The Living Rhythm
There’s a system that underpins everything I do, and it has completely changed how I move through my life and my work.
It’s the system of the 5 Elements in Traditional Chinese Medicine—the living, breathing cycle that also forms the foundation of Elemental Chi Kung.
Learning to work with the rhythms of Earth, Metal, Water, Wood, and Fire, has shifted my relationship to being human, giving me a way to stop pushing, forcing, or over-riding my energy, and a way to show up consistently—not through effort, but through alignment.
Because showing up doesn’t mean being the same every day. It means meeting yourself where you are, and as you are, moving with the energy that’s actually available, rooted in the truth of the chapter you’re in.
Take this weekend, for example.
We’re in the Springtime mix—and the season of the Wood Element, when everything is waking up. This shift from the deep quiet of Winter into the push of Spring can feel sudden, even overwhelming. A rush of activity after the long dark.
Which is why, in the Chi Kung class I taught on Saturday, we worked not only with Wood, but also with Earth. Because when we’re reaching forward, we also need to stay in connection to our roots.
The energy of the Earth Element is basic—in the best sense of the word. It’s being anchored, safe, and contained in the now, not scattered in a thousand directions by the noise of the mind.
Earth—allied with the abundance of Late Summer—is pure presence. It holds the universal longing to feel, and be, supported. To be met. We can nourish that longing by returning to the core of our own needs—and honouring those needs.
A very simple way to begin supporting your Earth Element energy is to ask yourself: “What is needed?”
And then listen for how your body responds. You might simply hear, ‘I’m tired’, or ‘I’m low’, or ‘I need to put on my favourite jumper and get outside’.
The Earth Element reminds us: you don’t have to figure it all out. You just have to come back to the centre of you, and listen.
This is what Chi Kung gives me: a way to live in sync. A way to show up, and keep listening for the energy beneath.
If you're curious about the 5 Elements, or about Chi Kung as a living practice,
I’ll be sharing more through the seasons ahead.
And if you’d like to join a live class, you’re always welcome. The next one will be Saturday morning, May 3rd, 9:00–10:15am UK time.