraculous healing experiences I witnessed.

Needless to say, from that time on, my curiosity on the use of stones for healing grew and I began to submerge myself in learning about this esoteric yet potent form of medicine.

Historically, in Classical Chinese Medicine, stones were considered the most powerful form of herbal medicine as they have the most permanent effect on one’s healing.

With this said, I’ve gained not only a tremendous amount of respect for stone medicine, but a high level of reverence for the healing Spirit of these amazing pieces of nature.

Below I discuss how some common healing stones have been used historically to enhance these different areas we call the Nine Palaces to help you find a sense of peace and gratitude where you may be now struggling in your life.

Stone Talismans to Support You to Find Completion in the Nine Palaces

Use green stones that relate to the Wood element to increase a sense of well-being and give you support in the First Palace of Health. Green Jade and Green Aventurine can be held during meditation (15 minutes 3-4x/day) or worn daily as jewelry such as a necklace or bracelet (men wear on left wrist, women on right wrist) to support your health and well-being.

Sunstone is another important stone to support your Health Palace and although it isn’t green, its glistening orange color brings the power of the sun to brighten your day and help lift you out of the doldrums of negativity. It’s also a stone high in iron so it can help increase your Qi and immunity. So if you tend to feel fatigued or have a sullen and somber mood, keep a piece of Sunstone nearby or in your pocket!

Second is the Palace of Wealth & Abundance. The main stone to help you feel a sense of completion in your Wealth Palace is Lapis. Lapis strengthens your Liver blood to support your Wood energy and help you feel financially abundant. It’s a common stone used in jewelry and small specimens can be held or placed in your home to attract resources into your life as well. This can especially be supportive for women during their menstrual cycles when losing blood can leave them feeling empty with a sense of lack in their lives.

A beautiful blue-green Chrysocolla sphere

Another blood building stone is Chrysocolla, which is especially useful if you’re feeling irritable or angry about your circumstances related to this palace. Chrysocolla is a beautiful blue-green stone that can be held for emotional support, worn as jewelry or placed in your home to spread its energy throughout your environment.

The Third Palace is about Prosperity and Fame. Fame is about feeling recognized and acknowledged in your life while Prosperity is about feeling you have enough to share with others. Relating to the element of Fire, both of these attributes can be supported by the beautiful Amethyst crystal. Amethyst can be placed in any area of your home to accentuate the 9 Palaces and is also a common jewelry stone worn as earrings, pendants, rings, and bracelets. Another stone that is popular as jewelry to help activate this Fire based palace is Labradorite. Labradorite is a powerful talisman to gather your Yang Qi so it can vibrantly shine outward and help you attract attention and recognition. Labradorite is easily found as large specimens which can be used to help radiate vibrant energy into your work space or home.

The Fourth Palace is about Relationships and Love. If you feel challenged in terms of relationships and having enough love in your life, then supporting your Fire element with a stone talisman can support you to find peace and completion in these areas. Morganite is a very powerful stone used to attract love into your life in terms of a partnership. Rose Quartz is another popular stone that is used.

Morganite is commonly worn as jewelry so if you’re trying to establish a healthy, loving relationship, you might try wearing a bracelet, ring or necklace that contains Morganite. A small sphere of Rose Quartz on the other hand will help spread the vibration of love throughout your home. I recommend keeping a Rose Quartz crystal in your bedroom if you’re looking to attract a romantic relationship.

The Fifth Palace of Children and Creativity is also supported by Rose Quartz which is said to enhance fertility. Rose Quartz supports creativity by warming your Yang Qi to act on those creative impulses held within your heart. Another popular stone that makes beautiful jewelry to support fertility is Fire Opal. Wear it daily if you are trying to conceive a child.

Other stones that can be placed in your home to help activate the Metal element and help birth those creative ideas you’ve long held inside are Fluorite, Celestite and Gold or Silver Sheen Obsidian which can be found as lovely specimens that act as powerful intentional talismans. A system of Temple Feng Shui suggests placing these stones in the Northwest part of your home to support you in the palace of Creativity.

