Guest guest Posted August 25, 2000 Report Share Posted August 25, 2000 >--------- Forwarded Message --------- > >DATE: Fri, 25 Aug 2000 04:36:23 >Dagmar Riley <dagmar-riley >Letter-from-China > >_____ > >LETTER FROM CHINA >August '00 >A newsletter on and modern China > >by Dagmar Riley >______ > >In this issue: > >NOTE FROM THE EDITOR >Robin is back > >THE 5 ELEMENTS >...(A) Short Revision >...(B) Balancing Spleen Disharmonies - 1 > >BEIJING MEMOIRS OF MY CANADIAN FRIEND ROBIN >...Beijing Duck > >DISCLAIMER >SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE information >______ > >Please feel free to FORWARD this newsletter to friends. >______ > >NOTE FROM THE EDITOR >Robin is back! After taking some time to get used to her >new job and new life in China, I am glad that she found >the time to write more articles on her experiences in >Beijing. Enjoy another " Beijing Memoirs " article in the >second section of this ezine. >____ > >A)SHORT REVISION: >The 5 Elements are a symbol for the 5 basic energies of >the Universe. >The 5 Elements are: Wood - Fire - Earth - Metal - Water. > >The Element EARTH is associated with: >Indian summer - Maturity - Brooding - Humidity - Spleen >- Stomach - Mouth - sweet. > >For BACK ISSUES of this series, please visit >http://www.topica.com/lists/Letter-from-China > >B) BALANCING SPLEEN DISHARMONIES - 1 > >Balancing Spleen Disharmonies includes 3 aspects: >*your lifestyle >*nutrition >(nutrition is part of your lifestyle, but it's a large >enough issue to be treated separately) >*medical (self-)treatment >including herbal products, acupressure etc. > >In this issue, we will look at the first aspect: Lifestyle. > >Remember what we said about Earth-personalities in > " Letter from China - June'00 (3) " : > >*down to earth > >*A typical challenge in the life of an Earth-type is not >to lose his centre, not to lose his sense of self because >of his need to give to other people. The Earth type needs >other people, he needs to give and gather his friends and >family around him. > >The Earth type doesn't need constant challenge and success >like the Wood type, he doesn't need glamour, admirers and >permanent stimulation like the Fire type. The things he >needs to feel happy are pretty straightforward: An active >family life where everybody is close, good friends, a >peaceful everyday life and a bit of nature around him >(garden or lots of plants in the city). >Not very complicated and quite down to earth, and this is >why people feel so comfortable around the Earth type. > >A major cause of Earth-disharmony is that the Earth-type >does not like conflict and finds it hard to stand up for >his own needs. He also tends to pay so much attention to >the problems of others that he completely forgets his own >needs. Furthermore, the Earth type adjusts so readily to >the group of people he is with that he often finds himself >playing several roles, none of which is really himself. > >Below you will find some questions to ask yourself in order >to prevent disharmony, or to find out where things are going >wrong when you feel unbalanced. > >*Do my friends and the people around me appreciate my talent >to give to others and to make people happy and content? > >*How many roles do I play in daily life? What makes me play >these roles? Which one is really me? > >*Do I have enough time for myself in order to find my middle >again? > >*Can I fill the emptiness inside me with nourishing >relationships, nourishing activities and nourishing and >healthy food? Or do I panic and fill myself with unnaturally >sweet, unhealthy and fake relationships, food and activities? > >*Do I lose myself in other people's problems or can I keep a >healthy distance when required? Or am I meddling in other >people's affairs, am I manipulating others? > >*Do I stand up for myself and for things that are important >for me or do I lose my middle to avoid conflict? > >*Do I cling to the past and limit myself by avoiding necessary >change? What can help me to accept change? > >*Is there enough time, space and understanding from my partner >to express my love for everything alive: my pets, garden and >plants, friends. > >*Does my partner understand and agree with my need for >stability, loyalty, children and care for family life? > >*Is my home an expression of my talent to care for my friends >and make them feel relaxed, comfortable and happy? Do I feel >happy in my home? > >*Does my work involve a lot of contact with other people? >Does my work stress my ability for diplomacy, attention to >detail, stability? Or does it require too much flexibility and >decision-making that I can't deal with? > >*Am I focused enough or do I lose myself in details? > >You have to understand that you can only give to others if you >have the energy to give, and to recharge that energy you >have to know and take care of your own needs. You can give >without paying attention to your own needs for a short time, >but you have a limit. Being selfless does not mean that you >don't exist. You have to nourish yourself according to