Gate of Hope

alive hope liver energy spring wood element Apr 15, 2024

“Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn and to sing at dusk was to heal the world through joy. The birds still remember what we have forgotten, that the world is meant to be celebrated.”

― Terry Tempest Williams

The birds continue to return and with them comes a levity, a lightness of spirit. Hollow bones and tucked feet, birds ride the old road rivers of air currents and cloud hieroglyphics. Things look different from above. Perspectives blend and widen, rivers connect oceans, lone mountains become ranges and the interconnectedness of everything bursts into view.

Birds literally experience a different view, wavelengths in UV light that allow them to distinguish subtle shades we can’t tell apart. Humans have three color-receptive cones in their eyes, but birds have a fourth that creates a complete reimaging of their color experience, a massive spectrum of color our brains are simply incapable of processing. I wonder what I’m missing as I greet my friends, the swirling turkey vultures, the territorial red-winged black birds, the flock of robins on a worm hunt, the barred owl on the garden gate.

The inevitable push of spring encourages us to shake off the accumulated heaviness of winter, take a wider perspective, and perhaps dream of growing our own pair of wings. On the flip side, the pressure of having to grow up and out in our lives, to once again come up with a personal re-birth or visioning plan, can feel relentless and exhausting.

Perhaps a new inquiry might arise. Instead of thinking that in the exuberance of spring you have to do something industrious, you might wonder how you can move like a fresh sprout, entering the archaic wholeness of life, entering into the flow of growth with less efforting, more naturalness, less squeeze, more trust.

It’s in this spirit of curiosity, that I thought I would share a few of my favorite springtime supports:

✧Making tons of batches of nettle tea (and here is where I like to order nettles when I don't collect them myself)

✧Windowsill sprouting (so fun and easy to do)

✧Getting back into my skin brushing routine

Using Liver 14: Qi Men or the Gate of Hope:

This energy-vortex, aka. acupuncture point, reminds us to take a fresh breath, to in-spire, to feel re-inspired in our lives. With a big inhale, spring winds move through our chest and we can open our wings. Qi Men is found directly below the nipple in the space between the ribs. Palpate for tenderness. In addition to massaging this point, you can use essential oils such as lemongrass, bergamot, or eucalyptus to liberate the qi through the chest.

Wishing you connection with the wild jubilations of spring,

Kendra

excerpt from the Spring 2024 newsletter

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