According to Feng Shui, your position in the universe affects your destiny.  It works on evaluating and correcting imbalances that subtly affect our natural rhythms and disconnect us from nature’s positive energy.  It goes on to suggest that there are five elements:  water, wood, fire, earth, and metal.  And that with these five elements nature flows its life force, Ch’i, through cycles, times, seasons, planets, body organs, colors, direction and sensations.  Ancient law says man must live in harmony-balance with nature or suffer.  There is a constructive cycle that goes something like this:  Fire produces earth, ashes; earth creates metal, minerals; metal produces water; water feeds wood; wood helps fire.  There is also a destructive cycle that goes something like this:  Wood saps earth; earth obstructs water; water destroys fire; fire melts metal; metal chops wood.

How is this different from the constructive/destructive cycles that one gets into when involved in addiction and recovery?  There is a constructive cycle where one is not using substances, is in a period of recovery and includes actively working toward health.  There is a destructive cycle where one actively uses substances, lives a life that appears out-of-control, and has little regard for the impact of the behavior on other individuals.  It seems to me the universal law says man must live in harmony-balance with nature or suffer.

In Feng Shui a remedy is chosen to moderate, alter, or raise Ch’i.  In recovery from addictions a remedy is chosen to moderate, alter, or improve health.  Both seem positive regardless of from which position we begin.  May you gain knowledge from all sources.

“Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.”
– Chinese Proverb