Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Day 80: Earth

Earth:  1. a. The land surface of the world. b. The softer, friable part of land; soil, especially productive soil. 2. The third planet from the sun; 3. The the temporal world, the realm of mortal existence; 4. a. Worldly affairs and pursuits. b. Everyday life; reality; 5. The substance of the human body; clay. 6. The ground of an electrical circuit.
7.  Chemistry Any of several metallic oxides, such as alumina or zirconia, that are difficult to reduce and were formerly regarded as elements. 8.  Idiom - "on earth"
Among all the possibilities.

In my book Chinese Characters: The Art and Meaning of Hanzi, this symol  is described as follows:  "Another of the five elements, Earth is associated with yellow, and its planet is Saturn.  In traditional chinese medicine, Earth is concerned with the spleen, pancreas and stomach, the organs of digestion.  Its emotion is anxiety, and its stage of life is adulthood.  Unlike the other four elements, Earth is not associated with a particular season, but with a period of change between seasons every three months".  

Today, after a few days away, I return to my mandala--making process.  I chose to trace a symbol from my book, one that called to me as I flipped through the book.  I landed on the symbol of Earth.  I have landed up north for a 10 day vacation.  Today, it is raining, soaking the earth, making it ready and supporting its continued growth.  Today, I am finding my footing again, my earth, and the especially productive soil.  Today is my first steps back to the notion of goal setting, getting clear my priorities, taking proactive steps on my earth to take responsibility for myself, my adulthood.  I find myself, indeed, between seasons.  This time away up north is that space marking change for me.  I want to reconsider my priorities.  I want to re-commit to my physical health.  I want to remember that I am solidly planted on this earth for many reasons.  My job is to figure out why. I like the last line of the definitions.  "On Earth - Among all the possibilities".  Onward.


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