What’s Your Element?

Do you know which elements are strongest in you? If not, you can learn more by taking the Element Quiz. Understanding your dominant element helps you move through each season with greater insight and balance.

Late Summer, ruled by Earth energy, is a time of nourishment, stability, and connection.

It invites us to slow down, gather the harvest (literal and metaphorical) and strengthen the foundation from which we live and give. But depending on your elemental makeup, this season can also stir up overthinking, worry, or a feeling of being stuck.

One archetype of the Earth element is the caretaker—a steady, supportive presence who offers comfort, resources, and a safe place to land. At its best, this energy is generous, grounded, and deeply nourishing. But when out of balance, it can give past its own capacity, becoming depleted, resentful, or overly focused on others’ needs at the expense of its own.

By recognizing how your dominant element interacts with Earth energy, you can embrace late summer’s abundance while staying centered—rooted in your own well-being so you can share from a place of fullness.

Here’s how each element can find balance this spring:

  • FIRE

    Anchor your fire in the steadiness of Earth.
    As late summer arrives, Fire’s brightness is invited to soften into warmth—nourished, contained, and given a steady home. Favor grounding foods like root vegetables, grains, and lightly cooked greens, alongside naturally sweet fruits to replenish your reserves. Sip ginger or chamomile tea to harmonize energy and ease the transition from high activity to grounded presence.

    For Fire types, late summer offers a gentle landing after the peak of your season. It’s a time to integrate the connections, joy, and experiences you’ve gathered—letting them feed your center rather than scatter your energy. But without awareness, you may resist slowing down, clinging to the rush of constant engagement or overlooking your own needs in service to others.

    When Fire doesn’t yield to Earth’s grounding pull, the warmth becomes restless, the heart overextended, and joy harder to sustain.

    Honor this shift by building in rituals that help you feel nourished and at home—both in your body and in your life. Give your bright spark a solid hearth to rest in.

    REFLECT:
    How can I let my joy and expression take root in ways that sustain me beyond the peak of summer?

  • EARTH

    Nourish your home base and deepen your roots.


    When your own element takes center stage, its gifts are amplified—stability, care, and the ability to nurture both yourself and others. Favor foods that truly satisfy and sustain you—warm grains, seasonal fruits, and balanced meals eaten slowly. Herbal allies like ginger, cinnamon, or chamomile can support digestion and keep your energy steady.

    For Earth types, late summer can feel like coming home. You may feel more centered, generous, and ready to tend to the needs of your community. But being in your own element can also amplify vulnerabilities: overextending yourself in caretaking, getting stuck in routines, or becoming too comfortable in your comfort zone.

    When Earth energy becomes excessive, groundedness turns into stagnation, care becomes overprotection, and giving leaves you depleted instead of replenished.

    Honor this season by tending to your own needs first, creating as much space to receive as you give. Let your steadiness be a source of strength, not a weight holding you in place.

    REFLECT:
    How can I offer care and stability without losing sight of my own growth and replenishment?

  • METAL

    Strengthen your structure while staying adaptable.


    Late summer’s Earth energy offers Metal types a chance to refine their foundations—physically, emotionally, and in daily life. Choose foods and practices that keep digestion smooth and energy even, like lightly cooked seasonal vegetables, simple grains, and warm herbal teas. This is a good time to slow down enough to clear clutter—both in your environment and in your mind.

    For Metal types, Earth season can feel grounding and supportive, helping you channel your natural precision and discernment into steady progress. But too much Earth energy can also feel heavy, making it harder to release what no longer serves you or to shift out of “maintenance mode.”

    When Earth energy becomes excessive for Metal, clarity turns rigid, structure becomes overcontrol, and letting go feels uncomfortable or unsafe.

    Honor this season by balancing order with openness. Build the structures that support your values, but leave room for fresh air, new ideas, and change.

    REFLECT:
    Where can I simplify and refine without becoming overly rigid or resistant to change?

  • WATER

    Anchor your depth without getting stuck.


    Late summer’s Earth energy offers Water types a sense of stability and nourishment—a place to rest between cycles of growth. Favor warm, grounding meals that are easy to digest, like soups, stews, and root vegetables, while keeping hydration steady. Gentle movement and slow, steady breathwork can help keep your energy circulating without depleting reserves.

    For Water types, Earth season can feel comforting, giving you a safe harbor to recharge. But too much Earth energy can tip into stagnation—where comfort turns to inertia, and reflection slips into rumination.

    When Earth becomes excessive for Water, stillness turns heavy, adaptability narrows, and your natural flow feels dammed up.

    Honor this season by leaning into grounded connection while keeping small currents of movement in your life—through creative projects, gentle travel, or new learning. This way, your depth stays alive and engaged.

    REFLECT:
    How can I feel supported and nourished without becoming too still or hesitant to move forward?

  • WOOD

    Stay rooted while allowing for growth.


    Late summer’s Earth energy offers Wood types a stabilizing base—a chance to consolidate your vision and align your actions before the next big push forward. Favor nourishing, balanced meals with a variety of seasonal vegetables, whole grains, and legumes to sustain steady energy. Incorporate grounding movement like walking, tai chi, or slow, deliberate stretching to anchor your momentum.

    For Wood types, Earth season can feel like a welcome pause—a time to catch your breath and clarify your next steps. But too much Earth energy can dull your edge, turning vision into overthinking, and healthy flexibility into complacency.

    When Earth becomes excessive for Wood, drive can be replaced by procrastination, and adaptability may harden into rigidity masked as “stability.”

    Honor this season by using Earth’s groundedness as a launchpad—tend to your roots, but keep stretching toward your next horizon. Balance planning with small, intentional actions that keep your growth alive.

    REFLECT:
    How can I use this season’s stability to strengthen my vision without losing the momentum to pursue it?