The Nature of Wood

The movement of Wood is upwards. The nature of Wood includes all forms in the plant kingdom, but the quintessential icon of Wood is the tree which sprouts from its seed and rockets upwards in search of light. Its branches splay outwards to fill the space, but the fundamental direction is up.

The many forms that plants and trees take can give us insight into the nature and qualities of Wood. The tiny plant that forces its way up through a crack in the pavement demonstrates Wood’s ability to find its way around obstacles to growth. In its early stages a plant grows rapidly and vigorously, yet also in a jerky series of growth spurts which is another feature of Wood.

The weeds that proliferate in the garden show the sheer unstoppable nature of Wood. Bamboo, which bends easily in the wind, is a great illustration of flexibility of Wood. Trees can also show us what Wood is like when it is not healthy. Old trees become stiff, brittle and break in the wind. Plants suffering from drought become stunned and gnarled, unable to manifest their full potential. And trees that have died leave their grey bones in a pile, fuel for the next fire.

How do you feel about the direction your life is taking? What are your plans? How flexible are you in change?

Wood has been created to support you when: - Feeling Anger, Rage, Frustration, - Stuck & Stagnant within Body, Mind or Spirit, - Inability to Birth New Ideas and ways of Being, - Desiring Transformation, Change and a Fresh Start.

Wood brings in the feelings of: - Happiness & Contentment, - Allowing life to live through you with Ease, - Rebirth & Transformation of Self and your Life, - Healing energy around your birth or the birth of any of your own children.

Wood Affirmation “I now invoke the Wood Element. I am 100% willing able to release blockages within my body, mind and soul. I release any stories in connection to my birth that are no longer aligned to my soul purpose. I am living the life that wants to live in me. I am love.”

Meridians: Liver & Gallbladder

Body: Liver, gall bladder, sides of body, ligaments

Active time: 11pm - 3am

Negative Emotions: Anger, Frustration, Self Righteous, Arrogant, Stuck,

Positive Emotions: Alive, Purposeful, Aligned, Growth, Transformation

Sound: Shouting

Taste: Sour

Sense: Seeing, Vision

Season: Spring

Colour: Green

Yin Yoga Sequence: Springtime is the season of the wood element, the time of the rising yang energy, birth, new beginnings and creativity. This is the energy that brings forth new growth, that pushes the new grass through the snow, the new branches out from old wood, produces new leaves. It does this so nature can take in the nourishment it needs to flourish.

Try this sequence (or poses) for balancing your Wood element as we target the inner leg and outer leg the groins, and side body.