Oh Joy!
Photo Credit: Mark Olsen
FINDING THE BALANCE!
I have been wondering about joy lately. Summer in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is associated with the heart and fire element. In the view of TCM, the heart governs all body organs including the mind and is considered the emperor of our emotions. The heart has direct effect on consciousness and mental health. When in balance you experience joy and compassion.
I discovered what I thought was Joy was over excitement. This is when joy became excessive, kind of like a nervous energy. Upon reflection summer is the peak of the yang energy and nature’s expansion. I never understood that you can have excessive fire element in the heart that seemed like joy and passion, yet for me it was an imbalance that led to hyperactivity. In one day, I was kayaking, biking and horse back riding. My husband would say metaphorically “Are we climbing many mountains today?” I am not a mountain climber, yet I now appreciate what he was trying to say.
Slow down to the speed of life not light. Even though I seem to have oodles of energy and passion through the seasons, I now realize in spring and summer it is heightened and I have a “got to get it all in,” mentality. I see now it was excessive, and I was out of balance.
The fire element is considered the most dynamic and most difficult element to sustain balance. The word excite comes from the Latin word “excitare” meaning to “call forth or rouse.” I was certainly rousing.
I wanted to understand this fascinating dynamic more. While joy is considered a positive emotion associated with a balanced heart, excessive or inappropriate excitement can be seen as a form of overstimulation that can lead to disharmony, potentially manifesting as heart palpitations, insomnia, or other imbalances. This causes a dispersing effect, where the heart’s qi is dispersing due to excess and leads to imbalances. This scatters the Shen (spirit) and over time it overwhelms the nervous system, which can lead to burnout.
When balanced joy makes the Shen peaceful and relaxed, it benefits the Ying and Wei Qi and it makes Qi relax and slow down.
Shen is roughly translated as the “spirit” or “presence” of a person. In TCM, Shen is recognised as “a look behind the eyes,” or the presence of “light in the eyes.” It is associated with consciousness, and the capacity of the mind to form ideas and the desire to live life.
In TCM Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) and Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) are two fundamental types of Qi that play vital roles in maintaining health and balance within the body. Ying Qi is associated with nourishment and circulation within the blood vessels, while Wei Qi focuses on protection and immunity
I am attracted to joy, however, I am now more aware of how something even as wonderful as joy can become out of balance.
I want to explore joy more as summer is about connection, inspiration, expansion, community and living life to the fullest. (but not too full…) :)
Laughing for the Health of It
Joy, laughing or smiling can do wonders for your cardiovascular health. Beaming (a genuine smile) and laughing may sound too easy. Still, this time-tested wisdom brings us this simple truth: love and laughter are very powerful ways to nurture the visible and invisible aspects of the Heart. Living a joyful life and expressing emotions freely is an excellent way to keep your heart’s energy and your body healthy.
Messengers of Joy
When you’re open to joy you can also receive messengers of joy. The other day when I was practicing qigong and yoga in my sacred space and I was visited by beautiful yellow finch. The day before when my husband and I were biking a yellow finch followed beside us along the trail for a while. Now I am a believer that nothing has any meaning except the meaning you give it. This is how powerful we are. We get to choose what something means at any given moment. The question always is, “Will this choice serve me well?” Are we aware when we make choices that do not serve us well? This may be simple as choosing a more life-serving, empowering loving thought.
Having a visit from a yellow finch is thought to have various meanings. This yellow finch in its colors and the way it flew seemed like the epitome of joy. Some interpretations of being visited by a beautiful yellow finch are that they represent: joy, passion, vitality, lightness, freedom, wisdom, intuition, and release.
I amazingly discovered those same attributes through qigong practice and have been astonished and humbled to hear similar attributes from my qigong class participants.
Joy surprises you if you let it. It bubbles up in moments of chaos and calm or something in between.
The only question is will you allow it to bubble naturally? Or will you let your mind or ego decide when joy is acceptable. Joy is as natural to your body as breathing. Joy is your body’s natural healing tool. Allowing for release, perspective, inspiration, insight and wisdom.
Joy can contribute to our overall well-being. So how do we allow joy to bubble up naturally without force or expectation or becoming excessive?
How you can help yourself when joy becomes excessive.
Being aware when you are overexcited, anxious or feeling vulnerable.
Go forth gentle and slow. This helps settle the Shen into the body.
Simplify, doing less.
Take quiet pauses.
Find solitude to soothe and ground.
Drink more water. The kidneys are your water element and help balance the fire of the heart. Your body loves water and thanks you for it.
Move your body with gentle flowing movements: dance, swim, and shake
Feel the ground with bare feet, literally hug a tree, lay on the grass.
Moving and breathing meditation such as Qigong. Scheduling only 10 minutes a day will be helpful
Below are some of the ways I find joy.
Be open to Joy
I smile and recognize I am alive and grateful that this is so. Smile to my body and organs.
Frolicking in nature. Basking in the wonder of nature’s glory, trees, sky, lakes, sounds and animals.
Expressing and moving emotions.
Being grateful for simple things such as the breath in your body.
Sharing a smile and a laugh with someone.
Dancing and singing randomly.
A simple greeting and acknowledgement of another human’s presence instead of walking by.
The berries in my porridge bowl.
The stillness and quietness of sitting with a loved one on your porch.
Awe feeling while riding a horse on a forest trail.
Love and Joy
Donna
