Winter is the season of the water element; when yin energies are at their peak and the energies of the kidney system were most active. After a year of physical, mental and emotional taxations, Winter was the respite for the body to replenish. The focus during this time was placed on restoring the fundamental qi (energy) and enrichment the yin energies. Winter’s theme encouraged stillness, more rest, and less movement, and an inward focus, engaging in activities that nourish the body and cultivate inner-self. 


While Winter was the time for replenishment, Spring is a time for renewal. In TCM, Spring is the season of the wood element; a time when yang energies of the world start to emerge from the yin again. If the themes of yin are those of stillness and rest, nourishment and the inward movement; Yang is the opposite, representing activity, outward movement, and putting nourishment to use. With this in mind, Spring is about awakening; fresh starts and growth. This is a period which influences the Liver and Gallbladder sytems; these systems being most representative of, and are most effected by, the season of spring. 

The wood element and Liver system represent flexibility and movement. On a phyiscal level, this is the time to tend to your tendons, ligaments and contractile aspects of tissues. We are waking from winter slumber and it is time to stretch and move. Look to activities that emphasize dynamic movement and stretch. Try a daily stretching routine, start those classes in yoga, dance, qi gong and tai chi. If you already do these activities, then find poses and movements specific in cultivating spring, Liver/Gallbladder and Wood elemental energies.  

Now is the opportune time to walk, hike leisurely, meander, or go spring foraging. The wood element of Spring suggests it is good practice to “root down to rise up.” Do this by grounding yourself in the earth through walking barefoot in the dirt and sand, getting muddy; or by tending to some early spring gardening with your hands. 

The Liver is about regulating a smooth flow of energies and emotions; of unblocking and moving the stagnant energies within and around us. Beyond physical movement, this also pertains to our environment. This is an excellent time to declutte and spring clean. As the old saying goes, out with the old and in with the new. 

The Liver and Gallbladder systems govern the eyes and the nails. Coming out of winter’s dark slumber it is time to open our eyes and exercise our sight by tending to vision care. Book that eye appointment, practice visual qi gong and eye exercises. For strengthening nail health and growth, a manicure or pedicure works well. 

Where Winter encouraged us to look inward, Spring encourages us to look outward. We had all winter to analyze ourselves, our values and dreams, and the fears that might get in the way of these. The liver system governs planning, and the gallbladder system governs decisiveness and action. Spring is about taking our internal valuations and creating movement and acting on them, by making those necessary decisions and start building momentum towards goals. 

The wood element and liver/gallbladder systems are related to the color green and the flavor of sour. TCM always emphasizing eating in season and what grows in your local climate. For the season of Spring this often means lighter meals and foods easier to digest. During this time we emphasize our green foods, espwcially those tender shoots and new greens; we emphasize the pungent and sweet flavors and a touch of the sour. We refrain from the heavy, oily, overly rich foods. Move away from the low heat, slow cooking methods of winter and towards the quicker higher heats; poaching, blanching, steaming and lightly stirfrying. If you have a healthy and strong constitution, now is the time for that cleanse or detox. 

In TCM a healthy transition from one season to another is important. Resistance and difficulties in attuning to the energies of a season can lead to disorder and imbalance in the body; which can lead to injury and illness. Efforts in the above mentioned activities can help one adapt and attune more easily; reducing the stresses and strains of disorder. 

Difficulties in attuning also hint at already present imbalances in the body. This period of transition often fluctuates between two themes and energies; and requires our bodies do the same. It is common for more yin natured individuals to want to take things too slow, even resist the change. It is equally common for yang natured individuals to want to take things too fast and force things along. Both of these can be damaging to attunement and health. It is important in this time of flux to be fluid and flexible (water and wood), to exercise moderation and go with the flow. 

Healthy attunement will show itself with a flexible ability physically and mentally; with an ease of mood, the ability to be decisive and with productivity in planning. There will be a natural desire for movement and activity, an upswing in energy and alertness, and a want for declutter and new. There will be health in vision, tendons and joints as well as nails. 

A lack of attunement will show as new or worsening issues, often involving the Liver and Gallbladder systems of the body. These may involve rigidity and stiffness on both physical and mental-emotional levels. This may involve pain or discomfort particular to the areas of the temple or top of the head, in the neck or shoulders, ribcage/flank, the low back, lateral hip and leg, or knees.  There may be increased frustration, irritability or anger; one may lack in motivation and planning, be indecisive or resistant to changes. There may be new issues or an increase in chronic issues involving vision, eyes and nails and tendon and joint. Digestive issues can manifest themselves, especially those that have an emotional basis. There may be more active dreaming and dream disturbed sleep. 
 

TCM has several tools that can effectively help ease individuals into seasonal shifts and help optimize health during this time. Specific points can be used with the application of either acupuncture or acupressure and tui na massage. In doing this, the practitioner stimulates certain actions of the body to create better harmony to processes and an overall better balance of the body. Several points can be used to strengthen the functions of the Liver and Gall Bladder systems and to move the energy of the body in an effort to reduce stagnant energies. 

Cupping and gua sha work to invigorate circulation, remove stagnant build up and guide nourishing circulation to areas of stagnation. These methods are often used in detoxifying the body during cleansing. 

TCM practitioners can direct patients in qi gong movements and meditative practices specific to the spring energies and the Liver/Gallbladder systems. 

Spring based dietary programs can be established with the TCM understanding of specific foods, food practices, and the individual’s personal constitution. Herbal formulas can also be recommended and prescribed for specific issues aggravated by spring such as spring allergies. 

TCM practitioners can provide specific seasonal attunement sessions or treatment courses, and can provide at-home suggestions. To learn more, or to book your Seasonal Attunement treatment(s), use the contact page to call or email Cassandra Hecker TCM Health today.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) health is heavily centered around the ideas of optimizing balance and harmony; not just within the body, but between ourselves and the natural forces of our environment. TCM views the human body as a microcosmic mirror of its environment; influenced by and reflecting the natural forces that surround it. We are therefore heavily influenced by our surroundings and the natural themes that take place within our environment. TCM stresses the importance in health of aligning ourselves with these natural themes and attuning ourselves with the natural changes that take place within them. 

One of the greatest example of this alignment and attunement with our natural environment comes in the form of seasonal changes. For all our technological and scientific advances, we still find ourselves revolving around nature’s seasonal changes. For the 2000+ years that TCM has existed, these seasonal themes and their influences on the human body and health has been abundantly observed, tested and recorded. This information has created an understanding of how to balance and harmonize with these seasonal changes in order to optimize health and wellness. 

Observed by TCM, there are four seasons and between each are a transitionary period; each season and transitionary period has an underlying theme and aspects that are particular to each. It is important in health and wellbeing that one adapts to the transition and changes fluidly, and follows the seasonal currents smoothly. Difficulty to adapt in times of transition can lead to imbalances in the body; which can result in impacts on physical, mental, emotional or spiritual levels. 

Surrounding us now is the transitionary period from winter to spring. Soon we will be in the full awakening of spring. In terms of our health, it is during this transitionary period that one should begin to attune to the energies of the Spring season. 

Join me in part II of Seasonal Attunement for Spring, where I will provide an understanding of the Winter-Spring transition, of the themes particular to Spring, and with these understandings, suggestions and practices for aligning oneself harmoniously with the season of Spring.