How Traditional Chinese Medicine relates to Spring

Spring! It is now the season of get up and go! A time of rousing after winter, a season of felt activity. It is the season to eat foods that grow above ground – foods with upward energies, like young sprouting greens and greens in general.

Most of us love this season, but for many, the changeable weather patterns can feel like a tease. Nature begins to blossom and hint at new possibility, yet we still need our jackets when we go outside. My daughter gets so excited seeing the new blossoms, for her she associates this with Summer and swimming at the beach – but honoring our bodies thermic nature as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) promotes, its still a little cool for this!

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the philosophy and foundation for which acupuncture steams, there is a proverb chun wu qiu dong meaning, “layer up in the spring and stay cool in the autumn” as according to TCM, Spring is the season for new growth. In the body this is expressed as the Yang (“hot” energy) rising and gradually building. But just as a vegetable sprouts need the protection of a greenhouse in the early spring, the internal Yang of the body is still too weak to resist the coldness of the external environment. Layering up is necessary so the Yang energy can be nurtured toward the summer-time peak. So try and keep your scarf on for the next month so the Spring wind cannot enter the body – not protecting ourselves this way is often why so many catch a later winter virus at the start of Spring!

At the end of this month, I will offer a session called “Meridian Flow, Spring to Summer.” This session will offer the experience of Qi Gong movements to free course the bodies liver energy that has been contained over winter, some yoga poses to attention the meridians (energetic pathways in our bodies) which are most active in Spring and share some inspiration from a TCM perspective to harmonise our internal fire which becomes active in Summer.

Qi Gong literally means “life energy cultivation” or energy intention, the movements in Qi Gong reveal a gentle sense of your own internal energy pathways and are wonderful for calming the central nervous system. Such is suitable for anybody – the movements in Qi Gong are usually practiced standing, they are slow, gentle and intentional.

Spring is also great time for a seasonal wellness “tune in” acupuncture treatment. For appointments, please see bookings under Chinese Medicine or contact reception.

In wellness and joy!

Ange Gervan

Golden Yogi Acupuncturist

Spring Cleansing

There is a clear-crisp feeling in the air that has the power to reveal new visions and inspires new possibilities.  In nature this is the best time to plant seeds, we can mirror nature’s way in our lives by sowing the seeds we wish to harvest in the upcoming months. So when the spring equinox passes on September 23rd, the shift in universal energy will infuse us with the inspiration to ‘spring’ into action setting us up for the season ahead - summer!  

As an acupuncturist we look at health in relation to the seasons, if you have had a challenging winter, look back to your experience of autumn – often stressful autumn months result in stress on the immune system in winter.  With September in full-swing, you now have a chance to reconnect to the start of a new cycle and connect with health practices that will reward you in the seasons to come.  Perhaps it’s time to see your naturopath to receive a herbal remedy to enhance your constitution and gain some lifestyle tweaks, or consider rolling out that yoga mat that’s been away much of the winter,  or visit an acupuncturist to balance your system.

In winter there is a natural tendency to indulge in comfort foods, that which keeps us warm and reminds us of childhood – which is a necessary part of nurture for the year.  Spring then offers natural energy to shift to eating lighter meals to align with lighter days.   This season your body may start to let go of warm foods and broths and you may feel like adding a little more salad to your diet again or even a green smoothie!  A good idea is to have a green smoothie in the afternoon around 3pm to honour the time of the liver, which is the organ that relates to spring! Blend coconut water, spinach, kale, pear and a medjool date together for a cleansing spring delight.  

Written by Angie Gervan