Thursday, December 14, 2017

Water Element Seasonal Playlist


One of the reasons music is such a powerful force in our lives is that it moves us on the Etheric Plane of  our subtle body.  The Etheric Plane is like a field of electromagnetic Qi, a sheath of  energy surrounding our physical body.   Even though its invisible, many of have experienced the Etheric Plane- its what gets activated when we "feel" someone staring at us.  Or... when we feel upcoming weather changes in our bodies (i.e. my knee hurts when its about to rain).  We also move our Etheric Body when we put on our power playlist to hype us up before an important meeting or presentation, or put on sad music to make ourselves cry.

The point is:  music is energy, music is vibration, and we can use it to move our Qi! 

Each of the Five Elements of Chinese Medicine are also vibration.  Element corresponds to a season, a phase of life, colors, emotions, parts of the body, and more- reminding us that we are an extension of nature.  The Elements bring to life a fundamental alchemical truth:  As above, so below; As within, so without; As the Universe, so the soul…   

In Classical Five Element Acupuncture, the sound of Water will cause a person’s voice to exhibit a groaning quality.  An example of this groan when your first words in the morning are “that was a good sleep”, before fully waking up.   The sound of Water has a characteristic sinking quality, either in its low tones or in a voice that falls and sinks at the ends of sentences.  Musically, we can evoke the feeling of Water with songs that carry the vibration of sinking to the depths, slow rhythms that evoke stillness or trance, and notes that accumulate in the lower register.   


All of the songs on this year’s Water Element playlist reflect the low, sinking quality of water as it surrenders to the force of gravity.  These Water songs evoke the stillness, introspective, and mysterious quality of water and Winter.   Check out these songs whose lyrics can also teach us something about this season of the Water Element: 

Don’t be afraid
Don’t be afraid
You gotta listen in the silent way
Listen in the silent way

I love this jazzy hip hoppera, and use it in almost all of my yoga playlists!  The Water Element governs our sense of hearing and listening.  Try this: close your eyes and see if you can identity the quietest sound in the room.  Listen underneath the most obvious sounds (here in NYC, there are plenty!) and tune in.  Notice how that attentiveness brings you fully present to the here and now?  That’s the gift of Water:  a stillness and presence that allows us to transmute fear into cautious awareness of our environment.  Indeed, this season invites us to listen in the silent way.


My Friend the Moon  by Fertile Ground
I am not alone... 
At night I see a light like my own
And it is not all blues...  there is peace in Heaven's Womb
So please don't be confused about my friend... my friend the moon

The Water Element is associated with the moon and her intuitive, reflective power.  The water element brings us deep within ourselves, where we can access our intuition.  The moon is also associated with our lunar state of consciousness and our ability to receive messages from our dreams.  Sacred Source flower essence includes the flower essences of Mugwort, Deerbrush, and Cerato to help us listen more closely to the messages from within.  




Carry away my dead leaves
Let me baptize my soul with the help of your waters
Sink my pains and complains
Let the river take them, river drown them

From baptism to libation, Water is used across religions as a conduit between worlds. Water draws us in to our depths.   The energetic direction of water is downward, as water always seeks the deepest level.  Imagine if you were to knock over a glass of water.  The water would first roll off the table and onto the floor. If there is a hole in the floor, the water will seep into the hole and keep falling, down… down… down- just like the cadence of this praise song.  Soothing, healing, yielding, cleansing, the Water Element is the master shapeshifter in our lives.  


I'm weary of the ways of the world
Be weary of the ways of the world

Oh Solange!  You nailed it with this song.  With all the political happenings and the whirlwind of 2017 (or 2018, or 2019, or 2020, or... forever),  many of us are feeling that weariness!  If we follow nature, Winter is a time to retreat from the ways of the world and replenish our inner reserves. If you're feeling burned out,  less inclined to go out and party, or unmotivated to take on  new projects, the Water Element is having her way with you.  Try the  Oasis flower essence recipe to rejuvenate and replenish, so that when it’s time to act, you have the resources in your body to back up the intentions in your mind.