The Sixth Palace is your Palace of Career. Career relates to the Water Element and the colors blue and black. Dark Grey Moonstone is a lovely stone that can be worn as jewelry to support you if you’re having career challenges. Black Onyx is another common jewelry stone that can strengthen your Water energy and support you in your career.

Sugilite is one of the most powerful of all stones and is said to support the healing of all diseases. Sugilite is a beautiful dark purple stone that is said to help connect your Heart and Kidneys so you can realize the career path that fits your destiny. Wear Sugilite as a necklace or pendant so it can touch the center of your chest to resonate with your heart center. You can also keep a piece close to you such as in your pocket and place a small specimen on your nightstand to help you find clarity if you are unsure about the path to take in terms of your career.

Turquoise is a popular stone that can be worn for protection during travel.

The Seventh Palace relates to Travel, Adventure and Global Awareness. The popular stone used to help you safely navigate the globe in search of adventurous experiences is Turquoise, a very common stone used in jewelry.

The Eighth Palace of Knowledge and Wisdom relates to both the Water and Earth Elements. Black Obsidian is the stone that helps you go within yourself and bring out your inner wisdom. Obsidian is essentially volcanic glass so it can help your inner wisdom erupt and come to the forefront of your awareness.

Knowledge on the other hand is about attracting information from outside yourself, and White Jade was the stone used historically to support education and worn by the ancient scholars.

And finally, we come to supporting the Ninth Palace of Home. Home is about reconnecting with the Divine. Meteorites which come from the outer realms of space (Heaven) are used for supporting this purpose. Moldavite is one such stone that is becoming a popular jewelry stone used to help connect with the realm of Spirit so you can find peace within yourself wherever you are in this moment of time.

In Summary

Using the power of stones to support the Elemental energies related to each of the Nine Palaces is a simple way to help you move through the challenges in any of these areas of your life.

Though you may at first find the idea of using stones as talismen a bit too esoteric and unfounded on scientific “truth”, if you open your mind and give it a try, you may awaken to the magical mystery of this ancient healing system as it supports you to find gratitude in all areas of your life.

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Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is the Founder and Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine & Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare non-insertion form of Acupuncture. Salvador also teaches Qi Gong at the Dharma Studio within A Center for Natural Healing.

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How to Deal with an Energy (Qi) Sucker

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

When you drive down a road with a dead end, you get to a point where you have to stop and redirect your route. The signs that are often put at a dead end serve as boundaries to protect you from driving further into an area that shouldn't be entered. 

Similarly, speed limits on the road create boundaries to limit how fast you can drive on a particular road or highway. These and other signs serve to protect you and other drivers.

In the same way, you must set boundaries to protect yourself from situations and people that may be harmful to you on the road of life.

What’s a Qi Sucker?

Some people get energized by spending a lot of time around people while others prefer to spend more time alone. 

Personally, I love being around people and I get a lot of energy from socializing, but I also need time alone to recharge. I’m always looking for the balance between spending time with people I enjoy and allowing myself the time I need to nurture my inner world. 

Over the years, I’ve discovered that to come closer to this balance, I have to set boundaries on both my time with others and the people with whom I spend my time.

This means saying no more often than I might like.

Once a chronic people pleaser, I used to be tormented by how people might react if I say no or do something to disappoint them. Though I still struggle with this at times, I've learned that the stronger and more clear my boundaries, the better I am at spending quality time with others and the more available I can be with my energy for my patients, students, friends, and family members.

Years ago, one of my early mentors taught me the concept of ‘Qi suckers,’ sometimes also referred to as ‘energy vampires.’ In Chinese Medicine, Qi is what’s referred to as energy or life force (like the Sanskrit word prana). We take Qi in through our breath and can feel its presence in everything around and within us when we tune in.  

People who are Qi suckers draw from the life force of others as a result of their own imbalances and neediness. 

You know you’ve encountered a Qi sucker if after spending time with one you walk away feeling depleted and often guilty, even though you really haven’t done anything wrong. 

Qi suckers are master manipulators who are often very charming and attractive. 

It’s easy to be drawn in by their warmth and charm, but once you get too close to a Qi sucker—the more you approach the warmth of their Fire—the more easily you get burned.

