The Year of Sagely Living - The Evolution

When we decided to move away from our original Year of Sagely Living idea, I knew I would run the risk of dropping the project entirely. While I had the intention to focus on my physical body, I didn’t really know what form that would take. I’ve struggled to keep closely to my focused program of physical improvement, mostly because I actually exercise better in the cooler months due to my intolerance of heat. I’ve honestly done pretty well - I’ve lost over 15 pounds and increased my overall strength.

I’ve been following a program of Qigong, lots of walking around beautiful neighborhoods, bike riding and strength training on my (cheap) home gym. The last element is the weakest, and the one I will be focusing most on improving in the coming months. I have a goal of reaching an ideal body weight and basic strength by the time my two best friends get married in early September. The process has taught me quite a bit about my body - fundamental among them being that my body really does well when pushed a bit. Given the conversation we had about exercise here on Deepest Health, I wasn’t sure what to think. But, experientially, I’d have to say that the level of physical activity I am doing most certainly seems to have an overall Qi and Yang boosting effect without damaging Yin or Blood, at least as far as any external or internal signifiers can tell me. So, interesting…

The Year of Sagely Living was always about more to both Mr. Stickley and myself. For me, it comes back to the essence of the following quote from the Confucian classic - the Greater Learning:

Only after the principle in things is fully apprehended does knowledge become complete; knowledge being complete, thoughts may become true; thoughts being true, the mind may become set in the right; the mind being so set, the person becomes cultivated; the person being cultivated, household harmony is established; household harmony established, the state becomes well governed; the state being well governed, the empire becomes tranquil.

I have always been a person who cares about my community, about the fate of the people of the world. When I was younger, I was politically agitated - I protested, I threw myself into various causes. It never seemed to get myself or anyone else into a better place. I still apply my public force in appropriate places, but now I’ve turned that agitation inwards. I would say the last 3-4 years have been about seeking. I’ve been searching for the appropriate set of practices and the appropriate mindset with which to turn myself into a person who can overcome anything, a person who can do great good in service of humanity, a person who does not say harsh things to others out of anger, a person who spends his life making the world a better place. A tall order, perhaps, but what other good in life can there possibly be? (That’s rhetorical, ok?)

I find that what generally happens is that I find the things that resonate with me strongly, I dive into them (as I used to dive into political causes) and then I withdraw. Usually, I have some kind of external excuse to do so (finals week, dental surgery, financial trouble) but those excuses are always JUST excuses. The fact is that, being an agitator, I have trouble resting and abiding in anything. Why am I telling you this? Because I suspect some of you have felt this way and might benefit from learning a little bit about my process.

Over the last year, the frequency of emergence of those “resonant” things has become higher and higher. What do I mean? You know when you’re feeling the pulse and immediately when you lay your hands on the person, you immediately get a sense of the problem? Then you let it go and delve deeper. But, for me, that initial instinct is almost always the strongest part of the case — there’s more there, but from an 80/20 rule perspective, my first thought was the best one. It’s the same for me with finding principles and practices that are going to lead me toward my life goals. When I first meet them, in whatever form, I have an immediate shocking sense that this is Truth. Then I ignore it, and it comes back around. I ignore it, it comes back around. I ignore it, it comes back around. If/when I finally fully recognize it, I realize that my initial impulse about it was correct. It’s maddening.

So - here’s the essence of this post. I’ve found the practices that will lead me toward my destiny. I hate to say that I’m done looking - because that’s always a statement of great silliness - but I can say I’m done seeking. Things may find me, and I may embrace them, but I’m done being agitated. So, my Year of Sagely Living has been a success - really - because in this focused, public seeking - I have found the end of seeking. Now, I can settle into what I think was the essential point of the YSL in the first place.

The work, now, is to implement the practices and principles I have settled on. This is really where Abdallah and I come together. He has always had the sense that the practices and principles that grow out of Islam are productive of the highest type of Chinese physician. For him, I think, there is also the sense that the rewilding movement and some other things he is interested in add to that set of practices and principles. For me, the practices and principles may be different - but the idea is the same. I don’t feel the need to talk about those principles here - but will do so at my personal blog soon. You can go sign up for updates there, if you’re interested.

The point for Deepest Health readers is a simple one: in our quest to know this medicine (whether as students, practitioners or even patients) we must know most deeply ourselves. We must come to reckon with the things that move us, sing to us, cajole us into action. We must rectify ourselves in the name of these principles and practices and dedicate ourselves to them wholeheartedly. Only then will “the principle in things be fully apprehended” and thus starting the chain reaction up to the healing of the Earth community itself. This may seem a thing far removed from Chinese medicine, but I would argue that nothing could be farther from the truth. Doing this work is the essence of the Great Physician - there can be nothing more important. Other than passing board exams, that is. ;)

Eric

PS: There’s a second part to this - along the lines of finding a “best practice” that is very relevant for students. Please find that article published tomorrow.

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Tags: 80/20, community, focus, health, Learning, QiGong, student, students, unity, Year of Sagely Living

July 26, 2008 · Filed Under Character, Confucianism, Cultivation, Year of Sagely Living

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5 ways I use the 5 element model to be 500% more productive

I’m moving this week - thus the light posting. Nothing makes me think about productivity like moving - because usually my workload doesn’t slow down and I have to simultaneously deconstruct and reconstruct my entire living situation. Must stay motivated!

