Energetics of Spring
April 6, 2017
Chinese Medicine theory of five elements follows the energetics of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Each of these elements is linked to a particular season and aspects of nature (sight, smell, sound, color), emotions, and body organs with their processes. The changes between the different seasons allow the elements to flow into each other also changing the energetics of the season. The energetics of that season will bring out that particular energetic in you, whether they are in excess or deficiency their imbalance will show.
So what does the season of spring have in store for us?
The energetics of Spring are of new birth, up and outwards just like new spring plants push their way out of the dirt. Spring is associated with the element of Wood. Wood is about growth and strength, flexibility, durability, and the ability to root into visions moving up and out with your plans and bending in whichever direction you need to go to execute them. This also describes woods associated organs our Liver/Gallbladder (the energetics of the organs not the actual organs themselves). The Liver is much like a military leader who excels in strategic planning and the gallbladder like his general who makes decisions and judgments. A harmonious Liver will create a life with clear direction and the flexibility to execute the plans to bring the visions to life.
Entering into the season of wood will bring our Livers energy out and show us where imbalances may lay.
When the Wood Qi (energy) is weak you can be indecisive, without strong direction, and can feel just overall stuck. Emotions will also be stuck, feeling of anger may be bubbling but unable to be expressed.
On the other hand if Liver Qi is stagnant you will not be easily flexible like Wood, you can be arrogant, over controlling and can be outwardly angry. The experience of growth and rebirth that is happening all around you in the spring cannot seem to happen for you. How frustrating! Sensing the growth but being unable to grow and instead stuck in chaos without a plan.
Liver is linked with the eyes so it is common to have eye issues in the Spring, itching, dryness, redness. Tendons are the tissue associated with the Liver, strength comes from tendons so again if your Liver is out of balance and not feeling flexible neither will your tendons. The color green is associated with the Liver (think green grass and leaves!), a liver imbalance could show up as a greenish tinge to the skin. Other physical manifestations of a Liver imbalance could be pain just below ribs (hypochondriac area), dry brittle nails, the Liver meridian reaches the head so headaches could appear and since the Liver meridian cycles the genital area there could be discomfort there as well. Think menstrual problems such as PMS, painful heavy periods and uterine fibroids for woman as well as itching and soreness. If your Liver energy is very excessive you could experience severe digestive issues and even have problems with addictions, extremist tendencies since the Liver is being rigid and not flexible. The emotion the Liver is associated with is Anger, no wonder we can feel extra antsy as spring energy enters the air.
Tips for keeping your liver happy in the spring:
- Keep Moving! The Liver gets angry when its energy becomes stuck, and then you become outwardly angry as well! Keep your Livers Qi (energy) moving to keep it flowing through your body. Outdoor activities will keep your Liver even happier! It wants to breathe in those fresh spring breezes and lay eyes on the new green buds.
- Raw foods. When the Livers energy is stuck just like a stuck tire spinning its wheel it begins to get all hot and bothered, cool it down with some raw or quickly cooked veggies and lots of quality H2O. Sprouted grains, beans, seeds, and fresh fruit and vegetables will nourish the Liver. This is also a good time of year to do a short cleansing diet of light foods.
- Bitter and sour foods reduce excesses of the Liver. A shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning does wonders for a stagnant Liver. Bitter foods include rye, romaine lettuce, asparagus, amaranth, quinoa, alfalfa, radish leaves, citrus peel. Bitter herbs such as dandelion root, bupleurum, mandarin, milk thistle seeds can all be found in dried tea or liquid tincture form at a local health food store.
- Liver detoxifying foods such as mung beans, sprouts, lettuce, cucumber, watercress, seaweed, celery, millet, tofu, plum, mushrooms, rhubarb root, radish (especially daikon radish) can be added into the diet. As well as Liver rejuvenating foods that are chlorophyll rich (cereal grasses, spirulina, wild blue-green algae).
- Express your emotions! Have you ever heard the expression “better out than in”. Keeping emotions bottled up inside will only leave them to eat away at you causing them to build up and create stagnation in the body. Confront your emotions head on, allow them to be expressed and fully felt. Your Liver will thank you!
With all these dietary and detoxifying suggestions, it is important to choose only the ones that resonate with you. If a diet of light eating and romaine lettuce does not appeal to you at this time, but some milk thistle does, go for the milk thistle!
If you feel like your Liver or any other area of your body needs some extra TLC let me know, together we can create an Herbal formula and some lifestyle changes that will bring you back into harmony!