Be Water in the FIRE

Playing with juxtaposed elements in times of crisis

(Scroll to the end for the first ever card draw from the Naked Truth Oracle Deck!)

LA is on fire…what do we do?

Rather than feed you more images of the atrocities unfolding around those of us based in the LA area, here is a video from last winter of water gushing through one of my favorite local SoCal hikes. As the fires rage, let this memory remind us that the opposite reality can still exist.

As fires popped up closer and closer to my home this week, and smoke billowed, I felt the tension build within my body.

I was torn between trying to keep a brave, calm face for my child and also ready ourselves, the house, the animals, in case we needed to take fast action for our safety. My system was caught between the desire to maintain a tether to placidity, and rev up into a fight/flight state.

How should I be handling this state of emergency, and what should I do??

I noticed, that, as it often is, the answer was in the both/and experience.

Let us look to the elements, like the Taoists.

A fun, creative and holistic way to approach life can be thinking in terms of the elements, and noticing when in our lives we can benefit from attuning more to one or another. There are many cultures and traditions that work with the elements including paganism, indigenous traditions and Taoism. For the purposes of this article, I’m discussing Fire and Water in general terms pulling from many traditions.

When working with the fire element, we often conjure big explosive action-taking yang energy, power, speed, transformation, creation and destruction.

Water, on the other hand, symbolizes yin energy, calm, stillness, reflection, flowing with what is present, allowing our big feelings to move through us.

Can we blend both to support us?

Somatically attuning to elements of nature

As the fires have spread, so has the fear response in my communities. I’ve noticed some people show up for others with a soothing, water-y nature, and others come in hot, politicizing other’s actions, in effect “fighting fire with fire”.

Both responses are totally natural and in some ways, both are needed. My invitation to us all, is to notice which element can be most nourishing moment to moment when a crisis situation unfolds.

To put the elements in nervous system terms, we could think of the water element as our dorsal vagal, hypo-arousal, slow-down state, and the fire element as our hyper-arousal, activation, fight-flight state.

Can we create enough awareness, even in an emergent situation, to be conscious of which state we are in, and which might serve us and our community best?

The thing I’m highlighting here is that we all bring different triggers, trauma backgrounds, and beliefs to any situation, and can spend more time in a particular elemental or nervous system state than may be optimal UNLESS we cultivate this awareness.

Forget lived trauma, our literal evolutionary biology on a cellular level has programmed us to activate in times of crisis. But when is the crisis truly emergent? It can be so hard to tell sometimes in this age of checking our phones for fire watch apps and evacuation notices.

Even in the most urgent of crises, taking a breath, an infinitesimal pause, can give us the space to proceed clearly and correctly. (I have new writing from the first Naked Truth card below the paywall that speaks more to the sacred pause).

My invitation to you in this moment, is to notice, when can you cultivate a bit more of a water response to the fire around you, and when is responding with fire needed?

When can you slow down, even briefly, to feel your feelings, let your gut brain come online, let your body soften and let go of stressful sensations?

When can you BE water, within the fire?

Here’s a link to an IG post demonstrating a physicalization of pendulating between FIRE and WATER energy in motion.

If you can take time to explore these energies physically, you may discover more clearly which state feels supportive to you moment to moment. After all, in times of emergency, what more can we do than respond moment to moment?

Creator Corner Collective

Speaking of exploring energy in movement, have you heard of the Coalesce dance community? This amazing, playful group of dancers hosts events every month and classes every week for you to get into your body, explore in your own way, and learn new ways of connection with yourself and others.

The movement practice is a blend of fusion partner dancing, contact improv and free-form embodied expression. I highly recommend that you follow them on instagram and come check out their events if you crave a safe, conscious space to move and build community.

Want to be highlighted in my letter? Reach out and tell me more about your work.

I hope these ideas and invitations to consider have served you whether you are affected by the fires, or can apply the concept to another situation.

Thank you for being here, for reading. I’d love to hear if something I wrote resonated with you.

And finally, for my big offer starting off this wild New Year!

Below this paywall is the VERY FIRST card pull from the upcoming Naked Truth oracle deck I am releasing in ONE YEAR. For subscribers eyes only, each week I’ll reveal one card and the accompanying writing and somatic practices that go with it in the guide book. Please subscribe to support the creation and production of this endeavor and enjoy the slow reveal each week on this creative journey with me!