Harmonizing with the Seasons

by Mark Johnson

(You will find them in the order of Winter – Spring – Summer – Fall/Late Fall)

Winter – Water – Kidney – Black Foods

Winter is the season when Yin energy is most influential. It is the time for rest, introspection, quietude and sensitivity. Since winter is the time to quietly renew yourself, you may want to spend more time in quiet reflection. Withdraw from the crowds, and rest more, retire early and get up after sunrise. Simplify your schedule and minimize things that deplete your energy.

 

According to the Chinese, winter corresponds to the “Water” phase and to our bladder and kidneys that govern our basic growth and development. It influences the spine, brain, bones, reproduction, physical essence, and our emotions. An imbalance of this phase can create fear, paranoia and a negative attitude. It is most likely to show itself this time of year and during the daily cycle between 3 to 5 p.m. (bladder) or 5 to 7 p.m. (kidneys).

 

To evaluate the health of the kidneys, check the skin under the eyes. If it is especially dark, you may have a water imbalance. Our ears are the organ related to the kidneys and have you ever noticed how the kidneys, ears and the developing fetus all look alike? The fetus spends all its time in water and hearing is the only sense that fully matures while still in the womb.

 

The kidney energy governs storage of life-essence in the bones and marrow. The kidneys also influence sexuality and reproduction, too much sex can weaken the kidneys and a blockage, whether physical or psychological, can cause impotence and infertility.

 

The rigors of a cold winter call for a special diet. Don’t eat too much fruit, raw food, cucumber in particular, and especially don’t eat spicy foods as they tend to cool the body. Root vegetables such as turnips, onions, and potatoes are good. Soybeans, tofu, miso, seaweed, millet, buckwheat, oatmeal, a little meat and nuts are also appropriate for this time of year, as are the warming condiments, garlic and ginger. Also, herbal tonics taken in the form of teas are recommended, nettle, flax seed, juniper, ginseng, burdock, comfrey and marshmallow root are good examples.

 

Do not stir things up with too much Yang (action) activity this winter so stretch and loosen the joints, but be sure to do it indoors. Keep your pores closed and avoid extreme temperature changes. If you are not careful, you may cause weakness that could bring possible arthritis, and degeneration of bone and tendons.

 

Over all, since the kidney energy relates to birth, the life force, and death (a complete cycle of transformation), this is the season to go within and sense what contributes to your own personal transformation and how to get in harmony with it. This requires allowing time for quietude.

Spring – Wood – Liver – Green Foods

Spring is the birthing season. According to Chinese lore, this cycle begins with thunder shaking the ground and awakening the worms that aerate the soil, stimulating growth. This is the time of new life bursting out all over. Spring is a time of tension and release. That which is dormant in Winter Season begins to issue forth and express itself from deep within the roots.

In Chinese five-phase (or five-element) system, springtime is associated with the “wood” phase that is an archetype for growth and expansion in all directions. In humans, wood energy manifests in the liver, gall bladder, muscles, nerves, tendons, eyes and nails. For a “wood person” the critical time of day is between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.

Physically, too much wood energy can result in hypertension, arthritis, muscle spasms, stiffness and indigestion. Too little wood energy results in edema, tendonitis, irritable colon, tense muscles, and cystitis. Your nails are good indicators of the wood element – too much or excess Wood Element, and they are hard and thick – too little or deficient Wood Element, and they are dry and brittle.

Mentally and emotionally, this phase influences volition and decision-making. Too much wood energy manifests as a ”type A” personality – aggressive, driven, reckless and impulsive. Too little wood energy results in an inability to make decisions, pretentiousness, and self-abuse that often involve the use of drugs. At the spiritual level, according to Daoist thought, the liver is the home of the Three Yang Celestial Souls that gives us the desire for life and are the souls that rise to heaven after death of the physical body.

What to do in the Spring for Wood Element? Before exercising in the spring, take a few saunas and get some massages. This will help detoxify and relax your body after a cold winter. Do your qigong early and if you are week in the wood phase, gather energy from the east and at night sleep with the top of your head pointing east. When trying to stimulate the liver and the associated meridian, visualize breathing the color green into it as you send it love and appreciation, smile into it.

Stimulate it with light percussion. Apply acupressure to the major points on the liver meridian by starting with your big toe and working up to the liver area. Detoxify it by making the sound “shhhh”, almost inaudibly, as you compress the liver by bending over and putting your right elbow on your left hip.

A good spring diet is light with plenty of greens, especially sprouts. In early spring, drink only vegetable juices for a few days to detoxify the stagnant, heavy energy of winter. The supporting taste for the wood phase is sour, so drinking lightly sweetened lemonade is the perfect liver cleanser. Herb teas are good, especially sassafras, dandelion and peppermint.

