Spring Renewal Workshop A Success And Foods That Benefit The Liver

This past Saturday, April 4th, Chia-Ti Chiu of One Love Wellness, and I, held the Spring Renewal Workshop.

Amidst the Total Lunar Eclipse and Full Supermoon, the cosmic time was ripe to release what no longer served us, and herald in Spring time. The Total Lunar Eclipse is a time when we get a window into our “shadow selves”, to help us own our wholeness with more compassion.

It also marked the beginning of the fifth phase of the Chinese seasonal calendar. This phase is called Clear and Bright (Qingming), which brings momentum towards the process of externalizing our power and projecting our desires out into the world. Powerful Earth Qi, that has been concentrating underground for many months, is projected skyward with great force, to help us align with the natural order, through expression of our vitality in clear and bright ways.

The funny thing is, when I first booked the room rental, I had no idea that the day held special meaning! It was simply meant to be.

Chia-Ti has been a long time friend of mine. We used to perform in different modalities – she with her spoken word and poetry, and me with my ‘zine (self-published magazine) and spoken word. We both have a performance background from back in the day, as well.

It is no surprise to me how those who’d been involved in the community as activists, are now either healers or teachers! And Chia-Ti and I are no different. We came full circle, and first joined forces with the Fall Detox Workshop last October. And, we collaborated, once again. This time, to help our workshop participants do some inner Spring cleaning.

We held it at ABC Sanctuary in Alphabet City in New York City (this is our second time holding a workshop here!) It was a packed house, full of beautiful souls (some of them happened to be patients of mine), who came in with open hearts and minds with their own (conscious or subconscious) agenda of releasing something that they were ready to give up.

Chia-Ti led a yoga sequence to help release surplus Kapha (earth energy) and shed toxins, to promote more rejuvenation and health for the Spring. Amidst taking a few iPhone shots for posterity, I participated, as well, and it felt great to stretch my body and move. Chia-Ti’s style of teaching is fab because she gives options for yoga, depending on what level you’re at.

When everyone settled into savasana, I performed mini-acupuncture treatments on the participants, using calming points to ground Liver energy, helping to create flow towards least resistance.

I chose these points because Spring is the wood element of Liver in Chinese Medicine, and Liver is the controller of the free flow of Qi in the body. When the Liver is unobstructed, we have the impetus to create and be in our flow. When it’s obstructed, we feel physical and/or emotional pain, and may get in touch with the emotion of Liver, which is anger. And, although anger can sometimes help us create new growth, or teach us to find another way to flow when there’s resistance, it’s always good to soothe the Liver, so it doesn’t overact.

After the acupuncture treatment, we segued into the group Reiki treatment.

Some of you may be familiar with Reiki treatments being one-on-one, with either “hands-on” or “hands-off” placement of hands on areas of the body that help to balance, and clear the energetic debris of, the chakras.

However, not only can Reiki be performed one-on-one, but it can be done in a group treatment, as well, depending on what level Reiki you’re at. Because I’m a Reiki Master/Teacher, I was able to act as a channel to beam Universal Energy to the participants as a group. I felt my heart fill up, and it was delicious!

As they came back to themselves, Chia-Ti and I had prepared healing rose quartz for all the participants to take home, complete with a little info card on why rose quartz is such a great energetic ally. I charged the stones with Reiki love.

Before leaving, people enjoyed the Reiki-charged purified filtered water I’d brought. I’d charged it with Love, and towards healing release to anyone who drank it. No joke, it was totally empty by the time I had to tote it home!

What a joy to share what I could to the workshop, and what an honor to be part of the participants’ Saturday afternoon on that special cosmic day. All that action made the Spring Renewal Workshop a success!

On a personal level, I knew I’d released a lot during the workshop, because I took a nice long nap when I got home, and slept really well that night. Sometimes deep sleep strikes when one is assimilating new energies. One great perk of being a Reiki practitioner is that every time you perform Reiki, you also receive it!

During the Q&A after the group Reiki, one of the participants asked about foods that are helpful to the Liver. To that end, here’s a partial list of foods that benefit the Liver, foods that don’t, and eating tips to make your Liver happy.

Foods That Benefit The Liver

• lemon
• radishes
• asparagus
• brussel sprouts
• cumin
• extra virgin olive oil
• garlic
• pickles
• plums
• sour cherries
• vinegar
• sourdough rye bread
• small amount of red wine or rice wine
• beet
• carrot
• apple
• mustard greens
• tomato
• all green foods
• mung beans
• mint tea

Foods To Avoid

• foods high in saturated fats
• beer
• cheese
• chilies
• cream
• eggs
• liquor
• margarine
• peppers
• pizza
• preservatives

Eating Habits To Avoid

• Avoid eating late at night.
• Avoid eating when upset or under pressure.
• Avoid skipping meals, eating quickly, or overeating.
• Eat less.
• Have larger meals earlier in the day.
• Consume mostly light, mildly spicy foods.

How are you bringing in the Spring, through foods or otherwise?
I’d love to hear about it in the comments, below!

Holding space for your Spring Renewal,

 

 

 

 

 

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