seasonal influence

Dec

2016

Winter Solstice Qi Node · Dōng Zhì 冬至

✍️Wᴇɴᴅʏ Bʀᴏᴡɴ 文婷中医

Winter Solstice · Dong Zhi · 冬至 · Qi Node begins on December 21st – 22nd

This is the point in the year where the extreme of Yin energy is upon us, and hence, in the Universal balancing of Yin-Yang, Yang begins its return. In so, we enjoy the increasing presence of light. Warmth, rest, and reflection puts us in harmony with the contractive Yin nature of Winter. Keep Yang Qi strong by avoiding prolonged exposure to cold. Eat warming, nourishing foods. Sleep, but not too long as too much sleep produces too much Yin. Move, but in a gentle manner, as with T’ai Chi Chuan and Gentle, Yin, Restorative yogas. Mindfully preserve Kidney Essence and keep a conservative perspective with regard to bedroom activity. Introspection is called for. Contemplate your forthcoming life, reveling in the austere beauty of this moment and season.

Heaven engenders water to make Earth fertile.

Water dwells in the North, is the season of Winter, and among viscera pertains to Kidney.

Water represents the elemental trigram of Kǎn☵ in the iChing Book of Changes.

Water flows onward, uninterrupted, reaching its destination.

“Being sincere, one has purity and thus meets with success.”

Well-Wishes, Health and Light to All.

Aug

2015

Late Summer, The Fifth Season

The 5th elemental season in oriental cosmology is known as “Late Summer” and known as the elemental season of Earth. This is a season of abundance and flourishing life. Balanced Earth energy always provides a solid foundation upon which further endeavors can be based.

The golden season of late summer as regarded in Chinese 5 element cosmology, is the point in the progression of the seasons when nature itself is abundantly imbued in thickness, weight, and is in the culminating stage of growth and fruition that makes way for harvest. Late summer is considered to be the fifth season and has its elemental correspondence within the Earth element, axis of the five elements. Earth secures the human microcosm with the virtues of integrity, trust, loyalty, empathy, reciprocity and is also the seat of intellect. When one is in thought, vital blood of the Heart ascends to the brain. The capacity for thought and contemplation supports our life’s momentum by integrating, enriching, and providing the ripeness to nourish our destiny.

May All Welcome the Prosperity that comes of Kindness and Sharing

Oct

2014

Fall Foods to Cultivate Health

✍️Wendy Brown, Lic. Ac.

With chill in the air it is of particular importance to recognize our need for nourishing foods. Along with the cold, autumn brings the seasonal influence of dryness. Fall is a time of contraction; when our bodies and the natural surroundings tighten and contract to maintain warmth. Rather than salads, raw juices, and foods that are chilled, which appeal in summer and late summer seasons, in transitioning to fall it becomes essential that our food be nourishing, grounding, and that it secure warmth within.

In fall we build our bodily stores for winter. Nuts are good food and whole grains such as millet and sweet rice are a must. Paramount in autumn are roasted root vegetables such as parsnip, sweet potato, beets, turnip, rutabaga, leeks, and carrots, which provide nourishing starches, vitamins, build protein-rich stores, and offer a balanced warming nature that is especially beneficial now. Winter squashes offer similar nourishment to that of root vegetables. Cooking methods of roasting, stewing, sautéing, and mashing offer plenty of versatility in the preparation of root vegetables and winter squashes. Ripened pears and persimmon are autumn’s perfect medicinal fruit offerings which nourish and replenish the yin of the lungs and stomach, bringing balance to the effects of seasonal dryness.

With there always being a fine line between nourishing and clogging the body, it is best to keep food portions reasonably light and to cook everything well now, and throughout the upcoming more inactive season of winter to therefore enhance digestion. Nourishment from food is the source of strengthening Wei Qi which wards externally pernicious wind invasion and prevents colds and flu from setting in. This is now the time to reduce coffee and other stimulant foods. In the phase of autumn, slowing down, building reserves, and grounding for the eventuality of winter, we remain in rhythm with the expectations of the season, and continue regardless of the excesses of the season, to cultivate good health and wisdom.

With all best wishes for

good health and well being