The transition between Spring and Summer seasons is like growing from a newly born child into a mature adult in three months! Qi (chi) rises up the right side from the liver and to the heart, and then descends down the left side to the spleen/stomach in late summer. Spring is root and seed. Summer is all flower and fruit.

Summer – Fire – Heart – Red Foods

According to the Chinese, Summer season relates to the “fire” phase (or fire element) – that which rises and shines! It is expressive, affectionate, charismatic, optimistic, aware and intuitive. Fire is also associated with joy and laughter, the mouth and tongue, the bitter taste, the southern direction, the color red, and the time of day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The fire phases encompasses the heart and small intestines, the pericardium and Triple Warmer. It is said that the heart “commands” the intestines; “assimilates and protects” the pericardium; and the Triple Warmer “heats” the three burning spaces. The upper burner involves the lungs, the middle burner the stomach, and the lower burner, the large intestine.

The best way to utilize the energy that is concentrating in the heart and intestines is to exercise. Keep in mind that in the winter, your blood volume was up in the center of your trunk, keeping the vital organs warm. Now in summer, the blood volume returns to your limbs for purposes of action – so move! There is no better movement than Qigong at sunrise or sunset on a hot summer day.

If you need to strengthen your fire phase, face south and breathe in a red cloud that surrounds your heart as you send it love and appreciation – an inner smile into your heart. Exhale skyward with straight arms as you make the sound “HUH”- like the sound someone makes when exhaling onto their eyeglasses before cleaning them. Stimulate all the acupuncture points on the heart meridian, starting from inside your arm pit and working down to the inside of your little finger. A moving qigong workout that produces a light sweat is a good way to further remove toxins. According to old Taoist tradition, sleeping with your head pointing south will strengthen your fire phase.

Summer demands a diet that keeps you both energized and cool. This means lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. For protein, eat whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fish. Avoid heavy meats, coffee, dairy and all refined or processed foods. Cucumbers and watermelon are great summer pleasures. Also, remember to drink plenty of fluids.

If you have an abundance (excess) of “fiery energy” then keep still and quiet during the summer. People with excess fire perspire a lot, their faces are flushed, and their pulse is both rapid and irregular. Psychologically, they are anxious, excitable, grandiose, non-stop talkers. You can gauge your own fire energy by looking at your tongue. Pink means balance, fire engine red means excessive, and pale means deficient.

Strengthening your water phase will moderate a condition of excessive fire energy. This involves strengthening your kidney energy, sleeping with your head pointing to the north, and eating a watery diet. The practice of proper Feng Shui suggests putting a small circulating waterfall in the southern part of your house to balance excessive fire energy with a water element. The most important thing to keep in mind during Spring and Summer is that it is Solar Powered! So, get outside and move . . . but everything in balanced moderation.

Fall – Spleen – Earth – Yellow Foods & Late Fall – Lungs – Metal/Air – White Foods

Autumn is the season when the dark cycle begins. The days are getting shorter. It is the time of transition between summer's activities and winter's stillness. It is the time of harvest and to reap what one has sown during spring and summer. It is also the time to focus within, set things in order and prepare for the winter to come.

According to Chinese medical theory, autumn is the season associated with the Lungs and Large Intestines. This energy phase fortifies the skin and hair and weakness in these organs results in colds, skin problems and constipation. Even in Western medicine, asthma, eczema and skin rashes are associated with lung infections. The skin and lungs, like the large intestines, helps eliminate toxins from the body, so keep both of them cleaned out. The lungs do not like cold, damp air so keep your neck and chest covered and warm this season.

As for your intestines, be careful about mucus producing foods and heavily processed food not moving through them properly. A concentration of Chi is in the large intestine between 5 to 7 a.m. every morning so adjust your diet and daily regimen so you have regular bowl movements at that time.

Eat seasonally with squash, pumpkin and fresh vegetables. Fruits, nuts and grains are also in abundance this time of year. Barley soup is especially hardy and warming during the crisp autumn weather. Grapes are ripe and are a great internal cleanser and a good tonic for the lungs. It is also the season for garlic, comfrey and burdock root. Start canning and storing up food for the coming winter.

Autumn is considered the time of ”Metal” energy or the energy of constriction and reformation. Whether exercising, meditating or sleeping, face the West, and at night, gather energy from the planet Venus. Do exercises that emphasize staying loose and stretching, as they help compensate for the tendency to constrict.

After completing projects started in the spring and summer, it is time for putting your affairs in order and for more self reflection with home-oriented activities. Do sitting meditations and start to slow things down – especially after the Autumn Equinox. Autumn brings inspirational ideas, group activities and an increasing awareness of inner processes. It is the overall time to prepare for the long, quiet winter energy just ahead.