And we know from dozens of scientific studies that emotions like anger and hostility lead to an environment inside us that promotes atherosclerosis, ultimately leading to poor flow in our arteries, sometimes to a catastrophic standstill. This message is about maintaining flow … More >
FOOD (Earth)
Eating should be one of the great pleasures in life and it shouldn’t be followed by guilt or discomfort. We need a new way to think about the food we eat, and I believe in a way that will enhance our enjoyment while simultaneously limiting our unhealthy choices. More >
EXERCISE (Fire)
Our bodies are designed to be in motion. We evolved to run and work, hunt and avoid predators. The very food that we just so lovingly prepared and enjoyed is not meant to stay with us. We are meant to burn this fuel. More >
STRESS MANAGEMENT (Air)
Our minds need to remain in motion too, exercised and challenged. But what’s more, our minds need to be able to move on to the task at hand, focused and uncluttered. More >
SLEEP (Space)
Humans, by their very nature are goal-driven and directed. And while the analogies above are great for the big ideas as to why this is all so important, we tend to need small concrete solutions to our practical problems. More >
The Philosophy Behind the 5-Element Project
Through photosynthesis, nature (EARTH) brilliantly converts sunlight and carbon dioxide into fuel for us, along with the oxygen to burn it efficiently. We complete the cycle by converting that fuel back into carbon dioxide, and heat (FIRE). Flowing in its own synergistic cycle, H2O (WATER) is needed for the reaction to work, and to cool the fire. In elegant symmetry, we breathe (AIR) in the oxygen and breathe out the carbon dioxide. But we also breathe to ease our minds; our minds heated with stress, cooling ourselves with the calming cycle and rhythm of simple breathing. And from that flows a certain effortlessness and joy (SPACE), maybe even a spirituality, when, like gears, these cycles mesh in perfect synchrony.
How does the 5-Element Project work?
Each week, a new article discussing a topic from one of the 5 elements will be published. A corresponding change to the worksheet will be made (see sample worksheet.) which can be used for that week. Topics will rotate through the elements so that only one will change at a time, and therefore each element plan will remain in effect for 5 weeks before changing. There will be 10 topics for each element, so the entire project will last about a year.
Download the Week 0 Worksheet and take a few weeks to get a snapshot of your current lifestyle habits. If you start by answering the questions under SPACE, you can dive right into week 1. You’ll have a few weeks to inventory your food and activity (EARTH and FIRE) before those topics gets addressed.
Most importantly of all, keep reminding yourself that this is supposed to be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Just getting insight about yourself and learning the basics of what we have discovered about the way we lead our lives and how that impacts health and wellbeing can be a tremendously rewarding challenge…
