Harness the Energy of Spring

Spring is now here in Western New York. We will still have wild, up-and-down weather with iconic WNY temperature swings. But erratic weather is also occurring everywhere, in different ways, here in North America and around the world.

As a Classical Five-Element Acupuncturist, I thought I would write about the Energy of Spring as described in Chinese Medical Theory. I’m compelled to write about this now because I’m hearing from many people who say they are completely exhausted and have no energy, motivation, or drive to do anything. In other words, they cannot “Spring Forward!” I understand why this is happening, but it is generally very concerning to me!

Here’s how it works. Think about an analog clock face or the Yin Yang Symbol. Now put Summer at 12:00 a.m., right at the top of the circle. Spring would be at the number 9. The energy of the seasons moves clockwise. We all know that Spring leads to summer. Summer is at the height of the annual cycle of the seasons. In Chinese Medicine, Spring, which corresponds to the Wood Element, is the Mother of the Summer, the Fire Season. The mother element feeds the child element. WOOD feeds FIRE. Also, as in the human experience, the mother or Wood will become depleted if the child consumes the mother excessively. If the mother element is not adequately fed, it will become depleted. Then, not only will the mother be depleted, but there is also a risk that the child will not be properly nourished.

The Energy of Springtime is a strong, upwardly and wildly laterally moving force. For the upwardly moving force, think about the blade of grass or a dandelion that pushes up between the cracks in a sidewalk. For the laterally moving energy, think about all those roots wending their way through the earth as they are sending up and out growth. That force is gaining momentum as nature continues to move into its maturation stage. Much productivity is afoot. The restfulness of wintertime has replenished the storehouses and energy reserves. Many things must take place for a future, hoped-for harvest to manifest its bounty. If the quietude of wintertime did not happen, there would be little or weak energy to fulfill the destiny of activity, production & fruition.

If there is weak energy now, the maturation phase will be weakened. If the maturation phase is weakened, the harvest will be meager or nonexistent. No goal accomplished. No destiny fulfilled.

So dear readers, if you are one of the many who are exhausted now, please PAUSE. All is not lost! Slow down to regain and nourish yourself. Yes, you’re a little late if you missed that opportunity during the wintertime. But all is not lost! Mother Nature is very forgiving. She wants all her children to thrive and be happy. Here are some things you can do to align with the natural world for a Happy Spring.

TO DO’s for an enriching and meaningful SPRINGTIME:

• Dig in the Earth.

• Prepare the Earth for future planting by installing dense nutrients. Most of our soil is depleted. Dirt needs to be fed to grow sumptuous fruits and veggies and beautiful flowers! Start taking those vitamins and minerals yourself. Those will deeply nourish your cells, bringing you back to life. Consult with your trusted healthcare provider on this. We need more than the baseline of Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA). Go slowly; be careful when introducing new dietary substances to avoid negative side effects.

• Get a lot of SLEEP. Take naps. I know, I know. You’re busy! Even 15 minutes of pretending you’re asleep will help reset your central nervous system (CNS). Sleep hygiene (what’s that?!) truly is important.

• PET a cat. Any cat, if he will let you. You both will be purring. There is nothing quite as comforting as a purring cat. It will also have a positive effect on your CNS.

• PLAY with your dog.

• PLAY with your people.

• HIKE in the woods. Breathe in the forest.

• NOTICE  and welcome back our Southern Feathered Friends and our human “Snowbirds” returning to our cooler climes.

• BREATHE. Long, deep, slow breaths are helpful.

• READ what is enriching for you.

• LISTEN to music. Any kind that resets your mind to a different frequency.

• LOVE all beings. Love really is the answer to everything. Learn to love. At least learn to notice what love is. Romantic love is a beginning. Universal, unconditional Life Force of Love is even better. Go to the authentic masters of spiritual awakening, self-realization, or enlightenment for lifelong lessons on universal love.

• PRACTICE GRATITUDE for all people, places, events, and things. Even the ones you don’t like. Why? Because those people, places, and things are clarifying what is good for you. They, too, are your teachers. Learning what to adopt and what to discard is key.

• Do some SPRING CLEANING. Get rid of the things, including behaviors, that no longer serve your highest purpose. Make room for the new and fresh that will come into your life once you make the space.