Happy Thursday!

I hope you are enjoying my current series on emotional~mental balancing.

We are all busy here at the institute getting ready for the upcoming CHEK Conference, which I’m excited to share with you all.

I’ve been enjoying my rock garden in the evenings, which is an amazingly effective stress reliever for me. I had a vision of energy flowing yesterday so I’m looking forward to drawing it soon.

I worked as well with clients too and I had a good lunge workout in the gym with Vidya yesterday, and that’s always fun too.

Later today I’ll be facilitating a session with Jade Johnson and Warren Williams. Then this evening I’ll be interviewing with Sean Croxton of Underground Wellness from 5-6:30pm pdt. If you are inspired give us a call – I’d love to hear from you!

Now that you are up to date with the events in my life, let’s continue our exploration of emotional~mental balancing.

ARE YOU ON A MENTAL~EMOTIONAL MERRY-GO-ROUND? (Part 2.)

The human nervous system begins fully open, ready and capable of receiving, and “recording” each and every sensory event, without exclusion!

The neonate and child are in FULL DOWNLOAD mode until about age seven (those wanting to study such issues would be rewarded by studying the works of Joseph Chilton Pierce and the many references he sites; additionally Rudolf Steiner’s teachings on child development are excellent).

This download continues, but to prevent the brain from over-accumulation, a pruning process begins. The pruning process diminishes active neural circuits such that only those that are the most active are retained, resulting in a base operational (programming) state.

From this base operational state, generally concluded by about age twelve, the perceptual framework is laid from which that child’s perceptions, desires and will force will be expressed at large.

When I work with the emotionally~mentally challenged, I find that about 90% or more of them or more have underlying behaviors and ideas emergent from their base programming period of life; in utero, infancy and childhood.

Most frequently, when I investigate the nature of their parental relationships, I find significant programming influences that are now being expressed in adolescence and adulthood, yet, at-large, people are completely unaware of the origins of their thoughts, words and deeds.

Emotional~Mental Polarity

Do You Have More Challenges In Relationship To self and Other Than You’d Like?

In my diagram above, you see TAO, which is achievable as a state of mind referred to by zen Buddhists as no-mind, when one is capable of staying in the middle of the merry-go-round.

Next, you see the tai-chi symbol. It is labeled with “IS” in yin, and “isn’t” in yang. This is represents the nature of the ego-mind, which is based on duality-consciousness. This is exemplified in Lao Tzu’s passage I shared in Part 1.

The tai-chi symbol exemplifies the reality that the ego-mind is functions on the principle of exclusion; if something is perceived as black, the ego mind must by definition exclude white and every other color but black.

If someone is judged as “bad”, that judgment excludes the possibility that they may be “good”. When a parent tells a child, or a lover tells their lover such things as, “I love you if!”, “I love you when!”, “I love you but!”, we are using the principle of exclusion in attempt to gain inclusion.

Being conditioned this way deeply roots us in exclusion based thinking models, which sadly, set us up for a lot of pain; we learn to do what we don’t want to do to get what we want!

My diagram is showing you that Unconditional Love, THE ABSOLUTE, can’t be defined as this or that, good or not good. It is non-local, and indescribable for the simple reason that all language is based on the principle of exclusion. The instant you describe THE ABSOLUTE, you are using the principle of exclusion to describe ABSOLUTE INCLUSION.

Yet, as I’ve highlighted in many previous posts, when the emptiness meets the fullness of THE ABSOLUTE, existence (vibration, light, and matter) emerges. Existence can be broken down to the bare essentials, which are exemplified in Chinese metaphysics and philosophical thought as yin (matter, the something) and yang (light, no-thing). Though there is only ONE SOURCE (1st Level Creation), SOURCE expresses it’s ONENESS as two, tai-chi.

Next, you see letters representing the essential elements of creation and a super-scripted letter which exemplifies the ether-force expressed by each element; you may not be able to see them in this diagram due to low resolution web imaging, but don’t worry, the etheric elements are not important to our discussion today.

