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www.reasonsmag.com This weekly interactive guidebook features pathways to seasonal rhythm and thinking to help restore your relationship to the art of living. Tap in to the reflection of ancient wisdom for modern existence though the lenses of art and philosophy. We utilize the navigation and tone of the seasons according to Classical Chinese and Taoist Philosophy as a map of our symbiotic relationship to nature. Journey through the frequency and form of these elements with creative thinkers, teachers and artists as they answer the question how does summer sound, taste, feel and move though the inner and outer terrain of our minds, bodies and spirits.
Look out f o r all the click able cont ent
Podcast Learning Alchemy Practices Recipes & How To’s Video Knowledge Sound & Frequency
In the three months of summer there is an abundance of sunshine and rain. The heavenly energy descends, and the earthly energy rises. When these energies merge, there is intercourse between heaven and earth. As a result, plants mature and animals, flowers, and fruit appear abundantly. One may retire somewhat later at this time of year, while still arising early. One should refrain from anger and stay physically active, to prevent the pores from closing and the chi from stagnating. One should not overindulge in sex, although one can indulge a bit more than in other seasons. Emotionally it is important to be happy and easygoing and not hold on to grudges, so that the energy can flow freely.
Fire 101
Exploring the development of unconditio self awareness, connection and transform
Listen in to this deep dive conversation on the Fire Element with Dr. Janet Galipo from a classical Chinese medicine perspective. Learn about the 4 energy systems associated with fire, the role of the spirit and all emotions and how to tap into simple behavioral health practices to harmonize your fire energies
onal joy, stability and peace through mation.
... Listen In
Separation Of Pure & Impure Balanced Sense Of Judgment Transform Conflict Nourishes Heart With Pure Qi
Small Intestine The Small Intestine is one of the yang aspects of the fire element and is responsible for receiving information and nutrients from the stomach to process and separate them for use in the body. This process requires proper discernment and balance of discrimination to assure we take in what is needed. The Virtue of the fire energy is propriety, which can be understood as the inner communication with the heart knowing and the heart of the universe. It is the small intestine that pairs with the heart and takes on the job of communicating this information between inner and outer world. In a sense the heart sets the rhythm and the small intestine supports that rhythm by feeding the heart the nourishment it needs to stay anchored in its truth. The small intestine lining is a permeable wall that allows for this discernment process to take in the resources of nutrients that the body needs and send them directly into the bloodstream. Form here the blood can then begin to deliver those nourishment to the rest of the body system. The Small intestine is know as the minister to the heart emperor, it though its physical permeability that it decides what gets to the heart and protects the heart from what is garbage. The Minister must know the truth of the emperor to do its job properly and assure it provides what s needed. The first bit of clear and pure energy nutriments, thoughts, and consciousness are sent from the small intestine to the heart, so that the heart is nourished in doing its job of pumping and circulating blood throughout the entire body system, and carrying the nutrients and consciousness of those resources into the body. You can see why it is important that the small intestine knows the inner truth of the heart and holds that awareness in great honor so it knows how to take in what feeds the pure truth of the heart. Historically we are in a time of great confusion and uproars of information, toxicity and overwhelm we are all taking in more that we ever have . In modern urban cultures we are seeing more and more irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut syndrome, overall indigestion and digestive issues that are showing up as dysfunctional patterns at the level of the small intestine. Whether it be to due to poor diet, stress, or information overload the function of the small intestine has undergone a great deal of adaptions to modern lifestyle, which has resulted in the lining of the small intestine permeability having a difficult time discerning what to take in and what to let pass.
Leaky gut syndrome is where the small pores or junctures in the small intestine lining have widened, to the point where whole food particles and substances are getting into the blood stream, causing a host of immune system reactions, and discomfort at the level of the gut. This can be akin to a lot of over stimulation and wearing out the process of discernment in the body. We can also look at the mind body connection here and see that many people have lost connection to their gut instincts or have adapted to an acquired way of being and thinking that has strayed away from the truth of the heart’s self awareness and they are over consuming reality in the form of food, information and experiences leaving the body in a state of overwhelm. Our survival instincts and gut knowing has been hijacked and over fed with excess and indulgence beyond inner propriety and equal exchange. Fire keeps us in synchronization with the world though our expressions of inner truth and the capacity to transform outer influences to useful nourishment. You can see how this energy is highlighted in the summer as it is the season for sharing and celebration, maturation and fully expressing; this is seen in the ripening fruits being ready to consume, flowers showing there full color and our innate tendency towards late nights of conversation and exchanging dreams sharing ourselves with others though intimacy or connection. The fire of the body is susceptible to chaos and control. Too much order stifles the natural expression of the fire in its uniqueness and chaos reflects a lack of order which can burn out of control destroying what is in its path. Right now socially and culturally we are experiencing both extremes of chaos and control reflected in the outer world and there looms a sense of uncertainty making this particular summer a time for great recalibration of our inner terrain and its response to the outer world. We can think of the summer of 2020 as a time of redefinition and transformation as we look back to the catalysts of spring earlier in the year we can ask ourselves how are we maturing and how are we learning to commune and communicate with the inner wisdom of our heart and feed it exactly what it needs.
