March Review-Wood Element and Self-Esteem

Wood Element

We began the spring session talking about the wood element, which predominates in Nature during this time of year.  Aspects of the wood element are similar to what we experience in the dawning of spring, including:

  • strength and flexibility (like bamboo)
  • a return of warmth, generosity and fecundity
  • a strong seeking to grow and expand
  • budding of ideas (as opposed to the seed of ideas, governed by autumn’s metal element or full flowering governed by summer’s fire element)
  • a turning outward after the introversion of winter

Because the wood element governs early growth, its primary emotional component is anger (the frustration of meeting obstacles to growth or having growth thwarted).  When it is balanced, however, it also governs benevolence–goodwill– and patience.  The patience of wood is connected to it’s function as the developer and executor of clear plans.  It is the wood element that figures out how to work around obstacles, how to maintain perspective, how to keep a long view in the process, and at the same time how to focus step by step on the development of a creative project.

The tendency for wood element when out of balance is to either become to attached and rigid about one’s plans that one cannot adjust laterally and move around obstacles.  The result is a kind of belligerence:  ”My plan must be followed, regardless of the costs to myself and others.”   The other imbalance of wood might show up as a timidity in the face of obstacles:  ”What’s the point in trying?  Nothing I do ever bears fruit anyway.”

The wood element is often compared to a general, creating a strategic plan to fulfill the inner potential of the emperor (heart).  The ability to translate one’s deep vision in a step by step process in the world required a level of self-accountability and self-esteem, both of which are also governed by wood.

In the yogic model, these energies are embodied in the Manipura Chakra, the naval center.  Strengthening this area of the body (the core strength) is a good way to develop stability in the wood element and its functions.

Self-esteem and Targets

Self-esteem (unlike self-worth, which is absolute and intrinsic) can increase of decrease according to our actions.  Last year I suggested as a mindfulness practice asking the question, “Will this choice make me feel better or worse about myself?”  Notice, the question is not, “better or worse” but “better or worse about myself.”  This is a simple way to begin to build self-esteem–to start from the end point of the action and track back.  There are lots of things that might make us feel better that do not make up feel better about ourselves, and conversely, lots of things that might momentarily make us feel worse actually make us feel better about ourselves (like having the courage to confront a bad habit, leave a bad situation, etc.).  These kinds of actions create a sense of being able to trust in ourselves and our ability to take real care of ourselves and our lives.

I suggested that everyone look at his or her targets and make sure that they are challenging into limiting beliefs and habits, not just reinforcing them.  Setting difficult targets helps us to develop real self-esteem because it calls up courage, patience, and determination.

At this point in the session, I returned to the topic of left/right brain coordination (the deeper work of hatha yoga) and asked everyone to look at how they might use their targets to help create greater integration and balance.  This might look like setting more targets in your non-dominant style (such as left-brainers including more play activities and artistic targets and right-brainers organizing and creating more structure), but also approaching your targets more holistically, so from your non-habitual tendencies.

April 26, 2010   Posted in: 2010 Lessons

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