Energy Report 2009
By Ethan Borg, M.A.OM., L.Ac.

Dear Friends,

Every year I report on the year's energy to help people make sense of what you have already experienced so far during the year and to help you plan for what is to come. Prepare yourself! This is going to be a year of dramatic contrasts. For most people, the first half of the year has been a time of little energy, little business, high frustration, and unseasonal colds and flues. The second half, in contrast, is going to be a year brimming full of energy. In fact, we will be flooded with so much energy, we are going to find ourselves sluggish, stuck, and overwhelmed at times. Keep this in mind: a little anger and a little shout may be just what you need for the remaining of this year to restore balance when you need it.

Let's look at the details.

Five Element Summary

In Chinese medicine, everything is made up of energy which is called “Qi” (pronounced “chee”). Within Qi, there is a basic polarity. Energy can either be hot, functional, bright, and active – called Yang. Or it can be cold, quiet, dark, and substantive – called Yin. Between Hot (Yang) and cold (Yin) there are five stepping stones: hot, warm, neutral, cool, and cold. These are simply Yin and Yang in various levels of intermixing. These stepping stones are also known as the Five Elements and have metaphorical names: Fire, Wood, Earth, Metal, and Water, respectively. Each Element generates another Element in a great big wheel: Fire makes Earth makes Metal makes Water makes Wood makes Fire. Energy is always energy, it simply behaves slightly differently depending on where it is in this endlessly spinning wheel. Each Element also works to control another Element from becoming excessive. Fire controls Metal. Metal controls Wood. Wood controls Earth. Earth controls Water. Water controls Fire. It is helpful to keep this in mind for the discussion that follows.

The First Half Of This Year: Wood Qi

The energy that has been active on our planet since February has been Wood Qi. In fact, for the entire Spring season, which is a Wood season, we had more Wood Qi than I have ever recorded because we were seeing Wood Qi from planetary energies, from seasonal energies, from earthly energies, from 11 to 3 am and pm every day, and, every few days, from daily energies as well. Several days this last Spring were intensely Wood days with intense disease symptoms that could have included any of the following: extreme fatigue, throbbing headaches, blow up anger, intense physical acts that could have included violence or intense traumas, extreme muscle weakness including flu-like aches and pains, digestive ailments including acid reflux, constipation or diarrhea, and excessive problems with ligaments, tendons, the eyes, the eye lids, the liver organ, and the gallbladder organ. This was a season for emotional turpitude, including bouts of strong depression – especially as Spring moved into Summer. While the Wood Qi lightened up slightly this Summer, it mostly just became hotter. On the positive side, Wood increases learning, growth, connecting, and attaching. This was a good half-year for these positive facets of our lives. No wonder the website Facebook, which connects people to old and current friends, grew like gangbusters during this time period.

Second Half Of This Year: Earth Qi

Around August 6th, the state of energy flip flopped. This intense period of Wood Qi, that seriously weakened energy, fully and completely lifted. Most of this report is to help you plan for the excesses of energy you are likely to see for the remainder of this year.

According to the classics, every year has two predominant energies. So far we have experienced Wood Qi for the first half year. That said, 2009 is officially a year of Earth Qi excess: the Yellow Ox. Yellow indicates the earthly energy is Earth Qi and Ox indicates that the planet Saturn, the Earth Qi planet, is approaching us. As Saturn approaches, it means our planet is surrounded more and more by its energy. Of course the words here can be confusing. Our planet is called the planet earth. This is different than Earth Qi, which is a metaphorical name for energy that accumulates together and is therefore an even mix of Yin and Yang resulting in a neutral temperature. As Saturn approaches us, our planet fills up with more and more Earth Qi, this accumulating movement of energy. Wood Qi (which pulls energy apart) controls Earth Qi, so the dramatic shift in energy we are experiencing is one of almost no energy shifting into energy bursting at the seems.