Are you taking in n ourishment that fee ds your truth? Are you absorbing
the nutrients your b o
dy needs?
How have you adap ted your Survival to acquire d ways of being? What does it mean for your truth to su rvive? What ways is your intimacy with self & others in chaos or stifled u nder control? How can you becom e the exact amount o f permea
ble?
Indigestion In the Age Of Information By: Dr. Caitlin O’Conner ND
The primary job of the small intestine is the sorting and assimilating of everything we take into our system through the digestive tract - any disruption in the function of this organ can result in digestive chaos. Allowing things that should stay in the lumen of the intestine to pass into the body can cause disruption of the immune system, the development of intolerances and malabsorption of nutrients. In Naturopathic medicine we have a saying – “when in doubt, treat the gut.” Dis-regulated gut function is often the root cause of maladies spread across many body systems. These days, I can’t help but think of the small intestines as metaphor – not only does what we eat need to be digested and absorbed – so does what we see, what we hear, the people we spend time with. All of this sensory input needs to be sorted, digested, and absorbed. What I have noticed in myself lately is a tendency to overindulge in information. With so much change to navigate, my default setting it to research and investigate. This is helpful up to a point. However, gorging on social media, news, the opinions of others, can lead to indigestion as well. The summer is the perfect time to lighten our load both to experiment with lighter foods and to diversify our information inputs. This is the time of year to experiment with fasting or eating more raw foods. I would also invite a fast of another sort, a fast from social media and news. Depending on your needs this could look a few ways. My recommendation is to fast for a minimum of 1 week . Remove all apps from your phone, log out and consider changing passwords. As an added layer, you could even have a friend change passwords for you and keep them for later. Then, on return (if you return), continue to stay logged off and don’t reinstall apps try to access from a laptop if you have one available. Consider taking a Sabbath one day or more per week where you abstain. Cut off consumption after 7 pm. There are many apps available that will track your time on sites and then lock you out once your time is spent. This is not a condemnation of social media and news sites; we need to stay informed and connected and these can be powerful tools. But just as we moderate and balance out diet, we should moderate and balance our consumption. Moving towards a balance that is nourishing, but not disruptive. That satisfies, but does not leave us overfull. Consider the Japanese phrase Hara Hachi Bu never hungry, never full we can apply this not only to our habits around food, but our habits around information as well. Now is a great time to lighten your load.
Indigestion may look like...
Confusion Overwhelm Anxiety Insomnia Anger
Fear
IrritabilityÂ
Simple Gentle Yoga for Indigestion Knees to Chest helps to relieve gas and bloating while creating a gentle pressure on organs to help create release
Cat Cow supports directive motility by releasing and relaxing the spine and restoring movement to the abdomen
Squatting to descend and ground energy supporting elimination
Natural relief for gut distress • Peppermint tea • Peppermint oil rubbed on abdomen • Deep belly breath
Listen In
The Reason & Season Podcast
Featuring Sierra Samuel of C60 Purple Power • The role of gut health in creativity • Cultivating creative fire & self awareness • C60 and gut health
Blending Fire & Water
Lessons in returning to center
Dao Yin and Qi Gong invites us to cultivate inner knowing and equanimity. This summer as the insurrection of culture and transformation though what seems chaotic ensues us, taming our inner fire and excess emotions is key to survival. Learn the art of philosophy of blending fire and water to create harmony this fire season to help strip away the layers of the acquired mind and anchor into your intuition and hear your inner truth. These Yin Lessons will help you settle into your earth practicality as to express your heavenly being. As confusion bombards every aspect of our world we have a unique opportunity during this season of transformation to master our hearts expression and restore inner agency.
