Springtime in Chinese Medicine

Creativity. Growth. Flexibility. Vision.

According to classical Chinese medicine, these are qualities associated with the energy of Springtime. Living in an agrarian society, the ancient Chinese had ample opportunity to observe the natural world in great detail. They came to understand that each season carries a distinct energy which also manifests in the functioning of our bodies, minds, and spirits, since we too belong to the natural world. Within this system of medicine, each season is associated with a particular element, a colour, a climatic force, an emotion, and a set of energy pathways, organs, and physiological functions in the body. Connecting with the energy of the seasons both outdoors and within ourselves can help us stay healthy, cultivate the strengths associated with each season, and recognize when we are getting out of balance.

Springtime is associated with the Wood element, its colour is blue-green, its climatic force is wind, and it is all about creativity, growth, and change. The emotion of Spring is anger, which is not necessarily a negative thing. If we understand anger as the impulse to create change, then we see that it can be a very positive and dynamic force when it is channelled in a healthy way.

Looking inwardly at our bodies, the Liver and the Gallbladder are the internal organs associated with the Spring energy. In the context of Chinese medicine, these organs are in charge of smooth flow throughout the body and they have particular influence over the eyes, the joints, tendons and ligaments, the reproductive system, the blood, and some aspects of digestion.

Mother nature at this time of year is showing us little green shoots of plants that are bursting up through the soil, animals are becoming more active (in some cases giving birth), and the wind has been blowing like nobody's business. All of these signs tell us something about the energy of the season.

It is time for things that have been resting and replenishing, germinating and gestating, hidden and gathering power through the cold and quiet winter, to emerge and burst forth, take form and assert themselves. So it goes with our plans and aspirations - this is the time when the unformed idea begins to take on shape and detail. A time to do, we hone our vision, focus our energy, make decisions and take action. When the inevitable obstacles arise, we stay rooted in our mission while remaining flexible and seeking a new path, just as shoots of grass seek out the cracks in the sidewalk in order to keep reaching for the sun. When the winds of change blow through our lives, we stay rooted in who we are and bend gracefully to accommodate their force. Once the gale has died down, we spring back upright and resume growing in our chosen direction, just like those same blades of grass adapting to the winds.

If our own, internal Springtime energy is strong, then creative flow and adapting to change will come easily to us. However, if our Springtime energy is out of balance, we may lack vision and focus or we may lack the decisiveness and firmness of purpose to achieve our vision. We may be thrown off by changes and obstacles, either becoming rigid, and angry when things do not go according to plan, or feeling so hopeless and frustrated that we give up on our goals.