Blacker than the nighttime sky of Bed-Stuy in July
Blacker than the seed in the blackberry pie
Blacker than the middle of my eye
Black like feh-lah man cry
Some man wan ask "Who am I?"
I simply reply, "The U.N.I.V.E.R.S.A.L. Magnetic"

Though we often associate water with shades of blue, the Water Element in Chinese Medicine is classically associated with a dark, blue- black color.  This black is like the mysterious color between rocks or the entrance to a cave, the sheen of wet pavement, and the night sky of a New Moon.  Black draws itself within, evoking the introspective, mysterious power of the Water Element. I love Black Star's ode to blackness in Astronomy (the 8th Light).


We came from before, we gonna be here until

This song is like an anthem for my fellow neo-ancients! The Water Element governs the part of us that is cosmic, mystical and magical. The deep study of philosophical ideas or history, metaphysical wisdom or the mystery sciences are in the realm of the Water Element.  If you're into magic that happens when your intentions and actions align, check out the Magic is Medicine journal. Learn more about the Five Elements, and use this Alchemical tool to capture the magic in and around you- every single day. 


I Put a Spell on You by Alice Smith 
I put a spell on you
Because you're mine
On the subject of magic,  Alice Smith's rendition of this Nina Simone classic is utterly spellbinding.  The water element corresponds to the archetype of the Goddess who governs the when and how manifesting our intentions.  She shows up across cultures as the powerful goddesses of creation and magic: Yemaya of Ifa tradition,  Auset of the Kemetic Tradition,  Sedna of the Inuit tradition, White Buffalo Calf Woman of the Lakota Tradition, La Sirene of Voodun, and Xiwangmu of Ancient China.   If you want to evoke the Goddess, check out the Queendom flower essence and Witchy Woman essential oil holiday gift set, available for a limited time.



Legacy by Jay-Z featuring Blue Ivy
Photo Credit: Hollywoodlife.com
Our ancestry, our genealogical imprint, and our personal and collective history are embodied in the Water Element.  When we delve into the past to understand who we are, we call on the wisdom of Water.  I would consider almost the entire 4:44 album a tribute to the water element, with its strong head nod to family, roots, and lineage.  In Legacy, Jay calls into question the lessons that were passed down through his family tree. The Legacy Flower Essence helps us do exactly that- examine the earliest beliefs about love,  relationships, and wealth that we inherited from our family of origin. We can then create a new branch that brings healing to the whole tree.
 
Same Ol' Mistakes by Rihanna
Stop before it’s not too late
I know there’s too much at stake
Making the same mistakes
And I still don’t know why it’s happening

Oooh.  I've been there, Ri Ri!   It's amazing how much knowing better doesn't mean we'll actually DO better.  That's because the Water Element corresponds to the subconscious mind, the aspect of our being that controls a shocking 90% of our behavior without us even being aware of it!  It's also why we can find ourselves repeating dysfunctional patterns, even when we know they don't serve us.  In these cases,  Sagebrush flower essence supports us as we us break free from those habits, emotions, (and people) that need to GO. 




Comes to Light (everything) by Jill Scott
Now tell me where the healing starts
Comes to the light, comes to the light...
everything

After the winter solstice, the deepest expression of Yin, the days begin to get longer as the light returns.  The Water Element represents that turning point- in nature and in our psyche. Water introduces us to our shadow- the unilluminated, unintegrated parts of our personality.   Water challenges us to withstand  the darkness (the quiet, the stillness, and sometimes even the chaos)  while trusting that the light will return.  Water give us the faith that after event the darkest night, we can trust that there will be light- insight, clarity and healing.




Missed last year's Water playlist?  Check it our here... or listen to both playlists on Spotify!


Queendom Gift Set
Wishing you a Wonderful Watery Winter!

xoxoxox
Lindsay




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