April is Earth Month – This is the time to engage the 5 Phases of Planetary Healing!
On April 22, 1970, millions of citizens across America took to the streets to protest the pollution of the natural environment. 52 years later, this one day has continued to be acknowledged around the world with events and protests with estimates of over a 100 million people participating with live in-person and online events.
Gradually this day began to expand from one day, to multiple days, to the point that April just became known as “Earth Month”. Being that April is when the renewal of spring is in full swing, it is the perfect month for all of us to become part of the solution to the crisis now threating our planet.
As both a consumer and clinician, there are ways we can participate both at home and in the clinic. To reduce our eco-footprint, we have the 5 R’s to guide us. They are Recycle, Re-think, Re-use, Refuse and Reduce. Each one of these actions can be mapped into one of the 5 elemental phases of energy* movement which are cycling through us each day.
Our actions are empowered when we move in accordance with natural energy flows. Use the following table and suggestions to reinforce your resolve to be part of the change needed.
| Energy State | Elemental Icon | Expression | Eco-Action “R” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increasing Phase | Wood | Action/Movement | Recycle |
| What you can do:
Recycling programs are continually expanding and being improved. Use the rising Qi of spring to marshal action in your daily recycling choices. Separate your recyclables into their appropriate groups and tap into the weekly pickup programs to whisk away common items. Then schedule a once a month visit to your local zero waste facility where additional items like batteries, plastic bags, Styrofoam, and other such materials are accepted. Your recycling actions benefit our planet immensely! |
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| Energy State | Elemental Icon | Expression | Eco-Action “R” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy in its highest phase | Fire | Joy/Creativity | Re-think |
| What you can do: Tap into the elemental state of fire where the energy is high! In this state, natural joy, creativity and gratitude emerge. Use this creativity to re-think how we do things around the house and in the clinic. It is an ideal state to learn new ways that transform older habits to new ones that help our planet restore itself. | |||
| Energy State | Elemental Icon | Expression | Eco-Action “R” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stable – neither increasing nor decreasing | Earth | Compassion/Caring | Re-use / Repurpose |
| What you can do: The earth elemental phase is one in which caring, and nurturing are expressed. Use this inherent aspect of our nature to re-use things that we would normally throw away. Take a moment to look at the thing you are tempted to throw away or recycle. Remember that up until recently, our planet has been used as a dumping ground for decades. Then from this state of caring and compassion for the planet, try to figure ways to extend the use of the item by re-using it or re-purposing it. | |||
| Energy State | Elemental Icon | Expression | Eco-Action “R” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decreasing phase | Metal | Boundary setting / Letting go | Refuse |
| What you can do: When we tap into the metal energy inherent in all of us, we get good at letting go of non-essentials and drawing boundaries around what is good for the planet and what is not. Like fall, when nature is scaling down to only essentials, we too can say “no” to things that do not contribute to a healthy planet. | |||
| Energy State | Elemental Icon | Expression | Eco-Action “R” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy in its lowest phase | Water | Only the essentials / beingness | Reduce |
| What you can do: Use this energy phase to marshal your commitment to use less, with the idea of “less is more” in mind. Our fundamental state of beingness, or “IS”ness, does not require all the “extras” we normally surround ourselves with. This phase is reflective of the season of winter, where nature has stripped back to its lowest state. To aid in planetary recovery, we too need to strip back to only that what is needed or is essential for us to live in harmony with the planet. | |||
Please feel free to share the above with your patients during Earth month. Encourage them to think about implementing the above ideas as part of their personal healing and the planet’s.
Now, in the clinic, the little things we do each day may seem insignificant, but over time the smallness builds up. If that small thing we do each day is done by millions around the world, the small thing is now a big issue.
The small thing I am referring to here is the use of individually packaged acupuncture needles or bulk packed needles that take up excessive space and use excess packaging resulting in needle waste.
Here’s how switching to Acufast needles effortlessly helps you be a part of the change. The 5 – phases of Acufast are:
If you have already switched to Acufast, fantastic! You are now not only applying the 5R’s as listed above, but you are planting trees with every two boxes of needles you use! If you haven’t switched yet, this is the month to do so.
Let’s all invest in the 5 phases of energy inherent in nature and do what we need to do in both our homes and in the clinic. April, as Earth Month, has the power of Spring to push for change and improve our ways! Use it! Together we can help restore our planet and ensure a healthy future for the next generations.
*All energy moves through yin yang cycles of low energy to high energy back to low energy. These cycles can be further broken down into phases that are distinct. They are as follows: energy in its lowest state, energy increasing, energy in its maximum state, energy in a stable state (not increasing nor decreasing), and energy decreasing. These distinct, observable phases are not only generative to each other but, in a tensegrity way, control each other such that the movement of energy as it flows through its cycle is harmonious. Health is an expression of the free flow of energy through all aspects of the individual (ie: body/mind/spirit). A TCM/Acupuncturist can use this knowledge to determine where in the cycle of the elemental phases an excess or deficiency is occurring that will contribute to a health imbalance. (Back to main article)