Hours of Metal, and/or Water

For the past week I've been waking up between the hours of 3 and 5 a.m. unable to fall back asleep for a couple of hours, if at all, but not having gone to bed early enough for this to be enough sleep. At first I thought it was my "fault," for having this bright idea last week about getting an early start on the different time zones I'll soon be entering! I remember thinking about this while driving in my car, and the times 3, 4, and 5 a.m. flashed through my head. Apparently I didn't make it clear that this was only what I wanted if I'd gone to bed early enough to get 7 hours of sleep. Apparently I didn't make it clear that 5 a.m. would be a good start, good waking time to get back to since it used to be one of my best times to wake up, then drift back to sleep for an hour before rising.

But perhaps I'm giving myself too much credit here. Perhaps this isn't about me being such powerful little manifester! Perhaps this is about these hours, 3 to 5 a.m. and what they represent. The truth is there's a variety of reasons that my sleep could be disrupted this past week. Lots of changes both inside and out. Lots of excitement. A NUCCA adjustment that brought me into alignment that I quite possibly haven't experienced in years. A new pillow. Leaving soon for travel and then moving away. A beautiful man and his little girl coming into my life. Being part of a weekly women's circle. Waiting to hear back about some real estate matters. Stepping into a new role of co-leadership within the Sheng Zhen organization by putting my writing and editing skills to use for them. Yes, there's a lot on my plate right now. A lot of it is new. And I am so grateful and inspired by the abundance of new opportunities, blessings, and answered prayers in my life. So, what does this have to do with 3 to 5 a.m.?

 

The lungs. In Traditional Chinese Medicine Five Element Theory,  3 to 5 is the time of the lungs. So what are they trying to tell me? Do I need to do some breathwork? My lung capacity at these hours is quite amazing, I noticed yesterday morning. Perhaps I'll try it if I wake at this time again! Or perhaps it's just about what the lungs represent, which is taking in all that life has to offer. Breathing in the energy of life! Feeling worthy of all the good coming my way, all the good that's already here. Having faith, which I do. Letting go, which I am.

Letting go. I pause for a moment now and consider that the Metal Element, Lung and Large Intestine is associated with sorrow, with grief. At first I think, no, this has nothing to do with it! I've been on cloud 9 recently; I'm not sad. But grief isn't just about sadness; it is a process. And I am letting go of so much (Large Intestine) to make room for the new (Lung). Letting go of old ways of thinking, self-limiting thoughts and behaviors, relationships and activities that no longer serve me, my house, my parents' house, my home town, my clients, my students, my massage practice, my fears. Yes, I would say there's some grief there. Bittersweet for sure.

There's also a possibility that it's about the Bladder, since the time for the Bladder is 3-5 pm. The Water Element, Bladder and Kidney, are about fear and anxiety, and it's quite possible that fears and anxieties that are kept at bay and/or seemingly released throughout the day, are waking me up in the middle of the night. Also, I see now that the balancing emotion is Hope. Oooooh, I'm getting chills now as I write that. Last month I was drawn to a ring in a store with 3 words inscribed on it: "Faith," "Hope" and "Love." I've been wearing this ring almost daily. Interesting that Hope balances Bladder, and Faith balances Lung... And even more, or equally, interesting is what I just read, something I don't remember learning when studying the 5 elements. I just read that the Bladder governs the nervous system. The NUCCA adjustment affects the brain stem, effecting the entire nervous system. In a good way, but there's certainly lots of adjustments being made. My whole system is re-correcting, better able to self-regulate now. Wow!

So perhaps that's it. Or just a coincidence. Either way, I am listening.

© 2012 Rebecca Clio Gould. All rights reserved.