Lesson 1 Equanimity
Lesson 2
Accessing Pericardium and opening fire region Dispelling heat in heart
Lesson 3
Melting Heart to access Heart Intelligence Anchor Intuition & senses Descend Excess Qi
Lesson 4
The Alchemy Of Fire & Water
Listen in Plant Medicine of Summer with Monti Clevah of Jiridon Apothecary
Hibiscus F lower High in Vitamin C Cooling Tart & Astringent Tones Capillaries Harmonizes Blood
The essence of Hibiscus is soulful, deep and rich just like her color. Her color speaks to her affinity for the blood and her corrective teacher like qualities. She is spirit of blood health and also a bridge to the realm of the ancestors. She tells us to find the answers we need in the past and to hold on to tradition. She is the wise grandmother of the herbs that knows all the stories and holds all the recipes. Hibiscus knows the medicine songs and knows the importance of using rhythm to remove the mind, so that the heart can heal. She is the remover of generational curses, spiritually going deep into the soul and altering the subtle DNA for the better.
Hibiscus Sun Tea 2 parts Dried Hibiscus 1 Part Dried Rose Buds 1 Part Dried Chrysanthemum Flower Place dried flowers in water in a clear glass jar in direct sunlight for 12 hours. Strain and sweeten if desired. Serve at room temperature or over ice.
This tart flower tea offers a wonderful cooling drink for hot summer days. Sip Slowly to restore creative flow on a mid day break by supporting the body fluids and calming expansive energy of proliferation.
Strawberry Basil Hibiscus Popsicles 2 cups Fresh Strawberries 1 Bunch Basil Juice of one lemon 3/4 cup Hibiscus syrup
Blend all ingredients pour into Popsicle mold and freeze for 5 hours. Enjoy on a hot summer day for a cooling treat.
Uses:
Sweetness substitute Popsicle base Pancake syrup Cocktails & Summer Drinks
Hibiscus Basil Syrup 1/3 Cup Dried Hibiscus Flowers One Bunch fresh Basil 1 1/2 C water 3/4 C honey Simmer hibiscus and basil in water until reduced by half strain and return liquid to heat. Add honey and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Cool and store in glass container in refrigerator.
F or a vibrational healing experience...
We recommend listening to this original track produced by King Boo while enjoying any of the hibiscus recipes featured in this guide to enhance and enliven a hot summer day
Zucchini Strawberry Pancakes With Hibiscus Syrup 2 medium size zucchini’s grated 6-7 chopped strawberries 1 Bunch Basil 1 1/2 cups flour of choice 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cups almond milk 2 eggs Separated 1 tablespoon coconut oil melted 3tbs oil or butter for cooking Hibiscus Basil Syrup
Grate Zucchini then place on kitchen towel and squeeze excess liquid into a bowl (add liquid to water for a refreshing drink or to iced sun tea for extra nutrients) rough chop strawberries and basil combine and set aside. Separate eggs and beat whites until slightly stiff. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together, add in zucchini and strawberry mixture, add in egg yolks and melted coconut oil. Mix together with a fork add in milk slowly to desired consistency. (Zucchini and Strawberries have a lot of water in them so notice how much extra liquid is needed and adjust accordingly. Fold in egg whites. Melt butter or oil over medium low heat. Pour 1/4 batter into hot oil and cook until batter bubbles pop, turn and cook on opposite side. I prefer to cook these over low heat slower to assure they are cooked though and not too soggy. Play around with consistency of batter to get the right ratio. Serve with fresh strawberry slices, butter and hibiscus basil syrup.
Hibiscus Cooler
Add hibiscus basil syrup to fizzy water and serve over ice
C60 PURPLE POWER SMOOTHIE 1/3 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 1 banana ½ cup of hibiscus sun tea or water 1 cup of plain yogurt 1 tablespoon C60PP MCT COCONUT OIL Optional: Add 1 tbsp flax seeds, hemp seeds, or chia seeds for extra fiber Optional: Add 1 teaspoon of honey or agave syrup if you like it sweeter Directions: combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. This antioxidant, probiotic, and fiber-rich smoothie will cool you off during the summer heat and support your gut health and energy levels!
Featuring Original HipHop Production Reflecting the Frequency of Fire
Reasons & Season
Free Weekly Wellness Guides Recipes & Creative Practices Podcast Learning Philosophy & Art
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...With Fire Yin
Join us in exploring the Heart, the emotion of joy, the sound of laughter through heart centered qi gong, plant medicine of cayenne, the taste of bitter & more
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