Holistic Healing Thought Leader: Carol Lee
I’ve been pondering the notion of getting connected to my wild side, ‘rewilding’ seems a common word these days.
Our Wild Side:
If I’m honest I find the word a little intimidating, images of wild swimming in freezing oceans pop into my mind along with swimming into deep and hidden caves. But connecting with your wild side is much more than this.
I have never ever considered myself to be a wild person. I like a quiet life, I don’t travel much, my idea of exercise is dancing and hiking, I prefer visiting a stately home garden to a theme park, a sacred site to a city museum, and gardening rather than shopping.
“It reminds me that our wild side isn’t about being daring or brave, it is actually about connecting with something deep inside us, our essence or spark of source energy..”
But then deep here in winter, looking out of my window as I type, I am reminded of the wildness of the land in all its starkness. It reminds me that our wild side isn’t about being daring or brave, it is actually about connecting with something deep inside us, our essence or spark of source energy.
The winter landscape in all its wildness is resilient, resourceful, enduring, self sustaining, alive even when it appears dead. Wonderful supportive qualities that are the bedrock of health and wellbeing.
I remember sitting by a river on wild Dartmoor, a National Park here in the U.K, soaking up it’s energy. As I noticed it’s flow I remember thinking how amazing it was that this river had probably flowed in exactly the same way through the eons of time, thunderous and full sometimes, gentle and quiet at other times, always flowing from its source towards the ocean, predictable, relentless… the energy, the vitality, endless, on and on.
Our Inner Flow:
I believe if the land has these qualities then so do we.
If I look for those qualities in myself, I find them in the wisdom of the beautiful water element…
In Traditional Chinese medicine, their seasonal philosophy links what is happening out in nature with what happens in our inner flow; our energy, health and wellbeing. As the seasons flow and change so does our energy and how we feel.
For example right now it is winter time in the Northern Hemisphere, the most within or ‘yin’ season. This is the deepest part of the year when we can most easily connect to our essence. It’s a time for recharging our batteries, sleeping and stretching more, doing more insular activities, pondering, meditation, crafting, creating. This time is important because how topped up, balanced and nourished our water energy is, impacts on how vibrant we can feel through the coming year.
“Wildness to me is that place deep inside me that’s not restricted by anything.”
Our Inner Water Element Underpins Everything In Our Body, Mind And Spirit:
- It creates rivers of lymph and blood
- Carrying hormonal messages around our body to keep us in balance
- It makes up at least 75% of our brain, keeping thoughts and memories flowing
- It bathes our joints keeping us supple and strong
- It carries nutrients to every one of our trillions of our cells to continue to give us life
In Our Spirit It Reminds Us That We Can Experience:
- The power of a waterfall
- The healing qualities of a babbling brook
- The persistence and tenacity of a river
- The depth of the ocean
- The gentleness of rain
- The silence and magic of snow
- The wonder of ice
Simple Ways To Connect To Your Wild Water Wisdom:
- Stay hydrated with water and herbal teas, when you do this you remind your body that you are well resourced and supported, that flowing is possible.
- Nourish yourself with food that encourages flow and supports the natural day to day cleansing that will replenish your trillions of cells. Keeping it simple, these are natural unprocessed foods, fruit, vegetables, pulses, bean and whole grains.
- Make sure you rest when you need to, this tops up your batteries. This could be an afternoon zzzz or a meditation that helps reset the system.
- Establish a healthy sleep routine, less screens, less burning the midnight oil. When we sleep, we dive deep into our unconscious waters to cleanse and clear the mental stresses and strains of the day
- Give your mind the opportunity to flow in a new direction, to spill over with new ideas and random thoughts. You can do this through journaling, writing down your dreams or creating a meandering mind map.
- Let your body flow every day, walk while swinging your arms, dance to a favourite tune, get off the bus one stop sooner.
‘Rewilding’ Means Reconnecting:
Wildness to me is that place deep inside me that’s not restricted by anything. A place from where I can do anything, where I flow freely. This place somehow feels more accessible during the wintertime as our winter-water element reminds us of our own depth, intuition, bravery, resilience and resourcefulness.
‘Rewilding’ means reconnecting to the part of us that is source energy so it can bubble up and nourish us to be who we truly are in the world.
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About the Author:
Carol Lee is a Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist, Sugar-freedom coach, Creative Kinesiologist, Teacher and Author from the U.K. She has been working in Complementary Health for over 25 years. Her holistic approach to healing and transformation is about listening to, witnessing and working with the body’s ‘knowing’. Carol believes this is where we hold our wisdom, experience and capacity for change, especially as mid-life women.
She works with women wanting to kick the sugar habit, those who are navigating health challenges, or who are wanting to up-level their life in some way; helping them to clear the blocks to success and wellbeing. She is currently enjoying her empty nest, and the freedom it brings, with her partner Jon. Carol loves the coast and walking the wild landscape of South West UK, snuggling her sweet rescue cat Stevie, gardening and eating delicious, nutritious food.
