Author Journey | Journal Entry 05
Where are the rest of the annual guides? More than half the year is already gone and only four of the eight annual guides are done. What's taking so long?
I've even had someone ask if the "annual" guide was good through next summer since hers wasn't completed until July. Not sure if she was wanting a pro-rated discount on an $8, 100 page guide or if she just wanted the value of the guide to live up to its title. But no, my lack of ability to write these guides faster doesn't change the fact that the shift in annual energy comes every February each year.
The "annual" personal energy guides are lengthly excerpts from the personal element chapters of my forthcoming book, The 8 Elements: Feng Shui for YOU! So, the annual guide is really THE personal energy guide, not just for this year, but for life!
As a Water element, the "Obstacles & Delays" of the Yellow Earth energy year has been very challenging for me. Earth dominates/dams Water. And each of the three Earth elements affects my energy differently. Yellow Earth blocks my flow completely. Mountain Earth channels and directs my flow. And Mother Earth can feel like a warm embrace when in balance. But when out of balance, it's the stone skipping across the lake, leaving ripples on my mirrored surface and the peace disturbing stirrings that muddy my still, serene water.
Embodying The 8 Elements this year has proven to be more than I was prepared to take on, especially given the annual energy's effect on me. Physically challenging and mentally fatiguing, it's also been emotionally draining. Fear, grief, guilt and greed are really low vibe emotions. And the self-loathing I'm about to explore is one I've been dreading.
After finishing the Mountain Earth guide I've been preparing myself to take on the Mother Earth energy. I know what I'm in for. I've done it before and I'm about to do it again. And like the Mother Earth default emotions of love and hate, I too have a love/hate relationship with this personal feng shui element.
The people who've hurt me the most are Mother Earth elements. They're the ones who've betrayed my trust. Before getting married I didn't know I had to state the obvious: that taking vows of love and fidelity meant he didn't get to make babies with other people. It took blatant intellectual property theft for me to realize that some people just aren't good humans or well-intentioned and I cannot trust them.
Trust is not something I can give freely the way I'd like to and the way my default is set. Trust has to be earned. And once lost, it cannot be restored. A very sad state of affairs for me that has resulted in complete isolation and paranoia and having to expend precious energy on protecting my privacy and copyrights.
In addition to the embracing or muddying effect on my Water element energy, Mother Earth is divisive. In combination, the completion numbers of 1 & 2, represent "separation and divorce". The effect of the individual energy on the partnership energy causes disharmony and division, leading to animosity and hostility. The effect of Mother Earth on Water is a level of excessively dependent neediness that is intolerably oppressive and ultimately unacceptable to water's peaceful tranquility, clarity and freedom of flow.
And yet...Mother Earth elements are simply irresistible! You cannot help loving them. Unlike the magnetic charisma of Soft Metal, Mother Earth's charm is more visceral. But like Soft Metal's convincing persuasion, Mother Earth's irresistible offers that you can't say 'no' to, can be a form of intentional, pre-meditated and conscious manipulation.
As someone who values inner peace above all, it's hard to go there...again. The two faces of Mother Earth are like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In this case expressing itself at the Lover and the Hater. And you never know which one you're going to get.
Thankfully, my 17 year old daughter is a balanced Mother Earth. She was born soon after my Mother Earth husband left. So, I've been given the gift of watching a beautiful Mother Earth element find balance and harmony in her life and relationships.
The next annual guide I write will be a love letter to the Mother Earth element. And I'm setting the intention to LOVE (and not hate) every minute of it!
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