As we approach the spring equinox, the wind stirs and the golden hills are transformed to a vibrant green.  Fresh young shoots arrive in the garden, baby lambs and chicks remind us that it’s a time of fertility and renewal.  

The element associated with spring is wood, which combines nutrients from deep in the soil with the power of the sun (photosynthesis) to create new life.  Think of the branches on a tree- how buds arise out from the formerly dormant tips once the temperatures start to rise, and burst forth with an array of fresh green leaves at the peak of spring.  Our bodies are like the trees- we’ve conserved our energy like sap throughout the winter by staying cozy and sleeping more, and now it’s time to pull on all the energy we’ve kept in storage over the past dark months and use it to wake up and greet the sun.  

As we move out of the dark of winter and into a more yang time of year, we can engage in activities to help shake off the sleep of winter and move up and out into spring!  

Here five steps to help with a gentle transition into spring:

1. Eat more veggies and fresh herbs, especially green ones like dandelion greens and fresh nettles.

2. Incorporate the sour flavor into your diet through citrus.  A glass of warm water with lemon first thing in the morning mildly stimulates our liver (the organ associated with the wood element) to detox.

3. Focus on stretching rather than cardio or strength training.  The wood element governs the tendons and now is the time to nourish them with gentle movement.

4. Spend time outside gazing at green plants.  Your eyes are a window through which the wood element penetrates the body, so let them be bathed with green light.

5. Practice radical honesty and expressing your truth.  The liver is where stored emotions can get stuck, so now is the time to let them flow!  A little anger is healthy and can be channeled into taking action to change things in the world and in your life for the better.

To end, a quote from one of the foundational texts of Chinese medicine, The Yellow Emperor’s Classic, composed during the Han Dynasty (about 2,000 years ago):

The three months of spring denote effusion and  spreading. Heaven and earth work mutually to  generate life and the myriad things flourish.  Go to rest late at night and rise early. Move through the courtyard with long strides.  Dishevel the hair and relax the body so the will can be generated.

-Nei Jing Su Wen Chapter 2

The key premises here are spreading and relaxing, as well as fertility and vitality associated with the wood element. Spring time often inspires people to create new habits and break out of stuck patterns.  Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be a wonderful support as you transform into new ways of being.  Please reach out if you’re ready to transform!