Written by Dr. Pia Franco, DACM, MSTOM, L.Ac.
The Energetics of Summer
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) understands that our body reflects nature and its elements- Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, & Wood. Just as energetics shift throughout the year into different seasons, our bodies do the same! Aligning with the shifting energetics of the year can help us optimize our energy and quality of life as we remember where we came from & return to the center of our healthiest, most radiant selves.
Each season has its own set of associations: its own organ system, element, color, smell, flavor, emotion, movement, direction, and sound.
In TCM, the Summer season is associated with:
- The Fire element
- Heart (Yin), Small Intestine (Yang), Pericardium (Yin), and San Jiao (Yang) organ systems
- The energies of warmth & expansion
- The color red
- The emotion of joy and mania
- Laughter
- Bitter flavor
- Intimacy, passion, wit, charm, desire
Summer is the most Yang time of the year and holds the highest & most active energy. This is such a great time to connect with loved ones, attend a comedy show, expand your social network, start a new workout regimen, or take a class! Take advantage of the high energy that the universe holds for us during this season.
Summer & the Heart
The heart houses our mind/spirit, or Shen. This includes our consciousness, thinking, intelligence, emotions, memory, and our sleep. When we have an imbalance in our Heart organ system, it can manifest as anxiety, mania, insomnia, confusion, inability to speak your truth, poor memory, or lack of purpose
The heart governs our blood vessels and blood circulation. Physical manifestations of a Heart imbalance can include palpitations, chest pain, mouth ulcers, poor circulation, edema, or sweaty palms.
Tips to live optimally during Summer time:
- Nourish the Heart
- Practice self-love. Embrace your unique qualities and feel great about them! During summer think about 3 things (DAILY) that you absolutely adore about yourself. It may feel silly at first, but this simple act goes a long way in communicating self-worth with your subconscious mind! Rose quartz can help awaken this essence within.
- Eat bitter foods. These foods can help clear heat that accumulates over the summer, specifically helping to balance the Heart organ system.
- Arugula, Celery, cucumber, coffee, cacao, lettuce
- Journal to release your thoughts and process your emotions. The Heart processes all of our emotions, so holding onto or repressing feelings can manifest physically in the body.
- Connect with a friend that you’ve shared some good laughs with! Social connection keeps the heart filled with joy, and laughter protects the heart by helping with blood flow and can also help to release endorphins, an endogenous hormone that helps us relax, feel good, and stops pain.
- Practice candle-gazing meditation
- Find a dark, quiet, uninterrupted space and take a comfortable seat with a lit candle in front of you, ideally at eye level.
- Set your intention, remembering that meditation is not a goal but a present-moment journey. If you are unsure about this part, that’s okay! Just quiet your mind and focus on your breath- how does your breath feel as it passes through your nose and out your mouth? Observe your thoughts pass by.
- Set a timer for 1 minute.
- Gaze at the flickering (or still) flame, trying to refrain from blinking.
- When you’re ready, gently cup your hands over your eyes and gently massage around your eyes.
- Give yourself gratitude for dedicating time to connect with your inner light and the element of fire.
- Get acupuncture! Treatments can help address mental & emotional wellness, boosting immunity for seasonal transitions, aches & pains, gut imbalances, and so much more! Schedule an appointment today and receive 15% off your acupuncture treatment with Dr. Pia by mentioning this article!