your >needs, as opposed to compensating for a particular need with >something else (mostly sweet foods). > >Compensating with something else for your real needs is the >best way to muddle things up (not only your digestion). >Remember that the ability of the Earth organs Spleen and >Stomach to " digest " also extends to thoughts and emotions. >Digesting means to extract the useful and discharge the >useless, it means a clear separation. Good digestion is >clarity, quite the opposite being muddled. >As an Earth type you are especially vulnerable to digestive >problems, which extends to undigested thoughts and emotions. >It is important for you to keep things clear and focused. If >you are balanced in your element, thoughts will be organized >in a clear order, emotions will be clearly recognized you will >be able to make them the basis of clear decisions. > >You need to feel an active part of a community (and family), >you need to give, you need to feel needed. If things go wrong >in these areas, you need to seek clarity: Find out why and >take action, even if it involves conflict. You are not selfish >if you stand up for your needs, and friends (and most other >people) will still like you and even respect you more if you >speak your mind! > >If you feel that conflicts and standing up for you opinion >is a major problem for you it might be worth researching >this area more: Talk with friends whose strong points are >the above qualities, or have a look at the numerous books >and courses on the subject area of self-assertion and >related subjects. Some people make fun of self-help books >and courses, and you can certainly overdo it with these >things. BUT, if you feel you have a problem >that is affecting your health and happiness, you have to >take action, and whatever can help you in overcoming your >problem is the thing to do. Obviously, books and courses can >only set you on the way, the rest depends on you. > >Talking of action: > >*An Earth-type should avoid inactivity and stagnation and >pay great attention to clarity and focused action. A >healthy Earth element means being able to separate the clear >from the cloudy, the useful from the useless. > >Body and mind are connected, they are not separate entities. >If your thoughts are muddled and you are brooding, your >emotions are " stagnating " and you are depressed, physical >activity will get things flowing again! Earth types tend to dislike >sports, but physical activity can be lots of fun if >it is according to your type. And it will work wonders on both >emotions and digestion. There are many things you can do: > >Earth types are suited to light, uncomplicated and >non-competitive work-outs. Bicycle tours in nature, swimming, >Yoga, long walks.it doesn't have to be the gym or a team sport. >Club-like physical activities like bicycle-tour clubs, hiking clubs etc. >will get you started if it is difficult to motivate >yourself. > >The Chinese art of Taijiquan, also called Tai Chi, or Indian >Yoga are very suitable for Earth-types. The harmonious, slow >and flowing movements balance body and mind and correspond >very well with the uncompetitiveness, down-to-earthness and >desire for harmony of the Earth type. > >*Earth personalities have love and respect for mother earth: >They love their pets, their garden and plants. Earth types >love to grow their own vegetables and herbs. Their animals' >needs are respected and cared for. > >Balancing emotions with gardening and other hobbies will help >you if you are scared to be alone and are clinging to others. >Take your hobbies seriously: Take the time to be with >yourself in a constructive, energizing way that you enjoy. >After spending some quality time with yourself or >your pet you will be recharged to be with others in a healthy, >balanced way. > >Next time we will talk about an extremely important factor >in balancing Spleen disharmonies: Nutrition. Many >disharmonies of the Earth type are related to or reflected >in digestive problems and bad nutritional habits. With >earth being a nourishing energy and the Spleen and Stomach >(the internal organs associated with Earth)being the primary >digestive organs, good nutritional habits make a big >difference for the Earth type! > > >**************** 1************************* > NATURAL MEDICINE DIRECTORY > " Connecting Natural Medicine Worldwide " * Alternative Medicine >Goldmine! * Practitioner " Yellow pages " * Research Databases >and Articles * FREE Ezines, Health Discussion and Chat >http://www.worldwidehealthcenter.net >Free ezine: free >*****************END ************************ > >BEIJING MEMOIRS OF MY CANADIAN FRIEND ROBIN > >[i had the opportunity, over the past year, to visit China. >My husband is a refrigeration mechanic who was sent to >Beijing to build an ice rink in a shopping plaza so that >you can skate and shop. Since I love to travel, I quit my >job to follow him. This is the story as it unfolds.] > >When I last wrote I was expecting my friend Richard (who owns >the place I stay at in Jamaica) and his sister Diana. Well, >they