As I’ve discussed in my article Staying Motivated Using Symbolism one of the most powerful things about Chinese medicine is its use of symbols. Symbols are useful both because they utilize our evolutionarily enhanced skill in visual processing and for more inexplicable reasons - symbols are somehow hooked into a dynamic spiritual component of our Selves. If you use symbols on a regular basis for your own personal development, you will see that this is true. One well known use of symbolism in Chinese medicine is the model of the 5 Elements or 5 Phase Elements.

This theory organizes all possible information about the universe into 5 categories that are interdependent and interacting. The categories are all associated with a single elemental phase: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. There are two interactive cycles of the elements, the creation cycle and control cycle. The creation cycle moves in the direction listed just above (Fire creates Earth creates Metal creates Water creates Wood creates Fire, repeat). The control cycle moves like this: Fire controls Metal controls Wood controls Earth controls Water controls Fire, repeat. For productivity purposes, the control cycle has been the most helpful for me - but you could easily find ways to use the creation cycle. Let’s get started…

First, I will briefly describe the elemental phases as I understand them:

Fire: To get the feeling for the fire phase element, consider a campfire. It is dynamic, ever changing and consuming. It brings people together, provides needed comfort in the cold and dark and can help us to sustain ourselves. Yet it can quickly get out of control in it readiness to consume fuel so it must be contained to be used effectively. In our bodies, Fire resonates with the Heart, Small Intestine, Triple Burner and Pericardium. In nature, Fire resonates with the sun, with the core of the Earth and with flying and feathered creatures. In human life, Fire resonates with intimacy, with inspiration and focus, with family and with sexuality.
Earth: When I want to fully understand Earth, I just go into my garden and reach into some finished compost. This dark, nourishing material is the essence of many things that come from the Earth and represents the life sustaining bounty of our planet. Earth is the substance from which everything comes and is thought to be the center of the five elements - it provides the substrate for the movement of all the other elements. Its weakness is its inability to move on its own - leading sometimes to bogginess and stagnation. In our bodies, Earth resonates with the Spleen and Stomach - our organs of nourishment and taking in from the outside world. In nature, Earth resonates with arable land, with the springy living forest floor and with the silty dirt of river deltas. In human life, Earth resonates with the maternal principle, with mutual support and with integrity.
Metal: Metal is possibly the most difficult to understand - given that it isn’t an unrefined substance like the other elements. I think it’s easiest to think of Metal as Ore - while incorporating the idea that Ore contains potential that human beings exploit through metalworking. Metal is the refined essence of the Earth, concentrating all of the purest and heaviest elements of it down into something impenetrably solid. When we refine Ore further into Metal implements we can use them to nourish or to kill. In the body, Metal resonates with the Lung and Large Intestine - organs that deal with purity and impurity. In nature, Metal resonates with metal ores, with pristine mountain glaciers and with dramatic tundra landscapes. In human life, Metal resonates with the ability to stand one’s ground, with selflessness and the ability to stay impartial in emotional situations.
Water: To understand water you can either spend time at the edge of a vibrant river or on the beach near the ocean. Water is changeable, yet moves in a recognizable pattern. It cleanses and purifies - it brings life and in fact creates the unique conditions under which life exists on our planet. It is deep and mysterious, sometime dark and frightening and like many of the elements carries an aspect of danger implicit within it. In our bodies, water manifests as the Kidney and Bladder, organs of water metabolism and of deep storage of our essence. In nature, water resonates with rivers, oceans, waterfalls and monsoons and of course all of the creatures of the water. In human life, water represents true wisdom, the passing on of knowledge and characteristics through the generations and the principle of self-preservation.
Wood: A teacher I had says that we shouldn’t use the word “wood” but instead use “flora” to capture the living, growing principle of the Wood elemental phase. Indeed, to fully understand Wood one need only spend time in a place of green and growing things. Although an ancient forest is a wonderful place to learn about trees - it may be better to learn about Wood by spending time in a place with disturbed ground being colonized by “weeds.” This is the Wood principle, growth almost for the sake of growth - ever reaching towards the sun, ever looking towards the future. Pure movement. Pure life! In our bodies, Wood is represented by the all-powerful Liver and the often overlooked Gallbladder. In nature, Wood is represented by all plants, by young animals and human beings, and by the regenerative powers of some insects and reptiles. In human life, Wood manifests as compassion, as drive and productive energy and as the impulse to start something new.

Now, I will describe some possible manifestations of elemental imbalance as it pertains to productivity and show how I use the control cycle to rectify these disturbances

As in most things in Chinese medical philosophy, an element can suffer by being too much or too little, or excess and deficiency. For brevity, I will stick to reviewing only the excess conditions at this time.

When Fire is in excess one becomes extremely easily distracted especially by social factors such as phone calls, emails, water cooler conversation and the like. If you find yourself itching to answer an email from an old friend despite the fact that you have a full inbox and deadlines looming, maybe you could consider using the control cycle to get yourself back on track. Here are two ways I have used Water, controlling elemental phase of Fire, to resolve these problems with good success.