The two forces of tai-chi can be thought of as the source of all possible vibrational states from the most high, to the most low. Within the spectrum of vibrational possibilities, we can assign octaves. The octaves have been broken down by thinkers such as Aristotle and even current scientists of different fields into those that are represented as elements or elemental states.

These elements are not literal exemplifications. The correlation with the earth that plants grow out of as the expression of the earth element, for example, could be misleading.

The earth element (dirt) just happens to optimally exemplify the base vibrational state assigned to the octave that represents the lower range of vibrational states in the Grand Spectrum of all possible vibrational states that influence our lives.

The elemental energies are expressed within the fifth element, which is often referred to as ether. Ether in this regard is best translated as space; space in (this or that) and space for the relationships that exist between this or that. Some scientists call this kind of space relational space.

Relational space can easily be exemplified by the medium of exchange via which all things and people relate to each other. When we enter a dirty, cluttered room, we use phases like, “That’s a dirty space”, or “I can’t wait to get out of that space”.

When people’s mind becomes too busy or cluttered in a relationship, they often make comments like, “I needs some time alone so I can get some head-space”. When we are in a room full of excited people, we often refer to such spaces as “electric with excitement”.

It is the ether element that allows any relative charge to exist; earth, water, fire and air all represent different charge mediums that can only exist in relationship due to the presence of ether. These exemplify the elemental nature of ether as an element or vibrational reality.

The truth is that ether shouldn’t be considered the fifth element. It should be considered the first element because the instant tai-chi emerges, relational space is created and without relational space, we can’t even have an atom or any conceivable thing, not even thought; without space, what value could thought possibly have?

These elements are relevant to our discussion because the way you are conditioned by your parental, family, and social upbringing significantly influences your relationship to, and use of these elemental forces and their psychological correlates.

I will list them here in a basic format so you can understand them. These expressions may or may not be found in books as they are representative of my own exploration and understanding of them as they relate to our lives. Keeping the issues discussed in Part 1 in mind, consider that the degree of polarity present in a person’s developmental period also influences their elemental expression and/or nature.

There is no set means of determining what will happen or how it will happen when we are stressed in regard to elemental expression. We have to understand what we are looking for first, and then we can recognize each person’s individual coping strategy.

Once we recognize their coping strategy, excess fire let’s say, then we know that logically, we need to teach them how to access and use their water element to cool or control their fire.

If you look at how the elements interact with each other in nature, a lot can be learned about both the human construct, and human behavior.

In nature, there are cycles of construction or creation, and there are cycles of control or destruction/transformation. Before we get into the expressions of the elemental nature of emotional~mental balance or imbalance, let’s preface our discussion with some basic understanding of elemental relationships.

Construction Cycle

It can be seen that in nature:

  • Water creates air or atmosphere.
  • Air creates or excites fire.
  • Fire creates ash, which becomes earth.
  • Earth creates space (to live)

This is relevant because once we understand the nature of the elements, we can become aware of what we may need more of to balance ourselves.

If you need more earth (safety and security), you may need more fire (action and transformation). If you need more air, you may need more water element in your life, etc.

Control/Destruction Cycle

  • Earth controls water; river banks control or contain the river.
  • Water controls fire; if you are too wound up, over-controlling, adding water may bring balance within you and your relationships.
  • Fire transforms space; if your inner or outer space isn’t serving your needs, you need enough fire to become proactive and induce change or it simply won’t happen!
  • Space controls or transforms air: If you have a given flow of air through a tube and you constrict the tube, you increase air pressure; if you open the tube and create more space, you decrease air pressure.

Elements As Psychophysical Qualities

Let’s review the elements now, as we move forward in our discussion:

E = Earth: Earth relates to all issues of meeting our essential needs. Earth represents our ability to create safety and security for ourselves(!) through the use of earthly goods and services.

Any skilled farmer, for example, has a psyche that is well tuned to the earth element to the degree that they can meet their individual and family needs through farming. Earth dominant people make good bankers, farmers, coaches and fit well where stable personalities are essential.

W = Water: Water relates to the flow of time and our use of time on a daily basis. Water also equates to our emotional rhythms, flows and drives.

