Oh spring, we love you! Spring to me is like early morning after sleeping all night. It's alive. It's calling. It's blooming. It's radiant. It's alluring. It's enveloping. It's fragrant. It's filling. It's fresh. It's hopeful. It's smiling. It's, well,...it's spring! Everywhere we look new life is exploding! We see this in nature, the light of day, and hopefully our own lives! Just as the plants, flowers, and trees are opening and blossoming and birthing, so too are we called! This is the time of year to clean, clear, open and express.
In Chinese medicine, this time of year is governed by the wood element which simultaneously grows down and inward, and up and outward and rules the gallbladder and liver in our bodies. The gallbladder and liver function to digest and process all of the substances we take into our bodies. Sour is the taste of the season, and anger is the emotion. Wood and spring's climate is wind, and the direction is east where the sun rises and we welcome day. Wind nourishes wood, sweeping out the old and encouraging the new to form. It's a great time for birthing ideas and following them through! Imbalances show up with extremes, extreme wind, agitation, or consumption affect our resistance to allergies or illness during this time. A healthy wood element means feeling grounded and balanced in the body and muscles, ligaments and tendons. Being moderate, considerate and balanced in our food and drink intake helps the liver and gallbladder to function optimally and keeps us feeling great. And if anger arises, feel it and let it pass through!
Spring is the perfect time to reduce heavy warming foods of winter and increase lighter foods like fruits and vegetables, grains, seeds, sprouts, and lentils. Greens are a traditional part of the spring diet and there are many to choose from this time of year. The farmer's markets are bustling with fresh, organic, seasonal foods, taking out any guesswork and allowing us to experience the energy of cared for, local food, and connection! Spring is also a great time to cleanse, encouraging clearing to make way for new, fresh energy, fresh light, fresh choices, and life changes.
