With the help of Dr. Loki, here is the Chinese medicine perspective on the interaction of events, as spring merges into summer this year through the pandemic.
A lot has happened this year that many of us find difficult to sit with. Change has been rapid, forceful, and unexpected. This article provides a glimpse of how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views some of the events and how we may help find some comfort in a time of distress, plus how seasons correspond to the body internally. Both our global and local communities felt the impacts of world events. As uncertain conditions continued, we became more uncomfortable and less at ease in our body, mind, and souls, leading to a severe blockage for many people.
Spring: Liver, Wood, Wind
Spring represents wood energy, when growth and movement occur, and trees and flowers are blossoming. In Chinese medicine, this wood energy in the body coordinates with liver flow. We encountered COVID-19 at the beginning of spring, which caused energy that normally bursts forward to be held back. One of the primary functions of the liver is to control the smooth flow of qi and blood through the meridians and organs in our body. When the liver becomes out of balance, this energy becomes stagnant, as it most likely did while sheltering in place, not to mention the ongoing stressors of the pandemic. This stagnant qi can wreak havoc within all of the other systems and become a systemic issue, impacting physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Emotionally, when the liver is out of balance, it can manifest with anger, irritability, frustration, and impatience.
Physically, liver qi imbalances can contribute to acute conditions. These can arise quickly due to liver-wind energy manifesting as skin rashes, poison oak, eczema, psoriasis, or acute immune responses (such as a rapid onset of colds or flus with immediate high fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, etc.), asthma, and most commonly allergies.
Summer: Heart, Fire, Mind
As the spring season ends, heat builds and summer begins. In Chinese medicine, summer represents fire energy, which corresponds to the heart. The shen (“mind”) resides in the heart. This is often seen in the spark of light in the eyes and clarity of mind. This seasonal transition coincidentally aligned with the easing of the pandemic and the killing of George Floyd, causing a major uproar for social justice and change. The interaction of the pent-up, spring, wood energy with fire in these heated incidents caused extreme heat and flaring reactivity, like a blazing wildfire. The heart opens into the tongue and controls speech. It is one way we express fire outward. With the relationship of the tongue and heart, there is a connection to communication. We see a potential for transformation of dysfunctional patterns. In some instances and protests, we see blazing speech followed by unfavorable action, such as violence. As the constrictive fire blazing with wood and wind energy stirring the mind combine in an excessive, less-balanced state, the result often arises in patterns of less mindfulness toward human kindness and compassion for all.
Finding Balance as Seasons Transition
In its natural cycle, the seasonal transition from spring to summer can be very melodic and enjoyable, generally a wonderful time of year celebrating mothers, fathers, end of school years, and graduates. On the other hand (as we’re seeing this year), there can also be a disruption within the wood season flow. Excessive wood energy that is stagnant and left to build up in extreme piles can feed into the summer fire, which will blaze up and wreak havoc. With the connection of shen in the heart, there is potential for impure motivation, unstable thoughts, or lack of clarity. Additionally, the liver-wind energy may blow on this fire, causing increased agitation of our energetic, physical, and emotional imbalances. In TCM, the qi follows the mind; therefore, the number one focus is to regulate the nervous system by calming the mind and spirit. As the mind becomes calm and settles, the body follows that qi, resulting in a peaceful homeostasis. Secondly, treatments balance and harmonize the smooth flow of qi. As the qi harmonizes, life’s challenges, as well as love and compassion for others, become effortless, and a sense of unity flows between our mind and the outside world. As our motivation becomes affected through this process, our actions follow.
3 Tips to Help Keep Your Liver Qi Moving
- Do a movement practice, such as qigong, tai chi, walking, and yoga.
- Consciously take deep breaths with an audible sigh several times a day.
- Eat green, leafy, bitter vegetables, such as kale, dandelion greens, and arugula. Add cilantro and parsley into your diet every day, and drink warm lemon water every morning upon waking.
If you are feeling additional discomfort and emotion, now may be a good time to seek out care, such as acupuncture, to have your energetic, emotional, and physical body reset.
