In the “Five elements,” wood is springtime, February to May, the time when our creative energies run most powerfully. Wood is the nobility of our dreams, plans and ideals. They give depth and breadth to our character. This is where we develop our will.
This springtime, dare to dream dreams that stretch the imagination of who we think we are. Then commit to them with the kind of certainty that we believe the sun’s coming up tomorrow. Our lives achieve greatness when we train our mind to stay single-mindedly focused on our heart’s desires. There are so many distractions.
In our bodymind, the element of wood is our liver and gallbladder, who perform like architect and general contractor. Working together, they are magnitudes of times more effective than either working alone.
Liver
Our liver listens in on everything we believe and especially what we say. It continually draws up plans for more of THAT in our lives. That’s why we must train our unruly mind to stay focused on our own plans and dreams. We dissipate our life force by dwelling on things and events outside ourselves that we cannot change.
What we focus on, our liver manifests into our lives. It makes no difference whether we love, desire or even hate what we are focusing on. If we are focusing on it, we are manifesting it into our lives. This is the joy, and the problem, of being a creator.
Gallbladder
Our gallbladder makes all the long-range, short-term and split-second decisions required to implement our liver’s plans. The liver sees the big picture. The gallbladder sees all the things that can go wrong, much like a husband and wife’s perspectives. The liver relies on the gallbladder’s discernment and good judgment about everything and everyone involved. That way, the liver’s plans have the kind of integrity that will withstand the test of time.
One of the gallbladder’s talents is “reframing” what we want so we see ourselves having it now, even though, in real time, it might take months or years for it to manifest. We see ourselves having it the whole time it takes to manifest. Wanting something is like having Mount Everest separating us from what we desire. Having it is like a hug.
Excerpted from Body Intelligence, A New Paradigm by John L Mayfield, D.C.