An interaction with a Qi sucker may go like this:

Qi sucker: “Hey, what are you doing this afternoon? Wanna go shopping with me?”

You: “No, thanks, I have a lot to do this afternoon.”

Qi sucker: “Really? What do you have to do that’s so important?”

You: “Well, I have to finish a work project and clean the house.”

Qi sucker: “Ok, whatever. You never like to do anything with me. Sometimes I feel like we’re not even really friends anymore. I don’t care. Do what you want. It’s your life.”

This is an extreme example, but being around someone like this can give you the sense of guilt and wrong doing even implicitly — without them having to say much.

It’s important also to remember that Qi suckers can be great people and you can really have a great time with them in short interactions. However, conversations have the potential to escalate quickly into heated disagreements or arguments when they’re triggered, and they are very easy to trigger!

You know you’re with a Qi sucker if you feel like you’re walking on eggshells and have to constantly watch what you’re saying in order to not offend them or hurt their feelings in some way.

The only way to protect yourself from a Qi sucker is to set clear boundaries. 

You can read about clear boundary setting and its impact on your health in this article.

According to Chinese Medicine, boundaries are associated with the Earth element. Earth provides the fertile soil that allows plants to grow and flourish to provide nourishment and sustenance; it gives protection and shelter as well as stability and substance. 

Earth also contains water, creates boundaries to define continents and carries us through space with stability. Earth represents safety, protection and our home base. 

Being centered, calm, and balanced, feeling at home, and having a sense of harmony and peacefulness are the essence of a healthy Earth energy. Creating a comfortable home and cooking are essential factors to nourishing the Earth energy in your life. 

Cultivating a healthy Earth means understanding and prioritizing your needs.

If you pour all of your energy into helping others or work excessively, you'll have nothing left for yourself.

If you don't discipline yourself around your diet and set boundaries around eating generally healthy foods, your health will fail. If you continuously go to bed late because you don't have the discipline to stop working or watching TV at night, you’ll slowly but surely deplete your blood, your Yin, and your essence, and thus accelerate the aging process.

In other words, strong boundaries around how and with whom you spend your time, what you eat and even when you sleep is fundamental to your health.

In the body, these boundaries are established by the Earth element organs that govern digestion, the Stomach and Spleen. These same systems must be strong for you to set healthy boundaries in your life. Digestive health is therefore essential to creating healthy boundaries that prevent Qi suckers from draining your energy. 

Nourishment and the Earth element

Earth energy is about transformation—transformation of food into energy and raw material to rebuild the body, and transformation of our thoughts so we're not stuck obsessing about negative things and can have clarity of mind. 

Earth energy is also associated with your relationship with yourself and others, which begins with your relationship to your family, especially your mother. As the archetype for the Earth type personality, the Mother represents unconditional love and the nourishing qualities that exist within each of us.

The way someone affects you is not determined by their behavior, but by how you respond to that person’s behavior.

When you set strong boundaries, you can protect your Qi and respond rather than react. In this way, you can avoid giving away your energy or joy to others, regardless of how they behave or react towards you.

What You Can Learn from Qi Suckers

The gift of having a Qi sucker in your life is that they’re excellent boundary teachers. 

In fact, while you may feel guilty and cautious about hurting their feelings, what you’ll find most often about a Qi sucker is that you can clearly change your dynamic with him or her simply by setting a strong boundary.

Boundary setting either pushes the person entirely out of your life or forces him or her to grow in a way that allows for a healthy relationship.

Do you have a Qi sucker in your life? How do you deal with him or her? How could you change the way you interact or set boundaries so that he or she doesn’t steal your joy or energy? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

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Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Setareh offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. More information at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com. 

Transitioning into Winter: The Doyo Period & Your Family Relationships

by Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

As we approach the Winter Solstice, we find ourselves once again in the transitional period between seasons, known as the Doyo period. The Doyo is the period that is ruled by the Earth element, which encompasses the Spleen and Stomach organ systems.

Chapter 29 of one of the foremost classical Chinese Medicine texts, Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen, states: “The spleen, that is the soil. It governs the center. Throughout the four seasons it tends the four depots. In each [season] it is entrusted with government for eighteen days.”

