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chinese philosophy

13 Ways to Connect

Before we get swept up in all the material aspects of the holidays, I thought I’d write a bit about the opportunities for inner growth and awakening presented by the… Read More

The Heart of Summer

A few days ago I was out in the sun in a beekeeping suit for hours, lifting frames of comb that were heavy and dripping with honey. We had to… Read More

Talking Wellness with Peter: The Fire Element

Don’t deprive the world of your warmth and light! How can you share your acceptance and love with those around you? Let us know in the comments below!

There Isn’t Really a Hole Inside You: The Earth Element and Your Inner Mother

In last week’s article on the origins of Mother’s Day, I mentioned connecting with the earth as a means of feeling supported in a motherly way. This week I’ll explain… Read More

Talking Wellness with Peter – Water Element

In Chinese Philosophy, the season associated with the Water Element is Winter. One of the great lessons of Winter is that it is a time of stillness. We all need… Read More

My purpose is to help people heal through creative expression.
My life purpose is to build healthy communities.
My purpose is to help people use their voices and awaken their power.
My purpose is to facilitate playfulness in adults.
My purpose is to teach people how to live in harmony with the environment.
My purpose is to help people actualize their potential.

Don’t worry about getting the statement perfect on the first round. For now, choose a statement of life purpose and read it out loud and with intention. How does that feel? Ideally, making this statement should feel powerful and right, or as my friend Reuvain puts it, it should feel like a “hell yeah!”. It might even give you goosebumps or tingles. If it feels a bit intimidating, that’s ok, too, as long as it also feels true. If it doesn’t feel like a “hell yeah!” change some of the wording. Consider making it less specific. For instance, if a statement such as, “My purpose is to help children to become healthy adults by learning to process their emotions” doesn't feel as inspiring as you hoped, you could start by broadening it to something like, “My purpose is to help children process their emotions,” or even just, “My purpose is to help children.” Just get it as accurate as you can manage and then write it down. I recommend writing it in a special way on a nice piece of paper. Put it somewhere where you’ll see it and say it every morning. More importantly, try to keep it in mind throughout your day, applying it as often as you can. Track this process. What changes when you’re on purpose? Is it easier to make decisions? Do people respond differently to you? Is there more energy available? Consciously living your purpose is the only way to know if it’s right. As you live your purpose, you’ll get insights that will help you refine your purpose statement. I’d love to hear about your experience with this process. Be well, Peter P.S. My life purpose is to help the world heal and awaken, and I hope I’ve served that purpose today! [post_title] => Living Your Purpose [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => living-your-purpose [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-10-09 19:35:26 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-10-09 19:35:26 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => http://thedragontree.com/?p=7650 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 14 [filter] => raw [webinar_id] => 0 ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 7023 [post_author] => 3 [post_date] => 2018-05-22 18:31:26 [post_date_gmt] => 2018-05-22 18:31:26 [post_content] => In so many ways, the human social experience today is different than it has ever been. One of the most interesting developments is how the internet serves as a platform for public expression. It enables individuals to broadcast their voices to huge audiences they could never assemble in person. If we were to view this phenomenon through an esoteric lens, we might say that it feeds a lot of energy to the throat chakra. The fifth chakra, called Vishuddha, is located at the level of the throat and it is the center of the voice. Through the throat, we are able to emanate energy in the form of sound waves. This energy center relates therefore to communication, resonance, expression, and - through our words - choice, consent, agreement, and creation. What happens when we massively empower this center through technology? Well, there’s a yogic explanation. When a person taps into a potent source of energy (whether we call it Kundalini or a Twitter account with a million followers), both one’s strengths and weaknesses are going to be amplified. So, it’s better to have cleaned house first. (It’s why the once-mandatory first two “limbs” of ashtanga yoga are about self-purification through practices such as non-violence, introspection, study, and honesty.) If there are any blockages, pathologies, or fiercely hidden aspects of the shadow-self, these are likely to become problems – especially as one’s sense of legitimacy and self-importance are inflated by the size of one’s audience. Structurally, Vishuddha is also associated with the thyroid, larynx, mouth, jaw, neck vertebrae, and sometimes also the ears, arms, and