Fire

The first element we're going to talk about in this five-part series is Fire.

Fire is the element that relates to drive, passion, desire and enthusiasm.  When our fire element is strong, we are able to experience all of these without trouble.  When the fire element is out of balance, one may experience a feeling of being "burned out" (literally!) or being anxious.

Symptoms that you may feel if your fire energy is too low are:

• A lack of enthusiasm
• Restless sleep
• Muddled thinking
• Decreased sex drive
• Fatigue

Some symptoms that may signify an excess of fire energy are:

• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Heart palpitations
• Dizziness

It should come as no surprise that the ancient Chinese linked the Heart to the element of fire (and all that passion!) but they also linked the Small Intestine, Triple Burner and Pericardium to fire.

So how do we keep our fire element strong?  You could wear more red items, since red is the color associated with fire.   Consider a necklace that has red in it.  Or a new red shirt!

Meditate on the color red.

Eat red bell peppers!

Remember that fire has to do with enthusiasm, and try to foster that in your day to day life.  Find something small to be excited about.  It could be that you're going to try making a new dinner tonight (or an old favorite!).   Get excited about it! 

So, tell me, what are some of your ideas for keeping your fire element strong?