Since Doyo is related to the Earth element and the Spleen represents Earth energy, according to commentary on this classical text, this Earth energy dominates for eighteen days at the end of each individual season.

Earth elemental energy relates back to your digestive system and the primary organs involved are the Spleen and Stomach. These organs are the fundamental producers of Qi, Blood and Body Fluids within the body.

We’re all familiar with Blood, but the concepts of Fluids and Qi are quite unique to Chinese Medicine. For example, from a Chinese medical point of view, Fluids include the fluids of your sweat, saliva and tears as well as your body’s hormonal secretions.

The focus of this article is on the concept of Qi as it relates to the element of Earth.

The Earth organs generate Qi in the body from the food and drink you consume. So in this sense, Qi is energy. If you have strong Qi, you have good energy or stamina, and healthy immune system function.

Our Daoist teacher, Jeffrey Yuen, a world-renowned expert in Classical Chinese Medicine, has a different perspective about Qi and likes to consider the concept of Qi in the context of relationships.

Water which is the element of Winter is associated with the Kidney organ system which stores the Essence of one’s being, called Jing. Therefore, with this understanding we can see that the strength of your Kidney’s Qi will reflect the strength of your relationship to yourself and influence the level of self-esteem you bring into your life.

In terms of the Earth element, Earth energy is about nurturing others especially in terms of family. So the Qi of Earth relates especially to family relationships, and the health of your Earth energy (digestive health) relates back to how you were nurtured by your parents and your ability to be caring and nurturing of others as an adult.

The holiday season often includes a lot of interaction with family, making it common to experience a resurrection of unresolved emotional issues relating to family. These emotionally challenging times can take a great toll on your gastrointestinal system and potentially lead to flare-ups of symptoms that may have been lying dormant.

Many people are easily triggered simply with the idea of having to spend time with family or particular family members, let alone having obligatory direct personal interaction in general. If this is the case for you, it indicates that the Qi of your Earth is in an imbalanced state.

If you have a hard time with your family, especially for a protracted period, the health of your Earth suffers and your ability to digest and assimilate nutrients becomes compromised leading to a lack of Qi in your life.

If you lack Qi, oxygen is not properly circulating throughout your system and this will compromise the function of every single cell of your body. With this said, the function of all your organs and glands will be compromised which will impact your immune system, cardiac system, endocrine system, reproductive systems as well as your brain system.

This is why digestive health is considered the cornerstone to your well being.

In previous articles on supporting your Earth energy, we’ve shared how Earth corresponds with the digestive organs, so supporting your gut health through proper diet and eating habits is fundamental to heal your body.

Since healing your body, especially your digestive system, is closely tied to the health of your family relationships, below are some tips to support you in healing these issues as well.

How to Begin the Process of Healing Your Relationships

Healing these relationships will not be an easy task if you expect someone else to change. What you can do however is begin to change yourself. You can start by:

1. Practicing forgiveness and letting go of the past to free up the energy that may be keeping you stuck in old patterns.

   You can learn practices to support you to let go here and here.

2. Creating healthy boundaries.

   There are cases in which your relationships with certain family members may never be good, healthy or rewarding. This is why sometimes the best solution is to completely disconnect from a toxic relationship regardless of if it’s a family member. However, this should be done with compassion and unconditional love which again requires that you work on yourself to let go of past resentments and bad feelings that can make you ill as well.

   Boundaries are an important part of cultivating healthy Earth energy. Click here for ways to strengthen your Earth and create strong, healthy boundaries.

In the end, the process of healing your relationships with others begins by healing your relationship with yourself. Focusing on your Spleen and Stomach organ systems and your gut health in general will initiate the changes within you so that you are more readily available to heal your relationships with your loved ones. In that way, you can enjoy a healthy and nourishing holiday and Winter season.

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Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac. is the Founder & Co-Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic run by he and his wife, Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine. Salvador is a leading U.S. practitioner of Japanese Meridian Therapy, a rare form of non-insertion Acupuncture using Gold & Silver needles. More information at www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.

