Metal - Autumn

 I find that writing poetry helps me express thoughts and emotions that are just under the surface. When I can pull them out in a poem it gives me a chance to look at them. To see what is true, and what is nearly true - and just needs a little shift somewhere. This poem was composed to help regulate and balance the Metal element as it seen in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Autumn is the time of year when the processes of the Metal Element dominate. The Yin Meridian for Metal is the Lung Meridian. Which is in charge of breathing out - releasing - stale energy and grief: and breathing in - welcoming - fresh energy and inspiration. The Yang Meridian for Metal is Large Intestine. Which is in charge of letting go of - releasing - fear, anger, guilt and shame - in order to live fully in the now.

I breathe

My body is a microcosm of the macrocosm.

My near two square metres of skin

Are mine to nourish and cleanse.

My four and a half metres of intestinal tract

Support life which I alone can nurture

And my twenty-two trillion cells

I can offer precious water,

Or leave parched and thirsty.

My muscles must move, and my sinews must stretch.

And if I let wrong thinking

Overrule the needs of the populace

My nervous system will go up in fire and flame. 

 

I am a microcosm of the macrocosm

I offer myself peace,

As much peace as I can muster. 

I breathe.

The in breath brings inspiration to the population,

The out breath releases.

When the breath is blocked, I bring compassion:

We have all been here. Too much of anything,

Can be hard to release, all at once. 

I borrow inspiration from the other nations

Who have walked this path.

I breathe, and I sing.

 

Vibration can be used to move blockages

And singing brings me joy.

Again, I breathe:

Deep into my belly, and my back.

And bring all the peace I can muster,

To this moment: this space that I alone can govern,

And let it ripple outwards.


30th April 2024 

When writing this poem I had a question in mind. Namely: 'What do you think of the state of the world?' I don't think I was asked: 'And what can we do about it?' but I added that to the question anyway.  Inasmuch as I only observe the world where I am connected to it, my observations recently have been positive ones. I have seen many people, not just EEM students and EEM teachers on my courses, but the wide variety of people that I  meet and talk to, are open and positive, and are using that positivity and desire to connect and do good, to make the world around them a better place. I am frequently gratefully surprised to find that I can tell people that I have been learning Reiki, and Eden Energy Medicine, and even that I have started working with energy remotely, and discover that this is something they are open to hearing about.

As to what I am doing personally, about the state of the world in general, is observing my own internal state, which I alone can govern, and giving it space and compassion to keep improving. There is much joy in that, especially when I can share the journey with the people I know and meet. I am so grateful to InnerSource for running Year 2 in Eden Energy Studies in Edinburgh for us this year, so that I am able to meet many more wonderful people from and with whom, I am able to learn more about how we can improve our health and well being through working on our subtle energy bodies, and working with our breath!