arrived and the whirlwind started. > >Richard had gone to university in China but had not been back >in at least 10 years. Needless to say it had changed a bit. >He wanted to see Beijing and the changes that had incurred and >Diana just wanted to see it all. I took them to the silk market >since they had some shopping to do and I cautioned them to >only look and decide later what they would be interested in. >It was my experience that there is so much to choose from, that >you really have to let it sink in before you hand over the cash. > >After seeing all that there was to offer we decided to have >some lunch. We went for dim sum where Richard could practice >his Chinese. The waiter, dressed in a yellow silk tunic with >a Chinese cap, served them flower tea. The tea was put in a >cup and he stood back about 4 feet with a watering can holding >boiling water. He aimed at least 1 foot short of the teacup and >tipped the pot of water. The water went directly into the cup >without spilling a drop. In the mean time Richard was ordering >our lunch. He told us that he ordered dumplings, steamed pork >buns, sea cucumber and a beef dish. Well, the sea cucumber >was interesting enough but the beef dish turned out to look >like calamari. We tasted it and found it to be garlicky but >pretty benign. It turned out to be tripe (beef stomach)! > >The week went on, with me touring them around Forbidden City >(parts of which Richard had not seen) Hong Qiao and its antique >stalls, Wed. night ladies pool and a multitude of Chinese meals >so that Richard could practice his Mandarin. He was getting >very good, by the way, and he actually meant to order the >stewed eel at one lunch. > >On Sunday we went up to the Goose and Duck farm outside of >Beijing with John and Amy and a few more couples. We wanted >to do the Great Wall again (actually the luge) and it turned >out to be another perfect day up there. The sun was shining and >the air was clear and relatively warm. After touring the wall >we found the luge and had to talk a few of the group into >taking it down the mountain. However we were pretty persuasive >and we each had a turn - some taking longer than others. > >After reaching the bottom we headed for the bus but not before >we bought some carved wood screens that were very old and the >work on them was incredible. After negotiating a great price >we loaded them on the bus and off we went. We picked up the rest >of the group at the farm and started back to Beijing. > >That night John and Amy took about 10 of us to have Peking Duck, >something that I was ashamed to admit, I hadn't tried yet. We >were ushered up to a private room (I think they were scared we >would create havoc) where we found a huge table that seated all >of us, couches, TV and music for Karaoke. > >The meal was fabulous with century eggs, soup, chicken, fish, >veggies and of course Peking Duck. The method of eating the >duck was interesting. Thin slices were carved from the bird >and included the skin. Beside us we each had dishes of green >onions, pickled relish, sauces and steamed wonton (which looked >like steamed small tortillas). You fill a wonton with the duck >and whatever garnishes you wanted and then ate it like a taco. >Absolutely delicious! We all ate our fill and it was getting >on to 11 pm when we finally left. Richard and Diana were going >to Shanghai the next day and so we said goodbye and I will find >out how it went when we see Richard in Jamaica. > >The following week we spent getting ready to leave. Michael >decided to phone our travel agent and arrange to go to Jamaica >and the sunshine for 2 weeks. Hopefully we will be meeting >Richard there and will be able to catch up with his last week >in China and I will catch up with you when we return to Beijing. > >______ >DISCLAIMER >The material in this newsletter is intended for >informational purposes only. I do not prescribe and I >do not diagnose. If you use the information in this >newsletter without the approval of a health professional, >you prescribe for yourself, which remains your constitutional >right, but the author assumes no responsibility. >_______ >SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE > >The Letter from China is published every last Friday of the >month. >New rs will be forwarded the current issue. > > >by sending a BLANK email to: >Letter-from-China- > > >by sending a BLANK email to: >Letter-from-China- > >submit your own personal stories >gesund2000 >and write " article submission " in the subject line. > >for back issues visit >http://www.topica.com/lists/Letter-from-China >_______ >Copyright ) 2000 by Dagmar Riley. All rights reserved >worldwide. > > > > > > > > > > >_________ >T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 >Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics > >--------- End Forwarded Message --------- > > > >--== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==-- >Before you buy. ______________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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