Setting Boundaries is Essential to Your Health

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

About a year ago, my husband and I adopted a 1 year old Italian Greyhound mix we named Crystal. When we first brought her home from the rescue, she was terrified of everything. In fact, she'd spend most mornings hiding under our China cabinet shivering when we'd take her out of her crate.

She'd obviously been traumatized and likely been abused, so we decided to hire a trainer to help break her out of her fear.

After some trial and error, we hired Mike, an experienced trainer who would gently force her to stay present each time she got fearful and wanted to run away. By essentially forcing her to move into her fear it didn't take long for Crystal to realize she was safe and there was nothing to fear. Through this initially challenging process, Crystal quickly became loving and trusting of our trainer who created a very strong boundary with her.

Crystal loves to feel contained. Boundaries are essential for all beings to feel safe.

The training worked wonders and though she resisted the process during many of the sessions, Crystal became more relaxed, more trusting and more affectionate after each session. Mike also helped us learn how to assertively yet lovingly hold boundaries to heal her behavior. 

The stronger we set boundaries around her reaction to fear, the more relaxed she became.

As a result, the anxiety and fear that once ruled Crystal settled down, and she continues to feel more safe and be more present than ever.

Humans have similar behavior patterns. Healthy boundaries between children and parents are crucial to cultivating healthy relationships and to prevent enabling unhealthy behavior patterns. Held with love, compassion and respect, boundaries help create a sense of stability and safety.

In Chinese Medicine, this sense of safety and security is supported by the Earth element as the basis for establishing healthy boundaries. 

The Earth element rules our digestive system and helps us process both food and thoughts. Energetically, Earth relates to all transitions - seasonal and otherwise - and is the ruling element of the late Summer. It's most important to balance and strengthen the Earth element during these times, but since change is a constant in life and we're naturally always going through transitions, cultivating a healthy Earth is essential to all aspects of our health year round.

Boundaries and the Earth Element

The Earth Element is the fertile soil that allows plants to grow and flourish to provide nourishment and sustenance; it gives protection and shelter as well as stability and substance. 

Earth contains water, creates boundaries to define continents and carries us through space with stability. Earth represents safety, protection and our home base. 

Being centered, calm, and balanced, feeling at home, and having a sense of harmony and peacefulness are the essence of a healthy Earth energy. Creating a comfortable home and cooking for oneself and one's family are essential factors to nourishing the Earth energy in one's life.

Rice fields from our 2015 trip to China. Earth contains water and provides the fertile soil where nourishment can be cultivated.

Cultivating a healthy Earth means understanding and prioritizing our needs. If we pour all of our energy into helping others or work excessively, we'll have nothing left for ourselves. If we don't discipline ourselves around our diet and set boundaries around eating generally healthy foods, our health fails. If we continuously go to bed late because we don't have the discipline to stop working or watching TV at night, we slowly but surely deplete our blood, our Yin, and our essence, which accelerates our aging process.

In other words, strong boundaries around how and with whom we spend our time, what we eat and even when we sleep is fundamental to our health.

In the body, these boundaries are established by the Earth element organs that govern digestion, the Stomach and Spleen.

Nourishment and the Earth Element

Earth energy is about transformation; transformation of food into energy and raw material to rebuild the body, and transformation of our thoughts so we're not stuck obsessing about negative things and can have clarity of mind. 

Earth energy is also associated with our relationships with ourselves and others, which begins with our relationship to our family, especially our mothers. As the archetype for the Earth type personality, the Mother represents unconditional love and the nourishing qualities that exist within each of us.

Loving, supportive and nourishing parents help children understand they are accepted for who they are, which gives them a deep sense of security. Starting life with unconditional nourishment both through food and emotional support supports a calm and secure demeanor. It also prevents the development of excessive dependence on others to have one's needs met. 

Our first experience with nourishment comes from suckling at our mother's breast, ingesting the colostrum that activates our Earth energy.

Colostrum is so potent for the digestive system that it's been well established as a supplement to heal digestive disorders. For one thing, colostrum restores leaky gut to normal permeability levels. Serious health syndromes which we can recognize as Earth imbalances are now known to be associated with abnormally increased gut permeability. These include autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, scleroderma, and rheumatoid arthritis. Colostrum can also benefit Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, chronic fatigue syndrome, hepatitis, fibromyalgia, asthma, and allergies. 

