Imbalance is Often the Clearest Doorway to Insight
Living in nature at my cabin is one of the best ways for me to get back in touch with my rhythms and the rhythms of the earth. In the Eden Method we view the 5 elements as rhythms. They represent the dynamic forces that govern life, and each element corresponds to specific physical, emotional, and mental characteristics. I learned a lot about these rhythms this past summer that I want to share with you.
I caught an end-of-summer cold/flu. Not sure what it was, but I was a snotty, achy mess that completely derailed me from all I had planned. At first, I was just bummed out because I’d been looking forward to the 2nd half of my time at the cabin to relax and enjoy, after having done all the cleaning and opening up chores. Instead, I was just flattened out by this feisty respiratory illness that gave me chills, fevers, a deep, colorful, phlegmy chest cough, and a raw nose from blowing it endlessly. I couldn’t do a thing and had to rely on my adult children, grandchildren, and guests to take care of me.
This was unusual concept for me, and I immediately felt like a nuisance and an annoyance. It doesn’t help that people take 3 steps backwards from you, with a scowl of disgust on their face, the second you cough or blow your nose. (I get it – we all still have PTSD from the pandemic). Yet this was supposed to be my vacation time and here I was sitting in the middle of all my family looking like I’d come down with the plague. If that isn’t being a party pooper, I don’t know what is.
I am always doing, giving and surrendering myself for others. Even at my absolute worst with this sickness, I still had my close girlfriend come, because it had been preplanned. I think at that point I was still in denial that it was anything too serious. I didn’t want to disappoint her, so I tried to drink cocktails, stay up late and fussed about her having fun when all I wanted to do was just curl up and die. My throat ached, my nose wouldn’t stop dripping, I couldn’t stop coughing and I was hiding in the bathroom popping cold medications, pain killers, and sucking on lozenges so I wouldn’t wreck her time.
This was a classic example of Earth Rhythm out of balance. Overcompassion for others, with no concern for self, is our “M O”. Being on an island away from all amenities, I eventually had to rely on some old-fashioned remedies. I plied myself with teas filled with herbs, honey, ginger, and lemon that were not working as quickly as I wanted them to. This was my holiday time, and this nasty pestilence was wrecking everything. I was thwarted, stalled, cranky, and frustrated, which meant my Wood Rhythm was out of balance. Sometimes you must get really out of whack to notice the subtleties and the power of when something is healing you versus not healing you. It’s subtle, but it’s noticeable when something feels expansive rather than contractive. It’s recognizing when something is flowing instead of stagnating. Having deeply studied our energy systems, I’ve learned how they are all interrelated, and if one is suffering, it can cause a domino effect that sends others out of balance.
An Advanced Eden Method Energy Medicine practitioner, I’ve been taught the extraordinary magic of our energy systems and how to bring them back into balance. Through my studies, I have become sensitive and intuitive at noticing the nuances of the shifts and flows of my own and other people’s energies. As I went through the stages of fighting off this relentless bug, I had some incredible “a-ha” moments.
The 1st a-ah was when I went outside to pick some blackberries from our wild thorny bush at the back of the cabin; I suddenly felt better. I didn’t really think about this plant’s medicinal properties. I was only trying to change the scenery of being inside our dusty old cabin. These berries are big, black, and abundant, and are full of vitamin C and flavonoids, which support the immune system and reduce inflammation. I popped the first one in my mouth, and I instantly felt the heavy pressure rise off and begin to clear my head. I was able to draw in big breaths of fresh air without the fear I going to hack up a lung. The fatigue that had been crushing my body subsided, and I was suddenly revitalized; my Water Rhythm that had been suffering began to feel more normal again. I felt like this blackberry bush was sending out healing power that was evaporating my congestion, pain, and exhaustion. I was expanding and it felt good!
I have always understood there was a symbiotic relationship humans have with nature, but to feel its benefits so dramatically was a welcome surprise. Each time I was near this bush of berries, I would immediately start to feel better. We are taught substance testing when learning to become an Eden Method Certified Practitioner and how to determine if something is detrimental, neutral, or beneficial for you. It was evident that this bush was beneficial for me. I was “feeling” the power of the blackberry and its ability to fight off viruses and pathogens. I immediately picked a whole bowl of them and got my family to make some delicious blackberry pies.
I instinctively felt that being outside in nature was helping me. After I picked my bowl of berries, I immediately ran inside and convinced my girlfriend to go for a walk with me in the forest. Inhaling the diverse microbes and chemicals from plants and trees can increase the activities of natural killer cells, which are crucial for fighting off virus infections. We spent a couple of hours crossing the island and coming back, witnessing the dropped branches and leaves that were signaling that fall is approaching, and I was surprised that I barely coughed at all! I was breathing through my nose, and the forest was making me feel so much better. It was lowering my stress, and I could “feel” nature supporting me, and in turn lifting my spirits and giving me hope.
