On April 1 it all started with a little tickle, which turned into a cough, which turned into the Dread Flu that kept me down and out for over 2 weeks. Emerging from the Bubonic Plague and Spanish Influenza Spa and Weight Loss Clinic at last, I rushed to get my precious tomato seeds started before our short WoO was closed. Happy to fire up my fabulous light cart, last year's Big Garden Splurge.
Despite a serious, ongoing case of the draggies, I've had to keep going and thus my recovery has been slower than normal. I have scheduled extra massage, gulped down extra supplements and had extra acupuncture sessions, all in an effort to get back on my feet and out into the garden.
After attending a special intensive class a couple of weeks ago on Chinese pulse diagnosis, my wonderful TCM/acupuncturist had a field day reading and interpreting my various pulses. Mmmm, she said ...... aha ....... interesting ........ and made some expected comments on lung, kidney and the like. Then she turned to my other arm, saying, 'I'm excited to see what your liver is up to!' and then she just started laughing. 'It's all over the place, very restless, up and down and all around.....'
Kind of like a carnival ride? I asked and she laughed again. 'Exactly' so she gave me some suggestions for calming and balancing the frisky organ, and a sheet to read about ways to act in harmony with the energies of Spring.
It talks about the need to move slowly and easily, transitioning from the still, more inward and inactive months of Winter. It advises one to: "Rest at night and get up early, stride freely through the courtyard, let down your hair and indulge in the leisurely feeling of a morning stroll; this is how you should raise your spirits in spring..."
"Spring is the season of harmony. This is the time to roam through gardens and forests, to sit leisurely in scenic kiosks and take in the tranquil sights of nature....."
I then noticed that these were the translated words of a 16th Century Chinese poet and 'medical scholar'. Wow, I thought, this sounds like pretty good 450-year old advice.
Of course my favorite parts are about striding freely through the courtyard. If only I had a courtyard! and indulging in the leisurely feeling of a morning stroll. So much more appealing than the constant underlying voice in my head to 'get out and start exercising!' 'lift some weights!' 'get fit!' and do it NOW!
I also love the advice to roam through gardens and forests, sitting leisurely in scenic kiosks. I am wracking my brain to come up with local scenic kiosks. Perhaps a covered bench in a downtown park -- or one of the trailside benches on Pilot Butte or the Deschutes River Trail would count as 'kiosks'. Or possibly this is a cosmic hint that I should get to work building a gazebo in the back yard.
At any rate, I am coming into harmony, I can feel it. The week of warm, sunny weather we've just had is helping. Sprouting tomato babies are helping. The scenic kiosks are beckoning later in the week, on our planned anniversary camping trip. I'm pretty sure they are out there. When I find them, I'll have photos. Meanwhile, I'm off to the courtyard/back garden to throw a little dirt around.