Colostrum contains growth factors and hormones to help repair damage to the intestinal lining, including damage caused by NSAIDS and other medications, and restore gut integrity. Colostrum is high in immunoglobulins to help control harmful fungi, such as Candida, and harmful bacteria, such as H. Pylori, which is known to cause ulcers. Colostrum has also been shown to increase the surface area of the intestinal lining to improve absorption of nutrients. And there are no known side effects from using colostrum.

Colostrum reduces inflammation, protects against irritation from toxins, prevents infection and promotes epithelial growth and repair. It's also a useful supplement to quickly boost the immune system following a strenuous workout or periods of intense stress. 

In this way, colostrum boosts Spleen Qi, which is fundamental for supporting Earth energy and therefore our ability to establish healthy boundaries.

Nourishment begins in the gut first with our mother through breast feeding and evolves into how we nourish ourselves. Thus the connection of the Earth element to our digestive function determines our ability to have healthy, harmonious relationships as well as strong immunity, or Spleen Qi.

Earth Element Imbalances

Physiologically, Earth element imbalances most commonly relate to weakness of the Spleen, which manifests as poor digestive function, as well as bruising and hemorrhaging. This is because the Spleen not only transports and transforms food and thoughts, but it is also the organ in Chinese Medicine that's responsible for holding blood in the vessels. A woman who has very heavy flow during her menses for example needs to focus on strengthening her Spleen and blood. Weak Spleen Qi can also cause leakage of Qi, which is a disorder we've discussed in a previous article.

Chronic digestive issues as well as eating disorders are common among people who have imbalances in their Earth element, which may have begun during childhood as a result of lack of nourishment emotionally and physically from one's parents or through excessive consumption of prescription drugs, especially antibiotics, which directly damage the gastrointestinal system.

When there is an Earth imbalance, or weakness in Spleen Qi, dampness or phlegm tends to develop in the body, which leads physiologically to weight gain and psychologically to obsessive thinking. This is why worry and pensiveness are common symptoms of imbalanced Earth energy.

Psychologically, Earth imbalance manifests as neediness, self-absorption, resentment or excessively self-sacrificing and lacking the ability to care for oneself.

A weak Earth also inhibits one's ability to hold strong personal boundaries, making one inclined to meddle in other people’s lives as a distraction from looking at herself or lack the personal boundaries to prevent other people from meddling in her life. 

Earth imbalance often creates a challenging relationship with both food and money, each of which energetically represent a form of nourishment that allows us to feel safe. 

People with an Earth imbalance will not only have digestive issues, but they'll often also have an unhealthy relationship with money management as well as with food, which that may result in eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia or simply addictions to food for comfort.

Balanced Earth means that we know how time, energy, food and money all fit into our lives. It allows us to feel abundant no matter how much we have. Therefore, an imbalanced Earth will cause us to feel lack, especially with our money and our energy.

Balancing Earth to Establish Healthy Boundaries

Having a more balanced Earth element helps us feel more calm, secure and nourished. When we feel more peace within, we can make our needs, and therefore our boundaries, more clear. Strong boundaries and a healthier relationship with ourselves allows us to then cultivate healthier relationships with others.

Here are some tips on how to strengthen the Spleen and your Earth element to help you establish stronger boundaries:

1. Cook - the physical act of preparing a meal nurtures the mind, body and soul.

2. Eat a healthy, low carbohydrate diet - carbohydrates and sugars increase the damp or fungal terrain in the body so it's important to reduce these foods and increase the consumption of leafy green vegetables, root vegetables and clean meats to clear this dampness, cultivate clarity and optimize your health.

3. Eat regular meals - Earth thrives on a regular daily rhythm.

4. Manage your time and money - Earth is about nurturing and abundance. Keeping track of how you spend your time helps you manage your energy. Managing your finances is another way to help consolidate your Earth energy and is an essential aspect to cultivating the feeling of security in your life. Money is energy which when circulated properly helps balance Earth energy.

5. Journal to replace worry and obsession with contemplation and reflection.

6.  Get involved in the community - find what organizations, church groups, charities, etc. interest you and see what role you can play to contribute.