Intense shifts in energy in the body are akin to intense shifts in energy in nature. In nature, a period of drought followed by a period of excessive rain spells potential disasters such as mud slides and flooding. Our bodies are prone to sudden intense pressures, clogging, and flooding as a result of this energetic tidal wave. At this moment of time when the energies are shifting in this dramatic way, it is important that you adapt to the changes in energy that you experience in a thoughtful ramping up of activity rather than jumping full bore into every new opportunity that suddenly presents itself. Rest assured, this energy will be present until February 14th, so you do not have to rush things. I suggest that you slowly ratchet up your activity to avoid overflow as much as possible throughout the remainder of August.

Understanding Earth Qi

Earth Qi is found when Qi accumulates together. This accumulating action means that Earth Qi fills up energetic pathways (meridians) and containers (organs). In a house, this looks like having plenty of resources but also a good bit of clutter. In the body, this presents as healthy quantities of blood and Qi. When Earth Qi is balanced, we feel energetic, zippy, nurtured, and full. Earth Qi is also responsible for daily rhythms. Healthy Earth Qi means eating, sleeping, digesting, and evacuating easily and on schedule. But we are not talking about healthy amounts of Earth Qi this year. We are talking about too much of it. Which means all of these domains and more are going to be chaotic.

Yearly energies are excessive in nature and we are going to see this Earth Qi swell. When an Element reaches its peak, it generates the next Element. So, in this case we will see Earth Qi generating Metal Qi. Metal Qi is when energy reaches its highest stable peak. And this is going to be especially true this Autumn. At that time we are likely to feel at personal peak at home, at work, inside ourselves, and in relation to others. This is great news! In contrast, for the remainder of the Summer, we are going to see the Fire Qi of Summer generating Earth Qi while also controlling Metal Qi as it arises. Thus, we are going to see Earth Qi swell. Unfortunately, it will be unable to naturally flow into Metal Qi due to the Fire Qi's controlling influence. This is going to cause flooding of Earth Qi throughout our bodies, and also around us socially, politically, in weather patterns, and in personal patterns.

Excessive Earth Qi creates stagnation. Stagnation means that everything comes to a halt because energy simply gets stuck. This is an issue of clogging. In business, this likely will mean production comes to a halt because something gets stuck along the chain of fulfillment. This will be particularly frustrating because finally after the Spring sales are coming through and they simply cannot be fulfilled due to factors totally outside your control. In life, we may find our lives unable to change and flow naturally. In traffic, this looks like traffic jams that last eons. In life we experience it as feeling immobilized to act due to external factors. We saw a bit of an inability to act in the Spring, but back then we were immobilized because we simply lacked the energy to move forward. This time, it will be because our resources all get jumbled and we are simply blocked from further action.

People of an Earth constitution tend to feel their emotions strongly because their energy is always full. Thus, it is easy for emotions to rise to consciousness. Since our energy will be full in this same way, we can all expect to feel our feelings more intensely over the next several months – not just one emotion, but each of them as they arise. For some people who are not used to feeling their emotions, this may be particularly uncomfortable. The most intense emotional/spiritual themes of Earth Qi revolve around trust, responsibility, power, and flexion (the ability to manipulate our environment to suit our needs). These themes will resonate throughout the second half of this year all around the world personally, community-wide, nationally, and internationally. During this time period, our confidence (Water Qi) in other people or institutions may falter.

Earth Qi controls the rhythms of life and therefore is responsible for sleep and digestion. Sleep is likely not to be much of a problem as excessive Earth Qi lends itself to good naps or deep sleep. For the remainder of this year, we may sleep too deeply and it may be hard to get going in the morning.

As energy will clog, this is likely to happen acutely along the digestive tract which is controlled by Earth Qi organs. Digestive organs are going to suffer excessive problems. So, this may lead to constipation, hemorrhoids, and feelings of what we call “food stagnation”. Food stagnation is a feeling as if food is moving too slowly along the digestive tract (think of the feeling after a big Thanksgiving dinner). This can also lead to vomiting as a way of purging or relieving this stuck sensation.

