Lots of people are setting intentions for the new year right now, including me. For others, it doesn’t quite feel like the right time, and that’s okay too. Making plans in the depths of winter isn’t for everyone.
In TCM, Winter is less about yang and the act of doing, and more about yin and the power of simply being.
What happens when you let go of the idea that you must start now? What if you took the next month or so to simply be in your dreams and let them marinate for a while? What if you let your dreams get really big, just for the sake of exploring what they could look like?
Below is a guide, based on the Five Elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine, for dreaming yourself into 2024. Whatever stage you happen to find yourself in right now, I hope it helps you daydream about all the things, big and small, that you want for yourself this year and beyond.
WOOD:
Because the Wood element exemplifies the energy of growth, it is also about vision, planning and decision making, essential for creative change. What do you want to create in 2024?
FIRE:
Fire energy in TCM is considered the source of joy, happiness, and emotional protection for the Heart. How will you centre joy in 2024?
EARTH:
I like to think about the Earth element as the Mother element, reminding us to care for and nourish ourselves, so that we can extend that care to those around us. How are you going to take of yourself in 2024? How will you care for your community?
METAL:
The Metal element is all about the Lungs and the breath — our first breath of life, our first breath of the day. We draw the breath down and into our Lungs on our inhales and we let go of waste outward on our exhales. What are you letting go of this year? What are you choosing to breathe life into?
WATER:
There is a darkness, a depth, and a mystery to Water, which is why in TCM, fear is the emotion associated with this element. And also, Water will break down even the hardest rock over time and find the path of least resistance to move around any obstacle. What fears will you deconstruct in 2024? What will overcoming these fears open the door to?