Balancing Fear With Water Element Wisdom
Fear has become part of the social norm these days and it's utterly tragic, in my opinion. We were born of innocence. As adults we have instigated so much trepidation and fear about life, relationships, health and longterm security.
The water element in Chinese Medicine is related to the kidneys and adrenals. These organs are precious and crucial in preserving good health and longevity. The enemy of the kidneys is long term stress and fear which causes the body to release cortisol and excessive adrenaline. These stress hormones deplete the kidneys and adrenals and the water element loses its capacity for higher thinking, creativity, reproduction and even sex drive.
Water element types tend to embody an underlying, or even overt, fear about life. This is different than basic phobias such as spiders or snakes.
Water fear is more about a primordial fear grounded in an undertone of lack of safety. As a result water types will take extra measures to ensure they are protected and safe.
They are usually the ones skilled at assessing any situation and cleverly creating safe solutions. Certainly you want to have a water type on your team if you are in a career where there is a lot of risk!
When the water element is imbalanced it can lead to anxiety, panic, paralysis, apprehension and dread or phobias.
Although it is normal to feel fear in times of truly threatening situations, we would take precautions to ensure our safety. However, a water type finds it hard to feel reassured in spite of all the safety measures that they put in place.
This could look obvious like heart racing, sweaty palms and all out panic and wanting to flee. Or it could be an uneasiness and general suspicion that things could go wrong. These feelings permeate every part of their life making it difficult to relax and trust life and others.
The big issues for water types, and the water element within us, is the need to be safe, knowing the future is secure, and the need to be continuously reassured. Another way of expressing the water types internal experience when imbalanced is that they carry certain unanswered questions such as, why is the world so dangerous, will I ever be safe, who can I trust and where will I be safe?
Balancing the water element requires firstly the recognition that not all is dangerous and that there are ways to manage the fear.
A big strategy for waters is to ask questions. As a parent, partner or peer, the best way to interact with the water's fear is to listen, and then provide all the data and emotional support to show that all is well and safe. It would be counterproductive to just say- “it’s OK, get over it!" They are wired differently and need the reassurance and recognition that their perspective is ok as well as relevant to the situation.
An important exercise for waters types is to feel the fear an do it anyway. This could show up where they could be walked through the situation and then be bold. This would provide them the experience that things worked out ok and would feel accomplished, less afraid next time.
Interestingly, while some water types are risk averse, others are risk takers, intentionally putting themselves in dangerous situations to prove they are not fearful. Two sides to the same coin.
A strategy that many dare devils use is to accurately assess and anticipate the risk involved and proceed from there.
If you are overly fearful of anything, be it spiders, snakes, or flying, you could have had a bad experience.
This can actually be reprogramed with subconscious belief change work that I do with clients either live or online (Book A Discovery Call to Learn More). So there is no need to fear, help is near.
You can use this emotion for your benefit as well, and many people do. However, the key, as in all of Chinese medicine, is balance.
SUPER POWER STRATEGIES FOR WATER TYPES
It’s natural to notice threats. Feel fear, assess risks and act accordingly.
Anticipating and being careful is important and allow for enjoying yourself NOW.
Notice whether what you think of as risk is perceived by others differently, for example as an opportunity.
Find out when its useful to pull back and anticipate and when it’s useful to engage. Discernment between the two can make all the difference.
When you are concerned about something in the future, imagine going beyond that point in time and look back.
EMBRACING YOUR SUPER POWERS
Courage, Wisdom, Faith and Trust
Always remember that the Universe has your back. You are a highly intuitive and even genius thinker and because of that you are attuned to all type of things that not only that could go wrong, but what could go right.
Practice focusing on the potential positives and beautiful possibilities that you are being presented. In fact, learning Presence, would help you stay in the moment and be able to tap into the truth of the matter in front of you.
The world is ready for you, go out and take it on like only Water types can!!