The Liver and Gallbladder are Dominant during SpringĪccording to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver and gallbladder are the dominant organs during spring.Īs a side note, each organ is linked with an emotion. Spring is anger, summer is joy, late summer is pensiveness, fall is sadness, and winter is fear. The above diagram doesn’t show it, but each season is also related to a dominant emotion. In TCM theory, there are 5 elements, each associated with a season, climate, taste, colour, and organ/set of organs.Īs you can see, spring is connected with the element of wood, the climate of wind, sour tastes, the colour green, and the liver. It is mostly what we consume that influences our body chemistry and inner workings, so this is the main focus. And when has she ever led us astray, really?Ī big part of TCM involves dietary guidelines about what foods to include seasonally, and what foods to omit. This is supposed to be the most effective way to heal, as it follows in the steps of our wise Mother Nature. Healing is a holistic process centred around aligning the human body with the 5 seasons: spring, summer, late summer, winter, and fall. In the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is understood that the seasons affect bodily functions. It’s incredible how refreshing a new haircut can be!īut how do we know what changes we need to make so that we’re on the right track with our health? Traditional Chinese Medicine has much wisdom to offer us in this respect.įinding Balance with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) It’s a good time to employ some dietary changes, switch up our exercise routine and even change our appearance. Springtime is when we usually begin new career paths, end old relationships, and enter into new ones. We become especially attentive to our environment, clearing and rearranging our dwelling spaces to reflect the new vibrant energy of spring. Mainly, the impulse to get rid of the old and make space for the new takes us over. We spring into action in different ways at this time. Nature starts to come alive all around us, as do we. Fresh green buds on branches inspire us to start new ventures of our own and open ourselves up to novel life experiences.

In contrast, the energy at springtime is dynamic, optimistic, hopeful, vibrant, and buoyant. Having been held under a blanket of frost for several months, everything now begins to thaw out – including us! Winter has a way of “freezing” our progress just a little, as we focus on self-preservation and conservation of supplies. Spring is all about new beginnings and things coming back to life. So how does the season of spring affect us, then? What significance does it bear in our lives and how can we learn from Mother Nature so that we can adapt and grow alongside her? Here are a few main things they can influence: Much like how the phases of the moon silently tug on us, creating shifts in our behaviour, the more long-drawn-out cycles we refer to as seasons have their own way of affecting us right down to the cellular level.Įven some medical research shows that the seasons do affect us in numerous ways. Our perspectives on life can flip-flop, and even our mental clarity can diminish or improve depending on what time of year it is.

Consequently, throughout the year, our mood and energy levels will shift, our digestion and weight will fluctuate, and we might become more prone to falling ill at times. They express the notion of transformation in a charmingly cinematic way.Īs the seasons shift, so do our bodies and minds, since we are integrally connected to nature. Nothing teaches us this simple truth better than the transitioning seasons. Everything that arises will eventually come to pass – it’s the crux of yoga philosophy.

Spring yin yoga sequence