How To Work With Your Summer Fire

I will… 

Let’s begin with the four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter.  Then the four elements: Fire , Earth , Air , and Water   and how they affect the four seasons. The three modes: Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable (or beginning, middle, and end)—complete the pattern. Seasonal changes are mirrored by the fluid transitions between the components. Each trip around the Sun reveals a new layer of who we are, and over time, you’ll recognize how all the parts fit together and contribute to you…

It’s now the Middle of Summer, which lasts from the 23rd of July through the 22nd of August. We are now in the thick of the Summer season, and the Fire Element is at its most intense. Now is the moment for us to drink up the warmth of the sun and experience the element of Fixed Fire to its fullest potential.  Fire , as a standalone element, symbolizes change brought about through activity. 

While Mid-Summer and the Fire Element are all about turning up the heat, let’s be responsible in our approach. The patterns observed in nature could hold the answers to our questions about how to improve our own health! If you look outside of yourself, you will see it reflected back to you. Consider the plants. We are in the midst of summer, therefore we, just like the plants, need to concentrate on one thing and one thing only: HYDRATION! 

You could be thinking… I know, I know. Just drink more water!

Yes, drinking plenty of water is essential to the way the body functions. Keep in mind that injury and illness aren’t the only things that may set off an inflammatory response. Inflammation is also a negative reaction to an overabundance of heat and toxins in the body.  Water not only hydrates the body, but it also flushes toxins and other irritants out of the body via the kidneys and urination.  As a result inflammation is reduced. Dehydration is a condition that may be caused by both our internal and external surroundings. In many religious and spiritual traditions water is seen as a symbol of life. Visit my earlier blog on the Water Element to learn more about how Water is essential to life. What if I told you that keeping track of how much water you drink isn’t the only thing you should be concerned about? What if I told you that the amount of oil you use is just as crucial for your health as how much water you drink? 

Say it ain’t so, Selina! You’re telling me I need to consume more “fats”?! Isn’t it summertime and bikini season? Well I am here to tell you that not all fat, is bad fat!  

Fat plays a vital roll in the body’s production of energy, helps maintain overall health and wellness, helps protect our organs, promotes cell growth, supports healthy levels of cholesterol and blood pressure; and it enables the body to more effectively absorb important nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K. If you are overly concerned with eliminating all fat from your diet, you run the risk of depriving your body of the nutrients it needs the most. Note: It’s possible that even those who naturally have oily skin may struggle with this issue…

There’s an old proverb that says, “Oil and water don’t mix,” and it’s true.  On the other hand, oil and water do rely on one another to seal in naturally occurring moisture and keep it from evaporating. When it comes to water, think hydration or the addition of water . Dehydration occurs when you lose more water than you take in.  When talking about oil, think moisture.  Dryness is what happens when there is a lack of oil. A lack of hydration and moisture in the body or on the skin is what causes dryness and dehydration, which in turn prevents fluids from performing their normal functions.  

It’s time to put these ideas into action and make the most of the long summer days we still have left. Let’s begin by getting you outside to Nurture Yourself with Nature!  Here are some safety tips for the summer, including how to remain hydrated despite rising temperatures and humidity levels. Too much moisture in the air can interfere with the body’s natural ability to cool down.  Make sure to stay hydrated while outdoors.  Drink plenty of pure / clean water and make sure to add plenty of healthy oils and fats to your summer menu.  Know the signs of dehydration, by the time you are thirsty you are already mildly dehydrated.  

According to mayoclinic.org these are the signs of dehydration to be looking out for: 

Infant or Young Child            Adult                When to see a doctor
Dry mouth and tongue            Extremely thirsty            If you or a loved one:
No tears when crying             Less frequent urination        Has had diarrhea for 24 hrs or more
No wet diapers for three hours         Dark-colored urine        Irritable or disoriented
Sunken eyes, cheeks             Fatigue                Sleepier or less active than usual
Sunken soft spot on top of skull         Dizziness            Can’t keep down fluids
Listlessness or irritability            Confusion            Has bloody or black stool

We design the life we truly desire by working with the elements.  Fire encourages us to get our blood pumping and our energy moving!  Now that we have went over the necessary precautions of turning up the heat, let’s get outside!  Now that summer has here, continue to stoke the flames of your imagination and ambition, and don’t be afraid to let loose and have some fun!  It’s time to get to work designing the life you want. What do you want?!  No matter what drew you to this post, you don’t have to reveal your darkest secrets to benefit from these courses. As always, your secrets are safe with you 😉 .

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Life is multiple trips around the sun, working with the elements has profoundly changed the way I travel.  If you enjoyed this blog and want to learn more about how working with the elements can help you in designing your own unique path, please visit www.braggindesign.com for mini courses and other useful tools.  Let this trip around the sun serve as an inspiration for your own personal journey. You’ve arrived. It’s okay to take care of yourself!

SELINA BRAGG-PASTIAN

Selina Bragg-Pastian: I became a student of the Arts in my childhood. A student of the cosmos in my teens. An educator of nutrition in my 20’s. An educator of the arts in my 30’s. A Kundalini Reiki practitioner in my 40’s. I am a lifelong learner. Newly discovering that all the while I have been cultivating my path. Combining all of my past teachings of Art, Nutrition, the Stars and Energy Work to create a self-care offering that uses nature as a modality. A realization that truly helped me reconnect to Nature and learn to Nurture myself.

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