Water’s psychophysical correlate is “desire”. Your sex drive is very connected to the water element. Your mode of engaging in relationships and activities is also expressed in the water element and the water element expresses itself very strongly through the kidney and adrenal glands.

For example, someone who is anxious is expressing their perceptual state and programming via the water element at large. Someone who is lazy may be seen as having a sluggish or stagnant water element.

Water controls fire. Therefore, anyone who has ineffective use of, or lack of fire generally demonstrates imbalances and symptoms in their fire element. See below.

Those who are water natured are often good dancers, are typically sexually exciting (not stuck in the Missionary position for life!), adapt well to changing circumstances, and often like to travel. They can be particularly good mothers and managers due to their ability to both adapt, and control fire!

F=Fire: Fire relates to warmth. Warmth relates to how conscious one is of themselves and their surroundings. Fire’s psychophysical correlate is “will”.

The fire element is entangled with our metabolism. When one’s metabolism ceases, they immediately get cold and soon, we refer to them as “dead”. No metabolism, no warmth, no thought, now life.

Fire warms water so one with excess fire often expresses water element challenges as their symptoms, which are often treated as the etiology. This is an example of why western allopathic medicine has failed so miserably to treat chronic conditions.

If one’s fire element is not effectively managed, there is a tendency to outbursts of anger, raging, and out-of-control behavior in general; their will isn’t regulated or dampened by a conscious desire for harmonious outcomes. Therefore, they are like a wild fire that burns down it’s own home, only to run out of fuel and have “nothing left that it authentically desired or “needed”!

Those that are fire dominant make good soldiers, policemen, strength athletes, fighters, inventors, often lead movements that create significant change in the tribe, society or world, and are usually very self-confident; nothing but water can withstand fire. Even diamonds are in danger of the force of fire.

A=Air: The air element is a fusion of water and fire, which creates atmosphere. There is an old saying that exemplifies the air element; attitude determines altitude.

A waterlogged bird can’t fly very high. A bird on fire flies so high, so fast, it either runs out of energy to return home safely, or gets confused and lost. A person with an excess of the air element often lifts out of themselves; they are typically dreamy and flighty, earning the title “air head”.

A person lacking air element may be rigid and dogmatic; one lacking the air element usually lacks in metabolic balance (earth, water and fire), which tends to cause a holding onto pattern. This shows up as an unwillingness to change.

Those with strong air elements naturally rise into their own as singers, public speakers, artists, negotiators, can be good managers if they have enough water element in them, psychics, and if the rest of their elemental nature is balanced, can be great teachers.

It is important to realize that all of us have a mix of these elements and I’m only speaking to dominance to make the elemental natures more clear.

It is essential to understand that a child’s natural elemental composition will influence their likes and dislikes, and therefore, contribute a lot to their personality or their innate disposition.

If one or both parents, or other family members are too domineering, the child may be programmed to “act” against their nature. In general, this leads to excess stress and can be the beginning of a lifetime of health problems and personality disorders.

For example, a water-child with an airy mother and a fiery father can be programmed such that they must conform in a way that goes completely against their nature, leading to the child having to take classes and participate in sports that don’t interest them at all. Then, the parents often put tremendous academic pressure on the child without realizing that grades may be poor because they are bored to death!

Practical Exercise

If you simply write down the kinds of activities you most enjoy (that YOU enjoy!), you may see the elemental relationship:

  • Gardening or anything earthy, like riding “dirt bikes” may indicate an affinity with the earth element and be one’s natural elemental expression.
  • Surfing and swimming express a water affinity. Watercolor painting and drawing, dancing (particularly Latin dance styles; some of the more aggressive Brazilian styles like capoeira are a strong mix of fire (energy), with water (rhythm) and air (flight and rapidly changing sequences). Boating, canoeing, kayaking, etc., express a water affinity.
  • Flying, kite boarding and kite sailing, sailing boats, a love of pneumatic tools, drawing or photographing birds, and the like lend themselves to air dominance. Singing, spoken poetry, story telling, reading aloud, or moving, changing locations a lot can indicate air affinity in a person.
  • Fire people usually love transforming things. They also tend to love combative sports and have an incessant drive to win. They may like pottery, metal work, working or playing in the heat, leading a team, and often prefer individual pursuits because they tend to have a hard time with the other elements. People often are jealous of them and can resent their natural tendency to take the lead; they are typically afraid to take risks because they implement change very rapidly.

