Balancing Energies

Chinese traditional medicine operates under the Five Element Theory, which assumes five different seasons – winter, spring, summer, late summer, and the one we are deep in now, autumn. Each season is associated with different organs in the body, different foods, different elements, and lastly different moods. A change in one component will affect all the others; changing seasons changes the foods available, and different organs in the body affect our hormones changing our moods. The effects are interrelated and cyclical. Moods in each season are always paired, representing the extreme ends of a spectrum: anger and patience, excitement and tranquility. During autumn, while we lament the disappearance of green foliage and warm weather but simultaneously enjoy the abundance of the harvest season and opportunities for family gatherings, it should come as no surprise that we vacillate between happiness and sadness.

How do we allow ourselves to feel emotions on both ends of the spectrum?

Oftentimes we use busyness as a way to avoid feeling our emotions. Running around from one appointment to the next, constantly checking email, working late, trying to fit in social time... Sound familiar? This type of energy, or yang energy, becomes addictive and is reflected in the food choices we make.

Here’s what you might not know: not only do food cravings reflect our energies, but they also help to create them. While yin energy is contractive, feminine, inward, calm, and intuitive, yang energy is expansive, masculine, outward, and productive. When balanced, these two energies work together beautifully. However, in the autumn months, when we try to organize the abundance in our lives (as discussed in the last post), we reach for warmer, expansive foods in order to connect with that yang energy. These can range from root vegetables and warm soups all the way to coffee, chocolate, and sugar. To keep us going going going, as we are used to doing in this society, we desire those foods that put us into a yang state quickly.

But when we’re just searching for a little pick-me-up, reaching for that venti latte is only going to push your system harder, engaging your sympathetic nervous system and triggering your “fight or flight” response. Your stress hormones are released, taxing your body and causing an even greater letdown later. Allow yourself to acknowledge these cravings, but also be aware of how you satisfy them. Too much of a good thing, well, you know the rest…

Constantly being in your yang state actually disconnects you from your emotions. When we turn our energies inward and engage with each moment, we connect with our yin sides. Allowing ourselves to feel our emotions is healthy and therefore need to remember to be present with ourselves. Particularly in these autumn months, we need to focus on more than just what we eat. It’s about how we eat, too.

Eating is an energetic cycle, in many ways. Not only does food nourish us with calories and nutrients, or energy to burn, but also with emotions, the energy of our minds and souls. The next time you cook, take time to be present with your food. You can follow a few steps to really experience gratitude in cooking and eating.

1)    Stop everything else. No we can’t stop time, and yes, you’re family, work or school, and friends are still there, waiting. But we cannot live in constant anticipation. We must be present in each moment, even while planning for the future. This applies to food. Before you begin preparing your food (or just eating it if you don’t have time to cook), stop. Give yourself the time and space to cook. Just cook.

2)    Breathe. Focusing on the immediate actions of your body will allow you to be present in it. Try to become aware of your breath. With each inhalation, gather your anxieties and fears, each item on your to-do list, and all the incidents in your day prior to this moment. While exhaling, imagine them slipping away, out of your body and mind. After a few deep breaths, you may feel lighter, emptied of worries that are irrelevant to the moment. Be grateful for the moment you are in, your lungs expanding and contracting, and the body you inhabit. When you feel focused, you may move on.

3)    Be aware of your surroundings. Is this a space you want to be in? If so, give thanks. If not, how can you change it in order to feel more comfortable? You may only need to change your perception of the space; noticing small details about your cooking or eating space, laughing about its inadequacy or imperfections, or learning to be satisfied with what is present can encourage gratitude within you. However, if you are capable and would like to change the space, consider preparing the space in which you cook or eat. Hang art. Play music. Light candles. Whatever it is, make sure you are grateful to be in that space. Once you are, begin cooking or eating.

4)    Talk to your food. Or at least get to know it. Whether you say it out loud or in your mind, express some appreciation for your food. Thanking it for its benefits or encouraging it to take on positive energy will drastically change the way you feel about making it, and the way it makes you feel while eating it.

5)    Go slow. Okay, that’s idealistic. It can be tough to make time for anything let alone a long cooking process that could be avoided by some quick-fix, fast-food run. But even if you’re doing nothing more than chopping an apple, do it with intention, do it consciously, and just once in the whole process, stop to think about that apple, the knife, you chopping, and your body in that moment. Be thankful for that moment. Then go back to chopping.

Sometimes in our lives we cannot or do not take the time to acknowledge the present. But to engage with yourself, especially in these months when we ignore our feelings and  become stuck in our yang selves, try to remember to be present. Smile, play music, dance around. Even at work, take time to just sit and be. Light candles. Draw pictures. And when your obligations and the demands of life seem overwhelming, stop, breathe, and be grateful.

Following is a recipe I cooked recently in the LSW kitchen. While you work on it, try some of the tips above! Enjoy alone, or make a big batch to enjoy with friends or family.

Ginger-Greens Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into ¼” pieces

2 cups roughly chopped greens*

4 cups water

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp ginger powder

Salt

Pepper

3 cups chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

*Use any greens you choose: kale, spinach, chard, collards… it’s up to you!

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Enjoy watching the color change. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until soft but not brown. Experience the aroma. Be thankful for the smell permeating the air in your kitchen.

Add the sweet potatoes, greens, and water all at once. Add in spices, including salt and pepper to taste, and stir occasionally as the water comes up to a boil. Be thankful for this time. Do not be anxious in waiting for the water to boil. Enjoy these moments. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 25-35 minutes. Do not get caught up in anticipation. Savor the waiting.

Uncover and add chickpeas. Allow beans to heat through. Serve warm, or refrigerate for later in the week! Take pride in completing the recipe. Small triumphs are worth celebrating. Be grateful for your meal.

Roasted Cauliflower and Blue Potatoes

2 cups cauliflower, roughly chopped

2 blue potatoes, chopped to match cauliflower pieces

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt

Water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss cauliflower and potatoes in olive oil and salt to taste. Place in a large pan (preferable roasting) and cook in oven for 20-25 minutes, turning every 10 minutes to prevent burning. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, and if necessary, add a small amount of water to keep vegetables moist. Enjoy!