Stephanie Nosco joins Mason for another instalment of our Five Element seasonal series. Today we're exploring the Earth Element and Yi; the Spirit of the Spleen. In this insightful conversation Stephanie shares the simple lifestyle measures we can take to nourish our Earth Element and allow our Yi to express freely. The Spleen/Earth Element corresponds to the practical magic of our daily toil, when harnessed with intention and care, this is the energy that allows us to anchor our visions and materialise them into tangible form. Yi is at the centre of this manifestation process. Yi is intercepting medium between what is of the heavens (Yang) and what is of the earth (Yin). Yi enables us the ability to reduce our projects into achievable bite sized tasks, think the methodical magic of a well written to do list. In relation to the seasonal cycle, Yi and the Earth Element are connected to Late Summer, the period that follows the Yang of Spring/Summer and precedes the descent into the Yin of Autumn/Winter. This energy is characterised by digestion; whether that be on the physical, mental, emotional or spiritual planes.

Yi governs intellect and applied thinking; processes that allow us to make sense of our experience through the organisation of thoughts and feelings. Yi is heavily interconnected with the Shen (cognition and clear thinking) and Hun (higher vision/planning), when all 3 are working in harmony we are more equipped to live our lives on purpose, devoting the chop/wood carry water of our daily actions to the embodiment of our destiny, and the establishment of a legacy that will exist beyond our physical form.

Mason and Stephanie discuss:

- Yi, the Spirit of the Spleen.

- Moving Earth; using the Five Elements to create bonds and boundaries.

- Writing a to do list as a spiritual act.

- Pacifying overwhelm with celebration.

- Bringing dreams into fruition and the energy or I vs we; individuation vs unity.

- Navigating the upper, middle and lower worlds with Wu Shen.

- Devotion and legacy; the relationship between the Fire and Earth elements.

- Using Spleen energy to bring yourself back into centre.

- The diaphragm; embodying Heaven on Earth through breath.

- Rumination, knotted Qi and Damp Spleen.

- Consumerism and Spleen imbalances.