Shower Power
September has brought something many Angelenos thirst for after a record breaking heat spell. Something many east coast cities receive in abundance, and even have multiple sets of colorful and shiny boots for the occasion. Something cooling, calming, and very helpful in clearing dust off my concrete front steps.
RAIN.
This Cooling Water from the sky not only nourishes our thirsty plants, animals and earth, but us too. We need this lubricant to chill our hot irritable selves, put out internal fires, and allow for some slower introspection (but only in the absence of traffic).
Most of you have probably heard of Yin and Yang, the two ultimate opposites. It's the symbol used on bumper stickers, CD album covers, and tie-dye T-shirts indicative of the 90's; Representing harmony, peace, and collaboration. The 2 opposites depict black and white, symbolically Masculine and Feminine (among other such opposites), and more literally Water and Fire. The white "Yang" portion represents active, moving, and hot fire, providing energy and horse-power for our daily challenges. It sparks creativity, alertness, and overall zeal in both physical and mental feats. This recent rain however, adds to the black or "Yin" portion of the duo. The "Yin" represents a dark, still, and peaceful reserve to allow for stillness, healing, and balancing. It can counteract the heat of Yang, but is difficult to come by, due to our commonly over-stressed habits. It's important to absorb and harness this Yin, the Water, through the rain and through more balancing activities such as Tai Chi, yoga, mindful walks, swimming, and meditation. Even reading a magazine, cuddling, and napping on the beach count as Yin activities, so don't be discouraged, it CAN be harnessed!
These two entities of Yin and Yang not only fit together and support each other, but cease to exist without one another. One cannot actually exist without the other. It is quite the co-dependancy! We see this Yin-Yang balance in relationships, families, body types, food, circadian rhythms, planetary orbits, stock market trends, and for the purpose of making sense of this beautiful rain shower, Weather.
The Yin-Yang relationship pertains to everyone, everything, and all matter of the Universe. Our daily routines, our diets, and our emotional states must all be 
balanced, or by the rules of Nature we may implode (or at least eventually become irregular and off kilter ). What comes up, must go down, and what is dry must eventually get wet. It's Einstein's theory,"for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction". So, after a heat spell like this one, I'm looking to harness the Yin of a slower, cooler, thought provoking autumn. With less traffic.
