Fire's Overwhelm

Feeling a little... nuts?

At first I thought it was me.  I was gearing up for a three week spiritual journey- the longest I've been on since my daughter was born.  I was consumed with projects that needed to be completed before I left, making sure my patients had flower essences and fun assignments to do while I was gone, and coordinating the logistics of childcare.  Finding a cat sitter for three weeks nearly sent me over the edge. And this all coincided perfectly with the end-of-school year flurry of recitals, graduation parties, and  celebrations.  

Then I realized, we're smack dab in the middle of the Fire element. The summer solstice is the annual height of Yang,  the energy of fast movement, activity, expression, and heat.   I began to notice how many of my patients would look at me with a blank stare, as if they were trying to remember what day it was, when I asked how they were doing.  Just like how all the bees and flying insects swarm around on a hot summer day, the Fire element inside of us can sometimes feel like a swarm of activity in our brains.

And I was struck by elegant wisdom of the FIve Elements, and how each element gives a different flavor to our experience.   

Water's overwhelm stems from fear- usually fear or anxiety about  if not having enough time, money, or love. Wood's overwhelm is often frustration about the inability to change something that needs to change.  Metal's overwhelm shows up when we need to release something we're not ready to let go of (be it a job, relationship, or clutter), and Earth's overwhelm looks like taking on too many responsibilities without taking time to nourish ourselves. 

Fire's overwhelm? Being flooded with ideas, inspiration, activity.  It's a packed schedule and fitting more into a day than even the longer hours of sunlight can accommodate. It's dreams on 1000, or having a hard time going to bed because there is Just...  So... Much...  To... Do...  And most of that to-do list is fun and exciting, making it easy to sacrifice sleep and rest.  Fire's overwhelm is also the burnout that follows when the body has finally had enough of our shannangans.

Here are some of my favorite flower essence for your regularly scheduled seasonal madness:

Present Presence:

Present Presence has Star Tulip, a beautiful Yin flower that helps us to calm down, slow down, and be present when the crazies creep in. 

Goddess:

Goddess has a flower in it called Indian Pink, which I call the "the eye of the storm" flower. It helps us stay calm and focused when life whirls around us.  Goddess creates a sense a calm and helps us prioritize our to-do list when we are filled with creative fertile genius.

Oasis:

If you tend to burn the candle at both ends, Oasis flower essence helps us to replenish. Sometimes, it helps us get the rest we need when burn out sets in.  It can also give our hearts and inspired boost when we've been down and out for too long. 

I hope that however and wherever this summer finds you, you make it magic.