Spring!

Hello and welcome! I hope this newsletter finds you well for the beginning of March! I love what the start of spring brings (at least for us lucky Californians who send warm hugs to states  that are still snow deep and long-john clad). 
My latest passion is to take in as much nature as possible. Inspired by a YouTube documentary called Grounded (link below) that a good friend lead me to, "Earthing" is the practice of getting your Vitamin G, for Ground. The idea behind the movie and the movement, is that walking barefoot, sitting, or lying on the earth, will impart health benefits by exchanging electrons with the surface of our planet. Proponents claim increased energy, better sleep, and deep calm as just a few of the benefits. It's too soon for me to weigh in with complete conviction, although I know it’s given me a new perspective on how simple it is to appreciate the gentle, natural, and eternal energy of the earth.  So I'm making Earthing a habit, taking a break from a steady diet of indoor computer work, biking, and walking with shoes on. What a gift I’ve given myself by doing this every day.  I've watched the crows swoop and caw, the hummingbirds chase each other and hover over freshly opened blossoms,  the gnats mate (at least I think that's what they're doing!),  the squirrels ponder which tree to climb, and the caterpillars nosh on leaves. I've heard the finches tweet and seen rain clouds form over the hills and sun set at the beach. Ahhh, this alone has been spiritually nourishing, which of course benefits my whole being. Barefootin' is indeed beautiful!

Grounded the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_stX1W4oI0

Connecting to the earth in this way leads me to share a bit on how the planets tie into our organ systems and how our organs' state of health helps with our alignment to self and to all things in general. I’ll share one of the 5 elements for the next five months, starting with spring: 

Colors: green 
Earthly branches and months: Tiger (February), Hare (March), Dragon (April)
Planet: Jupiter
Direction: east
Climate: windy
Season: spring
Emotion: + rationality - anger
Body organs: liver (yin) and gallbladder (yang)

Deborah Houlding, an English author and educator who specializes in astrology writes: “Classical sources describe Jupiter as 'temperate' because its sphere lies between the cooling influence of Saturn and the burning power of Mars. It brings no destructive extremes to threaten vitality, and is thus defined as 'warming and moistening', an active combination of qualities that draws things together in harmony to support increase and growth. Hence Jupiter is known as the 'Greater Benefic', its essential nature being fertilizing and creative. It rules the sanguine humour (blood), which is connected with the air triplicity and finds its seat in the liver, the largest organ in the body. Through its prolific influence it is known as the Lord of Plenty, a symbol of prosperity that offers a ready supply for our physical, material, mental and spiritual needs.” When channeled properly in a healthy liver, the energy of Jupiter is the energy of spiritual learning. Jupiter is the inner teacher also known as the guru. I’ll take some of that! Next month we’ll discuss the kidneys and Mercury.

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The workshop with Philip Shepherd is quickly approaching and so I bring you a nice train of thought from this wise teacher: We have reached a point, Shepherd tells us, where the cranial brain’s efforts to solve our problems are the problem. Only by leaving the ‘tyrant’s castle’ of our heads and entering into a profoundly embodied relationship with the mystery and the beauty of the world, will we successfully turn our planetary crisis into an ‘initiation.’ I would love to share this experience with you and hope you’ll join us at one of SB’s favorite venues, Yoga Soup! Oh and YES you can take the course for CEUs! Register here: http://philipshepherd.com

Well-Being Brilliant! 
Contest Corner will be discontinued (February’s winner D. Reed)! As much fun as it has been to share with you places that support locally grown foods and/or artists, I also have a passion to network and share the incredible healing arts and modalities that are around us.  So each month I will focus on a different local “Well-Being Brilliant",  one of the talented and gifted holistic health agents that help us live healthier, look better, and feel happier! There will be repeats in the modalities, i.e., colonics, acupuncture, massage, hypnotherapy etc., because it’s not about competition, but rather about finding the right person that works for you! This month's featured person is: Martin Wuttke of the Wuttke Institute for Neuro-biofeedback training and self-regulation. “Our Vision and Mission is to integrate, teach and apply methods, both modern and ancient, that have been proven to awaken and heal the brain. This will provide direct access for the individual and for our society to awaken the latent spiritual powers of wisdom, compassion, responsibility and the enlightened understanding that human beings are ONE community.” Link: http://www.wuttkeinstitute.com/