The Fire Element can help you experience more joy, love, and passion in life. In Qi Gong, the Fire Element is viewed as an essential force of nature that humans can harness for health, happiness, and overall well-being.
The Fire Element is most abundant during the summer season. Therefore, summer is the ideal time to focus on cultivating its many gifts.
To help you embrace the season of summer, here are five important lessons that the Fire Element teaches us. Although these are especially relevant during summer, they are also important to remember during all seasons throughout the year.
We hope these five lessons provide you with inspiration for your summer activities, or will at least help you reaffirm the intentions you’ve already established.
1. Do Activities You Love
It’s no surprise that doing activities you love elevates the energy in your heart center and brings you joy. Since the Fire Element is connected to the heart, it thrives when you’re experiencing joy and happiness.
People naturally pursue enjoyable activities during summer, but it’s always great to be reminded of the importance of having fun. Going on trips, hiking in nature, or playing at the beach are great ways to cultivate the Fire Element.
Because each person is unique, it’s important to pursue the activities that most resonate with your own passions and interests. For some, this may mean taking dance classes. Others might be most nourished by painting a mural. And some might be called to writing a song. Whatever brings you joy is the perfect choice for you.
2. Spend Time with People Who Make You Feel Good
Doing fun activities on your own can be great. Doing them with people you care about can often be even better.
In addition to doing things that bring you joy, the Fire Element also thrives when you spend time with people who make you feel good. After all, love is one of the most important energies in the heart, and love is often precipitated by quality connection.
Sharing enjoyable experiences with loved ones is a ‘double whammy’… it allows you to cultivate joy by doing something fun and through the connection you share with those you’re doing it with. Therefore, planning exciting activities and adventures with loved ones is an amazing way to cultivate the Fire Element.
While activities with others can be deeply nourishing, it can also be a great idea to spend time with those you care about in peace and stillness. When you slow down and experience softness with someone, you’re often able to go deeper into the connection. After all, the heart thrives when you’re able to connect from a place of true authenticity and openness.
3. Communicate What Is In Your Heart
Your heart is nourished when it has the chance to express itself.
When you express your feelings, the energy in your heart and body has the opportunity to circulate and transform. Holding your feelings back can result in stagnation and blockages.
Sometimes, communicating what’s in your heart may be easy and enjoyable. For example, if expressions of affection come easily to you, it might feel effortless to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you.
While sharing positive feelings is important, it’s also important to express emotions that are more difficult to face.
Expressing feelings such as sadness, anger, or resentment can be extremely helpful for removing blockages and allowing energy to flow freely—both within yourself and in your relationships.
Of course, it’s essential to be very intentional about how you express your feelings. If you’re feeling reactive, it’s usually a good idea to take space, find your center, and then speak from a kind and respectful place.
4. Follow Your Bliss
The essence of the Fire Element is perfectly encapsulated in the Joseph Campbell quote, “follow your bliss.”
There are many important benefits of pursuing activities that make you happy…
The natural result of following your bliss is the experience of joy. Not only does joy feel great, but it can actually improve your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
In addition, you experience a deep sense of clarity and purpose when you follow your bliss. Instead of feeling unmotivated or confused, it’s easier to be directed, confident, and full of energy. Often, this translates into being more successful in accomplishing your goals.
When following your bliss, it’s important to be honest with yourself about what truly is your bliss. Ask yourself, “does this really align with the energy in my heart?” If the answer is “yes,” then you’re following your bliss. If the answer is “no,” it might be a good idea to look at what’s drawing you in a particular direction.
5. Bring Your Passion into Your Work
When you’re able to direct your passion into your work, it can be one of the most poignant expressions of your heart energy and the Fire Element.
For most people, work is a significant part of life. In fact, most people spend five out of every seven days working.
Most people view work as an opportunity to contribute to their environment in return for money, which is simply an external form of energy. There is nothing wrong with that, but working is also an opportunity to cultivate your heart energy.
When you feel passionate about your work, your heart is nourished. Just as the joy from friendships and fun activities elevate your heart Qi, so can hard work.
Choosing the right kind of work is the first step to being able to direct passion into it. The second step is making a conscious decision to be intentional and fully present in your work activities.
For more great suggestions for cultivating nourishing energy in your heart, check out our previous article, How to Make Your Heart Happy.
Of course, one way to absorb wisdom from the Fire Element is to practice Qi Gong.
Pre-Recorded Qi Gong for Summer Workshop
At Holden QiGong, we’re offering a workshop geared specifically toward cultivating the gifts of summer and the Fire Element.
In Lee’s pre-recorded Qi Gong for Summer Workshop, he teaches powerful practices to help you harness the wisdom of the heart and experience more joy and passion in your life.
Some of the Qi Gong exercises focus on letting go of old energies that might be hindering your heart’s truest expression. Other practices help you to cultivate the seeds of joy that are already there in order to experience your fullest potential.
Because this is a pre-recorded workshop, you can enjoy it from the comfort of your home whenever you’d like. Click on the banner below to learn more about the gifts of summer and start practicing today.