I quickly list the five most serious consequences to following the path of distraction I am experiencing. I carefully consider those consequences and what they would mean for my hopes and dreams for my life. This is using the self-preservation and fear aspects of Water to control the over-exuberance of Fire. Perhaps a little draconian…
Meditation can be a great way to get in touch with your inner wisdom and overcome the short sightedness of Fire. It can be a little difficult to meditate in an office environment - sometimes I have used the bathroom for this! Simply carve out ten minutes for yourself in the most distraction-free environment you can find, close your eyes and breath - counting your breaths. When thoughts enter your mind, do your best to bring your consciousness back to the breath. Then return to work with the resolve to stay focused on work.

When Earth is in excess one can become excessively bogged down in unimportant features of the project at hand. Perhaps your goal is to write a great blog article about the five elements, but you find yourself trying to figure out how to change font colors in the post body. Perhaps you feel so sluggish upon beginning the project that you can only stare blankly at the screen. Counting out the possibility that you just need a vacation, here are two ways I have used Wood, controlling element of Earth, to overcome these problems with good success (including this article you are reading!).

Get your body moving! Exercise, even briefly, can really help break through the kind of stagnation I am talking about. Go outside and do a couple of laps, do some stretching - just keep moving vigorously for ten minutes or so. If you have longer - go for longer! Take a brisk walk to the park, run around with your dog, climb a tree, go for a hike! Yes, this cuts into your time doing work but you were just spinning your wheels anyway. This is a far healthier and ultimately more productive option.
Switch tasks. This flies in the face of so much I have read about productivity. But the problem with so much literature about productivity is that it assumes that most barriers to productivity have a similar flavor. In cases where your Earth principle is bogged down, making lists or reviewing value statements isn’t going to help. Pick another task on your list of things to do and get it started. The newer the project, the better. Work on this for half an hour or so and then return to the prior project. I find this really activates the Wood in me and allows me to push through any stagnation.

When the Metal principle has gone wildly out of control you are most likely to find yourself paralyzed by extreme self-criticism or criticism of others. When this happens to me, I’m not happy with anything I write - I consider it all to be terrible and I just sit there going over and over my words looking for the slightest flaw. On the other hand, I might be distracted from my work by thinking about something stupid someone has done or reading a ridiculous blog post online. Neither of these activities are productive. Here are two ways I use Fire, controlling element of Metal, to help these issues.

Call a friend or family member who is generally affirming. Tell them about the problem you are having and they are likely to help you with some uplifting information about how great you are. Alternatively, dig out old letters or emails praising your virtues or simply review old school assignments or performance reviews. Often just remembering the great things we have done in the past can help us to see that we are perfectly capable of whatever task we are facing.
If you find yourself being critical of others, remember that this is someone’s son or daughter, maybe someone’s father or mother. This is a real person with real feelings and who is trying to express themselves in one way or another - perhaps they need work, perhaps you don’t agree with their point of view, but this doesn’t negate their humanity. You are simply not served by directing that kind of energy at anyone - instead try and write or otherwise produce something similar to what you are being critical of and correct those deficiencies you saw - but do not direct it at the original person. If you’ve read a blog post about politics that you find reprehensible, simply post one that represents your point of view to your own blog and leave it at that.

This brings us finally to Wood. When Wood is in excess, it’s like weeds in a garden patch - overgrowing the things we want with things we don’t want. We may find ourselves starting out fine with a project, but quickly becoming diverted by other projects or subprojects that need our attention. Soon we are trying to complete 15 projects and end the day simply feeling overwhelmed and frustrated! My mother calls this “scurryfunging” and talks about it when she is cleaning the house and finds herself going from dusting the shelves to washing the dishes to arranging the flowers on the deck to doing laundry all without finishing a single task! I’m doing a lot of this while moving and here are two ways I’ve found using Metal, the controlling element of Wood, to get past it.

Simply resolve to finish a task before moving to the next one. When you begin a task, decide what “finishing” will look like. For instance in moving, I resolved to empty all of the kitchen drawers. Even when I felt pulled to pack my desk or prepare my houseplants for the move, I simply cut off those thoughts and concentrated on the task at hand. In the world of office/school work, this may involve turning off email notifiers, silencing your cell phone and removing your to-do task list from sight. Pick a task and finish it, be damned the consequences.
Use the 80/20 rule to keep yourself focused on the most important tasks. Simply, the 80/20 rule says that 20 percent of our activities account for 80 percent of our results. Thus, it is very important that we find that 20 percent and ignore the rest! This is an effective use of time and resonates very strongly with Metal. At the beginning of the day, review what you think you need to do. Pick those tasks that you think are likely to bear the most results and resolve to stick to those only. When you find yourself “scurryfunging” and letting your garden get weedy, return to that list and remember the power of the 80/20 rule.

These are just a few quick ideas. I’d love to hear how you think the five elements might be used to enhance personal productivity - just leave a comment! I always answer comments.

Eric

Tags: 80/20, Character, five phases, habits, Personal Development, productivity, theory-to-practice