The 2nd thing I noticed was that drinking alcohol made me feel incredibly worse. We have all been warned about the significant health detriments of drinking alcohol, but when we are on holiday, we throw all the warnings out the window to enjoy the socialness and fun you can have when sharing drinks with friends. I noticed it immediately made me produce more mucous, because it’s inflammatory. It would dehydrate me, making everything sticky like glue. My need to blow my nose increased, and my chest, sinuses, and ears felt like they were on fire. I also noticed this tingling around my ankles because not breathing properly can put your body into survival mode, which messes with your energy and circulatory flows. Alcohol is just not good for you if you are experiencing any cardiovascular problems. Drinking felt like too big a price to pay, and I stopped having alcohol. Holidays without drinks are not only possible, but it can actually be a relief! Thankfully, mocktails are in, and they are delicious and hydrating. I make better decisions and suffer far less.
From an Energy Medicine perspective, this is a classic sign of an out-of-balance Fire Rhythm. I spent the rest of my night holding my head to get things flowing again. After trying to spread open my aching TMJ joint in my jaw from all the congestion in my ears. I tucked my thumbs behind my ear lobes to hold my Triple Warmer 17 acupoint to help relieve the pressure, while resting my hands on the sides of my face. My hands covered my jawline while my fingertips rested on my clogged forehead. After several minutes, I switched to “cupping my eyes”, resting the heel of my hands on my cheekbone, while my thumbs sat on my temples and my fingertips rested on my forehead. In between these two holds, I pulled on my frontal forehead cranial plate while pulling down on my nose, hoping to drain the uncomfortable pressure of my sinuses.
The 3rd thing I noticed was that having lots of naps helped to revive me energetically. The cabin is noisy; you can hear someone burp downstairs from the bedrooms upstairs. There is no privacy, so sleep is precious and can be difficult to get, especially if you are an “Earth type” like me, where I believe that everyone else’s sleep is more important than mine. I wouldn’t want to wake people by opening my creaky door at night to go to the bathroom. I would stuff my face into my pillows to cough, and I was constantly sipping water or sucking a lozenge to prevent the relentless tickle in my throat that would cause a painful coughing fit. This was not helpful for my bladder! I would lie with a snot-filled nose that would ache until I couldn’t stand it anymore and would have to blow, wincing inside with worry that I may have woken someone up. Noticing how much better I felt after getting some decent sleep, I started to steal naps wherever I could. This ancestral place has been filled with hard-working, athletic, “doers” who taught us to work on projects/chores until we drop before we were allowed to play. Typically, if everyone went to the dock for an afternoon swim, I would tidy up the cabin and get things ready for everyone when they came back. Instead, I just curled up on the deck patio couch and passed out. I just surrendered to the mess and chaos and didn’t allow my OCD tendencies, which is a Metal Rhythm imbalance, to get the best of me. By just surrendering to the flow, I felt far less tense and controlling and less stagnated. “Just go with the flow” became my new motto.
The 4th thing I witnessed was how much happier my grandchildren were when they put away their technology and played outdoors. My daughter put a time limit on their screen time, recognizing how cranky they were versus going for a walk, swimming, doing a craft, or just playing in the orchard with all the other children in the bay. Going outside, the change was immediate: less bickering, deeper belly laughs, sticky fingers, mud-smeared knees, and the kind of improvisational play you can’t manufacture with an app. Watching them reminded me that rhythm isn’t just an internal map for adults — it’s a shared pulse we inherit and pass on. When children move, play, and connect to the earth, their nervous systems reset in ways screens simply can’t match. A little scene on the dock — the sun, the noisy paddle board, a chorus of delighted shrieks — felt like a lesson in the Wood rhythm coming back online: creativity, playfulness and expansion replacing constriction and irritability.
Here’s what this bumbling, sneezy, stubborn holiday taught me — and what I hope you’ll take away:
Our five elemental rhythms live in conversation. When one is out of tune, it pulls the others with it. Illness, habits, and habits of mind can reveal those imbalances if we pay attention.
Nature is not a nicety; it is medicine. A walk, a handful of wild berries, the microbes in forest air — they move the body and the subtle energy systems in ways that supplements and willpower alone cannot.
Small, practical shifts matter: say no to alcohol when your system is compromised; let yourself nap and restore; hold simple energy points to ease sinus and jaw pressure; and allow others to care for you without shame.
Balance includes receiving. My family’s tending, my friend’s presence, and the kids’ laughter were all part of my healing. Learning to accept that is an Earth-rhythm practice as much as any herbal remedy.
Finally, teach by example. Turn off devices, go outside with the little ones, show them how to notice the weather, the trees, and the flavour of a freshly picked berry. Those simple acts seed healthier rhythms for the next generation.
If there’s one through-line to all of this, it’s that imbalance is often the clearest doorway to insight. Getting knocked sideways by a bug was inconvenient and humbling — but it also clarified what nourishes me, what drains me, and what I want to cultivate more of in my life. I hope sharing my mess of a vacation helps you to notice your own rhythms, to experiment with simple changes, and to let nature and community do some of the healing for you.
If you’ve had a similar aha-moment — a plant that helped you, a walk that turned a bad day around, or a small practice that shifted your energy — I’d love to hear it. Share in the comments or drop me a note. There’s a whole world of subtle medicine out there waiting for us to pay attention.
With warmth and balance,
💙 Becca