Next, look into your childhood years and see if what you naturally loved and wanted to do was suppressed or controlled by parents or any so-called authority figure.

If you find that you’ve actually never returned back to your innate childhood desires, the stresses and health conditions you have today may be symptoms of being diverted from your authentic nature.

Looking at the creation and transformation/destruction cycles above, once you identify what you need more of, you can see what element will help you create it.

If you identify that your parenting was excess in fire, you too may now be very fire-like with yourself or others. Cultivating more water element in your life may be just the medicine you need!

If your parenting was excessively fire-like, and you withdrew into you self and became water – seeking the lowest level to survive the fire, you many now need some more air or fire to get your water moving.

By exploring the elements with the suggested exercises below, you can experience them and you will know which ones make good medicine for you because interacting with them will create joy, peace or a sense of satiation in you. That satiation will overflow into your relationships too!

Some very simple, and often very effective exercises anyone can do to balance and heal themselves are:

Earth: Get your shoes and socks off and put your feet in DIRT! Play in dirt. Make mud pies. Play with clay. Garden. Get some plants that require that you work with soil. Put simply, GET DIRTY.

Water: Get into the water! Very simple ah! Take long baths whenever you can. Put some bubbles in there and mix your air and water elements together. Paint. Drink more water! More playful sex can be very healing. Go out and play or dance in the rain. Explore water sports. Try laying on a waterbed. It may be just what the doctor ordered!

Water your own plants and lawn by hand. Wash your own car. Do the dishes by hand once in a while and see if you find yourself falling into meditative, no-mind states. Try taking steam baths and see how you feel. Pee outside whenever you can – you’ll be surprised how healing and balancing this can be! If you plants die, read my book, How To Eat, Move and Be Healthy! and use it before you kill your yard ☺.

Fire: Try taking a pottery class and firing your own creations. Take a metal work class and learn to use torches and welders. Play with high-performance cars! Anything propelled by fire, like jets and firecrackers can be very healing.

Flame roast your own food, but hold the food in your hands as much as you can; don’t put your hands in the fire, but hold the stick the food is on over the fire. Build campfires whenever you can. Sit by the fire and let it talk to you.

Try activities that are fast and explosive, like MMA, boxing, gymnastics, or racing anything with internal combustion.

Try drawing or painting fire; paint the sun – One of my favorite healing activities!

Mimic fire by doing your own “fire-dance”.

Light a candle in a dark room and sit in a comfortable chair and watch it without attachment; let your thoughts go and watch the fire dance and communicate with you. You may be surprised what happens!

Air: Try flying kites. Get a pet bird. Sing or whistle when you are in your car, in the shower, or bathtub (if you are afraid to sing around others).

Blow bubbles! Blow up balloons and make things out of them. Make a big cardboard Chinese fan and try cleaning the leaves off your patio, walkways, or yard.

Try swinging on swing sets. Take a ride in a glider.

Put some watercolors in a pool on a piece of watercolor paper and then get a straw. Blow the paints around and create art by blowing the paint instead of using a brush.

Air people are often good at oral sex and usually orgasm easily, especially if they have a water sub-dominance!find a partner you can practice with!

Try lighting a roll of news paper on fire (in a safe environment of course) and blow the fire into different shapes; make it dance in a variety of ways; notice how you can influence the fire with your air.

In Part 3., I will get into more of the following relevant issues:

  • How the speed of our merry-go-round and our elemental expressions influence your 4 Doctors.
  • How the imbalances we’ve discussed so far influence key biological control centers and often express fatigue, illness and disease as indicators or, and a measure of the magnitude of your imbalances.

I hope you feel inspired to practice the exercises and avoid the “I Know mind!”

Love and chi,
Paul Chek