Spring Has Sprung!
In Chinese medicine the element of Wood & the organs of the Liver & Gallbladder are associated with Springtime. Just like the trees & plant-life around us, spring is a time for us to reach upward & outward while trusting the depth & resiliency of our roots, & allowing the season's familiar winds to showcase the beauty of our flexibility rather than meeting them with rigidity & fear.
In early spring, as the trees come out of the dormancy of winter & fill with the sap of life, the color green highlights the landscape, & new life begins to blossom forth. Like the trees, we feel our potential rising up within, yet we may often feel pent up for we do not yet know how it will manifest later in the season. It is normal for us to feel mixed feelings of joy, excitement, anger, irritability, & impatience, as the Liver which is "the General" in charge of free flow (of blood, qi, emotions, etc) throughout the body-mind-spirit, can easily become constrained in response to the innumerable stressors of modern living.
So, be kind to your Liver & the Wood within you by:
- Moving your body daily (walk, hike, stretch/yoga, qi gong)
- Creating space (declutter, clean out your closet/pantry/car/mind/body)
- Eating slowly & healthfully (light, fresh whole foods from the earth, especially sprouts! I'm obsessed with sunflower & broccoli sprouts at the moment)
- Trying something new - be playful
- Drinking plenty of filtered water with fresh lemon juice
- Setting goals - especially with the promise of summer - the dynamic, active, transformative season of Fire ahead
- Meditating, breathing mindfully &/or journaling to cultivate calm presence & self awareness
- Oh, and of course, come see your trusty acupuncturists at Elemental Family for some gentle, nurturing, smile-inducing, liver-friendly treatment! Among other things, Springtime means that seasonal allergies and hayfever are OUT of control right now for oh so many folks! The good news is: you don't have to suffer anymore! Acupuncture, cupping, Chinese herbs, and more, can have a significant impact on relieving your allergy symptoms and addressing the root cause. Check out what one delighted patient had to say about it:
“A nagging sinus issue led me to Hannah at Elemental Family. I’d never tried acupuncture or cupping but had heard of others’ success with it. After three visits to the sanctuary that is the Elemental Family practice, I was feeling infinitely better. The kindness, patience and care I received was as healing as the Chinese herb tinctures. I cannot say enough about how wonderful they are.”
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