hands. The association of the ears and hands with this chakra probably stems from the connection between listening and speaking, and the way we use our hands to communicate. When this chakra is balanced and open, some sources say, we freely express the truth, we uplift with our voice, and we refrain from complaining, gossiping, or degrading. We harmonize with others when in communication. We listen to what others say and to what we ourselves say. We are able to hear other points of view without reacting. We are creative with our literal and artistic voice. Author Caroline Myss has a rather unique take on this chakra, teaching that it is the center of choice, since it is through our word that we consent and agree. Empowerment at this level of our being, she writes, gives us a sense of personal authority, it allows us to see the role of choice in everything that happens, and it lets us see the consequences of our choices. The essence of this chakra, Myss says, is faith. Our choices are an expression of who and what we put our faith in, and how we thus invest our energy in our commitments. Surrender of personal will to Divine Will, she states, unburdens us of the karmic and psychological impacts of these choices. While the heart chakra, associated with air, has a close connection to the breath, the throat chakra, too, is related to the breath. In Aghora II: Kundalini, teacher Vimalananda says: “You’ve noticed, I presume, that in times of great anger, at the moment of orgasm, and in other intensely emotional situations your breathing becomes faster and more forceful, and your mind becomes more chaotic? Such breathing is useless for sadhana [spiritual practice], for which you must have a conditioned mind. Yogis practice pranayama [breathing exercises] because they know that control of the breath causes control of the mind. The opposite is also true: whatever controls the mind controls the breathing.” Thus, learning to slow and deepen one’s breathing is a valuable mechanism for quieting the mind. Author Gurudashan Kaur Khalsa (mostly paraphrasing Anodea Judith) wrote: “Each step upward [through the chakras] decreases boundaries and separation. Communication can be seen as a symbolic system occupying the meeting point between the abstract and manifested idea. It formulates our thoughts into controlled physical vibrations. This creates manifestations on the physical plane. As we name the things and concepts on the physical plane, it prepares them for use by consciousness. The fifth chakra occupies a crucial place in the gateway between mind and body. It mirrors the transformative properties of fire, a medium in the transition from one dimension to another.” She claims that when we attain total purification of the voice chakra, the distracting nature of the world and our senses will no longer be a problem for us, and that we will seek only knowledge that is true and beyond the limitations of time and culture. Besides using the voice with consciousness and intention, chanting and singing are considered to help open and balance this chakra. You can try chanting the sound ham (it should have a long ahh sound, so it sounds like “hum” rather than the meat that comes from a pig). This is called the seed mantra of this chakra (or more specifically, of it’s associated element of space or “ether”). You can also try the following meditation: Sit cross-legged. Lay one palm on top of the other palm, both palms facing down, and bend your elbows to hold your hands right in front of your chest, thumbs toward you. As you inhale through your nose, lift your chin up as high as it will go, then keep it there as you hold your breath for as long as you can. As you exhale, allow your chin to drop to your chest. Imagine that the breath is entering and exiting through the hollow right above your sternum. Repeat for three minutes. The voice is a powerful faculty. It can be used for tremendous good or terrible harm. This week I encourage you to bring more attention to how you use your voice and what the repercussions are. How few words does it take to uplift someone? What happens when you share a complaint? Does it spur positive change? Can you be clever about how you present your ideas, such that they enhance your community? Be well, Dr. Peter Borten Sources:

Johari, H. (1987). Chakras. Energy Centers of Transformation. Destiny Books.
Judith, A. (2004). Eastern Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self. Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts.
Judith, A. (1999). Wheels of Life: The Classic Guide to the Chakra System. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications.
Khalsa, G. K. (1991). Energy Maps: A Journey Through the Chakras. La Crescenta, CA: CyberScribe.
Myss, C. M. (1996). Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing. New York: Three Rivers Press.
Svoboda, R. E. (1995). Aghora II: Kundalini. Albuquerque, NM: Brotherhood of Life Publishing.
Wallis, C. D. (2013). Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition. Petaluma, CA: Mattamayūra Press.
White, J. W. (1990). Kundalini, Evolution, and Enlightenment. New York: Paragon House.
Woodroffe, J. G., & P. (1931). The Serpent Power: Being the Shat-chakra-nirūpana and Pādukā-panchaka; Two Works on Laya yoga. Madras: Ganesh.

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