Internationally, we are likely to see political situations that are sticky and stagnant. These are problems for which there are no quick fixes or that require the passing of time to remedy. Power is a major theme of Earth Qi. One element of power is the manipulation of the world to make it conform to one's personal interests. Issues of excessive use of power will play out around the globe and in our own backyards this year. We will also feel empowered – which is good. But, we will also see ourselves invoke power excessively, for instance as parents with excessive punishments.

Expect delays in life and in travel. Relax into the reality that life is simply going to take a slower pace, so be prepared to entertain yourself when you have no place you can go anytime soon. The day the energy shifted, August 6th, I suddenly found everyone in front of me driving slowly for no apparent reason. Life is about to take a much slower pace, so go with it. It is a whole lot less frustrating – even funny -- when you know what is going on and adapt to it. Otherwise, it is liking pushing against an immovable wall. You've got no chance. Only the passing of time can change these circumstance.

There is good news here for the economy. Just as we turned from Wood Qi to Earth Qi, suddenly countries began announcing their emergence from recessions. Earth Qi means economic activity will return and businesses will prosper. By the Fall, business should be at peak performance.

Earth Qi in relation to weather patterns means accumulations. So, we are likely to see high rains, flooding, and a tremendous amount of snow all winter. This is the year to ski, snow board, and snow tube!

Earth Qi and Water Qi together make Yin. Earth Qi also controls Water Qi. Water Qi relates to structures, so we are headed for a period when structures will become extremely heavy and overloaded – especially this Winter. This is a period when structures collapse unexpectedly. For instance, this is a Winter to make sure you get the snow and ice off your roof before it gets too heavy.

Earth Qi relates to food. This is a year of focusing on what goes into your mouth. You may have already found yourself making dietary changes and evaluating your culinary habits. Food is a major theme of this year...especially sweet, the Earth Qi taste. During the Wood half of the year, you may have found yourself drawn to sweets like crazy as you needed to restore Earth Qi in your system as quickly as Wood Qi consumed it. Now, the sweet taste may be too saccharine. Teeth reside in the mouth – an Earth area of the body. So, dental work may also be an issue this year. Earth Qi also relates to fat production. So, focus on your weight may also be in the cards. It will also be hard to lose weight for the next several months. That said, it will be easier to build muscle, so if you are looking for a winning strategy, turn your focus from weight loss to muscle building. 

While I mentioned the affect of Earth Qi on the digestive system and teeth, there are other disease states that are likely to manifest in the upcoming months. First and foremost are diseases that involve clogging. Heart disease is a major concern. This is definitely the year to eat healthier to avoid artery clogging foods. If you travel, get up and move around to avoid deep leg thrombosis. Earth Qi controls Water Qi, so all Water Qi organs are endangered. These include: bones (ergo the teeth above), kidneys, bladder, reproductive organs, body elements below the hips, ears (hearing and balance). Spinal issues and musculoskeletal/structural issues are likely to manifest as muscles are Earth tissues. Muscles will be full of energy where bones will be weak. This structural imbalance may lead to physical ailments that include spinal torquing and twisting and even bone fractures such as stress fractures. If you suffer a joint problem, think bone and muscle rather than the actual site of your discomfort. Massage the attached muscles and you may find that much more helpful than anything else. In fact, vigorous massage is a great idea as it is not as nurturing as light massage and it will reduce the energy in the muscles. As bones are weak, this is a terrible year for osteoporosis. Take your calcium!

In terms of acute infections, this is a year of digestive organ illnesses that will cause vomiting, diarrhea, joint aches,  mouth sores, esophagus complaints, and more. We call these kinds of illnesses direct strikes where pathogens enter through food or follow the digestive tract to cause their infections. In addition to these locations, the illnesses are going to be damp in nature and cause feelings of stagnation and malaise.

