In nature, seasons are everything and everything is aligned with them. Today’s Western civilization often forgets that humans are creatures of nature and, as such, are closely connected to natural cycles. However, life in our civilization doesn’t always allow us to adapt to those cycles. In winter, when it’s the natural time of rest, we work the most. In summer, when temperatures rise along with our work temperatures, we most often go on vacation. During the period when we should be conserving and storing energy, we spend it from our reserves, and then when we have plenty of it, we slow our pace and burn out from the inside.
How can we help you?
The above example is just one of the imbalances we create for ourselves, but if we learn about different approaches, we can make things easier and positively influence our energy levels throughout the year, and avoid greater imbalances that can lead to various symptoms.
To begin, let’s take a look at the theory of the 5 seasons.
Traditional teachings of Chinese medicine identify five seasons instead of four. In addition to our spring, summer, autumn, and winter, Chinese medicine also recognizes late summer as a transition from summer to autumn, from activity to calm.
Each of those seasons has its own characteristics:
- Spring – a time of renewal and awakening
- Summer – the peak of yang energy
- Late summer – a slow slowdown
- Autumn – the beginning of the transition
- Winter – the peak of yin energy
Spring
Spring is represented by the energy of Wood, growth, and movement. Everything buds and blossoms in nature. In the body, the Wood energy drives the energy of the liver, whose primary function is to regulate the healthy flow of energy and blood through the meridians and organs in our body.
When the liver is out of balance, this energy begins to stagnate and can cause further imbalances, resulting in disorders of physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Emotionally, an imbalanced liver leads to anger, irritability, frustration, and impatience.
The physical body reacts to these imbalances with acute conditions such as eczema, allergies, inflammation, rashes, and colds with high fevers.
During this period, you should protect yourself from sudden cold snaps and wind, stretch your body so that energy can flow freely, and spontaneously begin to eat less.
Summer
As spring ends, the warmth intensifies and summer begins. In Chinese medicine, it is represented by the Fire element, which is associated with the Heart organ.
Our mind lives in the heart. It is tied to language and speech. It is one of the ways we let our fire out. The connection between language and the heart makes communication.
This is actually a good time to realize the full potential of what began to bud in the spring. It’s an excellent time to balance action and rest so that we don’t overstep our limits.
The body benefits from cold foods and lukewarm beverages, plenty of fluids, waking up early, going to bed later, and taking a rest during the day.
The dominant emotion of summer is joy. Summer is not a time for holding grudges. Summer is a period for acting out of joy. Such a way of acting can heal certain wounds without directly addressing them.
Late summer
Late summer is a season of its own. Characterized by the Earth element, this season is a time of harvest and full enjoyment of summer’s bounty.
During this period, the STOMACH and SPLEEN dominate, and are believed to govern the health of all other organs. The spleen produces our energy, qi, and blood.
The emotions associated with the energies of these organs are worry, anxiety, and a survival mindset.
Now it’s time to slow down a bit, warm up our food, eat sweet things (not ice cream, but root vegetables and grains), meditate, and feed our stomachs between 7 and 9.
Autumn
As we enter autumn, energies shift, we begin to withdraw, and we enter the Metal period.
During this period, the dominant organs are the lungs and the large intestine, our systems for intake and elimination. The lungs are a sensitive organ and will react very quickly, so during this period we notice a new surge in allergies, viral infections, and coughs.
It is a time of elimination and letting go, just as in nature the leaves will begin to fall and enter a phase of preparation for dormancy and rest.
An emotion that often arises in the fall is sadness and regret. What have we learned in past seasons, and who or what have we let go?
During this period, we start spending more time indoors, cooking warm, more calorie-dense food, maybe even preparing preserves? We slow down the pace and exercise more lightly.
Winter
With winter, I enter the Water period. Just as water is mystical and calm, so too does all of nature become, and we should, at least in part, as well.
This is a time for introspection, withdrawal, and deep thought. We might even notice that social gatherings suit us less and that we much prefer indoor activities.
The organs that are activated are the kidneys and the bladder, and they are very much connected to water.
By delving into the deeper spheres of life, we also encounter the less pleasant but certainly desirable emotion of fear. Fear can be a healthy guardian of life or an irritating obstacle, depending on balance.
Wearing warm clothing, eating warm food, meditating, and going to bed early keep us well during this time.
By connecting with nature, we stay in touch with ourselves. Spending time in nature at any time of year and absorbing the characteristics of the season will bring us even more inner peace and harmony.
Advice
Take small steps. Nothing has to come or go overnight. In the next blog post, we’ll write about the seasons and our face.
