Finding Your Center: Its Elemental My Dear Bagua.

Earth is the Element directly associated with the Center of the Bagua.

Hence my invitation for people to come to the center of the map and feel "Grounded".  

The best literal example I can use is what I do prior to teaching a Foot Fitness class or doing any type of bodywork.  I generally ask people to do a check in or perform an inventory of their body prior to us going forward.

Its simple and takes only a couple minutes, I invite you to join in.

• Sit with your feet flat on the floor; or stand
• Hands on lap; or hanging easily to your side
• Eyes open or closed, your choice
• Inhale through your nose to the count of 3,
• Exhale to the count of 3 through your nose, like you are pressing out your breath
• Repeat, extending the count as you are comfortable
• Inhale noticing your lungs expanding and your shoulders rising
• Exhale feeling your body melt down down down into your feet
• Inhale feeling the energy rising
• Exhale feeling the energy descending
• Notice your feet and how they are making contact to the floor
• Notice the where you feel the weight distributed
• Press your feet into the floor; extend the toes to create the widest foundation
• Inhale filling your lungs to capacity; lifting through the top of your head
• pause; then exhale and empty your lungs to their depths pressing your feet into the floor
• Take an inventory of your body from the feet up to the top of your head
• Continue to focus on your breath; extending up through the top of the head and extending through the feet into the floor.
• Notice and feel the contrast.
• Continue for as long as comfortable.

This physical check-in can also be adapted to how you are feeling in your life overall.  Check out the Earth qualities:

Earth is physical, and is tangible in quality.
Earth is represented by the shades of yellow and earthtones;
Earth is literal soil, ceramics, tile, brick; 
Earth is the shapes of square and rectangle.
Earth is practical.
Earth is stability.

Too much Earth energy may be defined as feeling: 

• too much responsibility
• weighted down or heavy
• too conservative
• all method no madness
• getting stuck
• to focussed

Too little Earth energy may be defined by feeling:

• precarious
• floating
• unfocussed
• irresponsible

Balanced Earth Energy

• grounded in the here and now
• accountable of what we do and say
• action to ideas
• practical as an equal partner
• symbolic of being the creator

So where on Earth are you? Or where is Earth within you?

On average are you feeling balanced, centered and grounded?

Can you notice where in your life that you may benefit from cultivating more or less Earth energy.  What action can you take to make that possible?

The Element of Wood controls Earth; whilst Fire makes Earth...

More on that to come.