It seems important to start out by saying that there’s definitely something to leaning into the Yin of winter. That might look like letting ourselves feel less energetic and motivated, perhaps feeling inward and wanting to spend more time alone. Chinese Medicine is all about living in harmony with the seasons. That being said, in order for balance to exist, Yin cannot exist without Yang. This acupoint is just one tool to help balance the Yin of winter with a little bit of Yang. What is Yang? It’s the opposite of Yin. It is warmth, it is light, it is movement, it is ascending, it’s energy. In Western medicine speak, think of it as a shot of B12 or a dose of Vitamin D.
Du20 Baihui (pronounced bye hoo-eh) is located on the very top of the head (quick aside – my first week in acupuncture school, I called it BAH HOOEY, boasting my complete lack of knowledge of Chinese pronunciation at the time). This is a special point for many reasons, most especially because it has a dual action of either sedating or tonifying. For the purposes of raising Yang for winter, we’ll focus on this point’s ability to tonify. Due to the convergence of many of the Yang meridians at this point, in combination with its location at the top of the head, it is indicated for raising Yang, which includes lifting mood, energy, and improving focus. It is a point that is often used anytime there is too much ‘downward’ energy, as in such cases of prolapsed organs, loose stools, and a tendency towards miscarriage.
If you come in for acupuncture, you are probably already very familiar with this point because it is so commonly used. Go into any acupuncture school in the world and you may very well find many of the students with a needle sticking out of the top of their head! You can use this point ANYTIME (if you are falling asleep at work, having a hard time getting your head off the pillow due to pandemic fatigue or winter doldrums, or just need a bit of a wake-up/refresh) by tapping this point with all five finger repeatedly. To add a little extra, you could apply a little bit of aromatherapy, using peppermint or a citrus essential oil to the tips of your fingers before tapping Du20.
A few other ways to raise Yang in winter (Chinese Medicine aside):
- Light a candle and watch the flame. Internalize the warmth and glow that it emanates.
- Listen to Mariachi music (unless you happen to hate Mariachi music). Guaranteed to bring you spice to counterbalance the winter’s cold.
- This one takes bravery, but it works if you are feeling low energy/low mood. It is said to activate the sympathetic nervous system and release good feeling endorphins. Ok, so you are in the shower, it’s nice and warm and everything is great. Gradually turn down the temperature until it is cold. You don’t have to stay under the cold water for long, just enough to feel invigorated.