Self-care is therefore essential to rebalance the Earth element. When your food, money, time and energy are properly managed, the mind becomes more clear and you're able to naturally set healthier boundaries that allow you to share the best aspects of yourself with others.

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Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Setareh offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. More information at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com. 

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Practices for Late Summer & Healthy Seasonal Transitions

by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac.

Dr. Setareh Moafi offers simple step-by-step guidance to do Dragon Pose. This Yin Yoga posture is important to open and release the Stomach Meridian and improve digestion. Benefits of the posture and its relationship to the Earth element and Stomach channel in Chinese Medicine are explained.

The Earth element rules the late Summer as well as all seasonal transitions — all important times to strengthen your Earth and its corresponding Spleen and Stomach organs.

The Earth element relates to the digestive system and includes the Spleen, Pancreas and Stomach functions. Restoring health to your digestive system is fundamental to restoring health to all aspects of your life.

The digestive system creates Qi to support a strong immune function and fluids to support the hormones and healthy endocrine function.

Digestion is about transformation; transformation of food into energy and substance to build the body. Having a strong Earth energy also supports transformation in our lives as well so we can create the life we want to live. And perhaps most importantly, creating a strong Earth energy in our lives helps support having healthy relationships especially within our family.

Weakness in the Earth organs can lead to sweet cravings which then cause the body to accumulate dampness. Dampness is a fungal terrain, often resulting from a diet heavy in carbohydrates, fried foods, dairy and sugar (even in the form of fruits).  

A fungal terrain can also develop from using various drugs such as antibiotics, sulfa drugs, chemotherapy, birth control pills, corticosteroids, antacids and acid blocking medications.

Dampness is reflected in feeling stuck or lacking clarity.  Dampness is also associated with psychological imbalances such as Obsessive Compulsiveness Disorder and hoarding.

Imbalance in your Earth can also lead to excess accumulation of heat in your Stomach causing acid reflux, indigestion, excessive appetite and even anxiety as the Stomach dumps the overflow of heat into the Heart. 

The Earth element thrives on a simple diet based on unprocessed foods, a calm mind, and a regular daily rhythm with meals, exercise and rest.  

The following tips will help strengthen the Earth energy to help bring clarity in your life as well as to clear the heat and dampness that can lead to burnout and a sluggish body and mind.

6 Tips for a Healthy Earth:
1) Eat meals at regular times and without distractions. The digestive system thrives on eating with a relaxed state of mind. Try also to not skip meals and eat snacks if low blood sugar is an issue.
2) Cut back on sugar, including fruit. Even 'healthy' Summer fruit have a high sugar content that can create dampness and lead to immune suppression and Fall colds and flus. 
3) Eat more root vegetables. Root veggies such as sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots and rutabaga help anchor your body's energy and calm your mind. 
4) Take enzymes and probiotics daily. Enzymes taken with meals will help break down food and prevent stagnation and heat accumulation in the Stomach. Along with a balanced probiotic supplement, enzymes are essential for your gut health, which is the core of your immune function and brain health. Not sure what to take? Call us at 408-244-8565 or stop in and pick up a bottle of our favorite probiotics and enzymes. 
5) Exercise to strengthen your Earth. Calming exercises such as Yoga and Qi Gong are especially important to integrate into your routine. Here’s an archive of Yoga classes to practice from the comfort of your home. You can also do the short late Summer Yin Yoga practice with Dr. Setareh Moafi in the video at the top of this article :)
6) Go to bed a little earlier - before 11pm is optimal. It's also helpful to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day.

The transition toward the cooler Autumn season through this late Summer period allows us to harness our energy and create a calmer, more regular rhythm for optimal health during the upcoming Yin seasons of Fall and Winter. 

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Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. is Co-Owner and Director of A Center for Natural Healing in Santa Clara, California, a health and wellness clinic that specializes in Classical Chinese Medicine and Traditional Japanese Acupuncture. Setareh offers clinical services and transformational workshops that blend the ancient practices of Classical Chinese Medicine and Yoga. More information at www.setarehmoafi.com and www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com.