What Can You Do About This Year's Energy?

Energy at its peak of excess cannot be stopped. Yearly energies are like waterfalls. You cannot stop the flow, all you can do is adapt to it to the best of your abilities. One primary way to adapt is to reduce the elements of your life that are already building Earth Qi while adding elements that will control as best as possible the excessive effects of the energy.

First and foremost, you will want to reduce your consumption of sugary sweets and greasy foods. Sweet foods are not just sugary sweets, but are also high carbohydrate foods and tend to include most fruits and vegetables. I am certainly not recommending that you stop eating fruits and veggies. You should, however, significantly reduce consumption of greasy foods to an absolute minimum. French fries, onion rings, fried dough, and potato chips are sadly on the short list of to be avoided.

Increase the sour flavor like crazy (especially if you feel food stagnated). So far during the Wood parts of this year, I have been recommending that we avoid the sour taste. Now, 180 degree turn here -- we can't get enough of it.  Lemon, lime, rose hips, trout, cherries, raspberries, oranges, tangerines, kumquats, plums, apricots, apples, pears, peaches, pineapples, tomatoes, olives, papayas, pomegranate, litchi, tamarind, aduki beans, cranberries, quinoa, grapes, grapefruits, vinegar, and mango all have some amount of sour in them.

You may find yourself apt to sit around while you feel sluggish and heavy. Fight this urge. The best activities are ones that involve back and forth (Wood) activities such as ball sports, running lines (as opposed to distance running), swimming laps (though swimming may make you feel even more sluggish afterwards from the Yin created by adding Water Qi to Earth Qi).

More and more responsibility is going to fall on your shoulders naturally for the remainder of this year, so as much as possible make yourself go out and recreate in a way that frees you of responsibilities. When you are feeling sluggish, focus on decision-making and planning to help you overcome the weight of this energy.

Shout, yell, scream your head off in healthy and constructive ways. Wood Qi controls Earth Qi, so a little shout can go a long way to making you feel balanced. However, directed at the wrong person or in the wrong way and it may just turn on you as a sign of excess power. So, take this to heart – shouting into a pillow or alone or in the shower has never hurt anyone.

If you are familiar with Spirit Branch Medicine, http://www.spiritbranch.com, you should make use of the Seasonal Treatment every day. This treatment is updated every year to counteract the yearly energies I report on. Regular use of this treatment will do a world of good in maintaining balance during periods of intense energetic excess.

Fertility Patient Caveat

I have many fertility patients, so it is important that I make a huge caveat here. First of all, the good news. If you have been struggling with your fertility, this will be the absolute best time to try to get pregnant in the last three years (perhaps even the last five). To do so, make the most of the Earth Qi and ignore everything I have said about avoiding it. You want that Earth Qi to help you hold up a baby in the womb. So, eat healthy high carbohydrate foods and make the most of this sticky energy that surrounds and permeates you.

Conclusion

For the rest of us, however, this is a time of not overdoing self-indulgent behavior. Nurturing is an Earth Qi activity. Over doing self-nurturing feeds into this excessive energy and will exacerbate any dangers posed by this energy. Most of the time, I tell people to nurture themselves like crazy. But, if you are not trying to get pregnant this year, this is not a year to indulge yourself. That energy will already naturally build around you and you will have your fair share of it. So, there is no need to overdo it. Instead, use this fantastic energy to help propel your plans forward towards meeting your highest goals. Sit down and set your goals. Because now that you have energy, you are going to be able to fulfill them.

Have a wonderful remainder of your year. Enjoy the plenty of Earth excess but don't let it weigh you down. Definitely focus on your blessings as 2010 is sure to pose its own set of unique challenges.

Best wishes,
Ethan Borg, M.A.OM., L.Ac.
1501 East Ave.
Rochester, NY 14610
585.455.2828