Seasonal Advice Sheet

The Chinese philosophy of Taoism never judges good or bad, but merely celebrates the diversity of life with all its contrasting qualities.

The element associated with the winter season, is water. Imagine all the possible expressions of the water element in nature: from the raindrop, to the puddle, a spring, a babbling brook, a vast river, yielding to the rocks in its path, a deep, dark, mysterious pool. The list is endless!

Winter is described as a “yin” season (see philosophy for an explanation of yin and yang). Water is seen as the most yin element.

This is not a time to rush around madly as we all do a few days before xmas, getting those last minute pressies.This is a season for relative stillness, contemplation, and sleep (hibernation would be a nice way to avoid a British winter!)

Having let go of some physical and emotional baggage in the autumn (see autumn advice sheet), we enter winter to preserve and store our energy, building our reserves for the spring. (think of a bulb planted in Autumn, gradually preparing to burst forth in the spring)

The Taoist philosophy strongly recommends following the cycles of seasons as a guide to how we live. Electric lighting and central heating encourage us to push through winter at the same pace as every other day of the year.

Try slowing down a little!!

The organs associated with the water element are the kidney and the bladder. These organs may be more vulnerable in the winter. The kidney, in Chinese medicine is responsible primarily for our energy reserves, the health of our bones, our ears, and our sexual energy. Interestingly, this sexual energy should be preserved a little more in the winter - save it for spring, like the bunnies do!!

Activities that can drain the kidney energy:

• Prolonged standing
• Excessive heavy exercise
• Shift work
• Excessive sexual practices (particularly in men)

The kidney area (along the small of your back) must be kept warm, so those trendy, short tops are not helping the poor kidneys! The 1st point of the kidney channel is on the soles of the feet, so keep them warm, and avoid walking on cold floors.

Winter doesn’t have to be a time of doom and gloom, although the emotion associated with a weakness in the kidney energy is fear.

The antidote to fear is wisdom and we all have access to our intuition, or our guidance system that lets us know how we are feeling at any given moment, and points us to things that make us feel good.

Have a wonderful, warm winter!!

If winter is a difficult time for you, you may want to come for an acupuncture session to warm you up! When the energetic pathways linking your organs are strengthened with acupuncture, your whole being feels alive.