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Although we think of January 1 as the beginning of the year, we can also think of spring as a beginning, as well. During this season we slough off the cool and damp days of winter, and welcome warmth and brightness. In this process, spring becomes the pinnacle of new growth and the start of a new cycle.
Spring’s Wood Element
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the spring season is represented by the element of Wood which symbolizes birth, growth, and development.
To capture the energy of Wood, consider how during this time of year, elements such as wind, water and light bring forth countless new forms. These forms are created from energies that rested, germinated, and hibernated through the cold winter. Seeds, buds, and bulbs explode into stems while once bare trees and plots are suddenly transformed into shoots and leaves. This growth, rapid and expansive, is the epitome of Wood energy, an expression of life at its strongest.
If our Wood element is not healthy, we may experience perpetual anger and frustration, unable to experience the springtime within. We may have a sense that growth and change is happening around us, yet too stuck inside. This is akin to the person who can’t see the forest for the trees, who’s unable to get started because it’s never quite right.
The Wind of Spring
With such emphatic energy, it is no wonder that the climate associated with spring is Wind. Wind is an expression of nature in movement, playing out the tension of firmness and flexibility.
In the language of weather, wind indicates change. Gusts of wind blow insects and seedlings from place to place, changing the population of geographic areas over time. Accordingly, the expression “winds of change” speaks of the unpredictability of life, how an event or a series of events will cause an important change or result.
In life, we see wind’s power and prowess. It is a force that can bring creative energy, such as through windmills and sailboats. On the other hand, wind can wreak havoc in the form of tornados and hurricanes. And in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wind is an agent of illness carrying colds and other germ diseases into a body with weak defenses. Penetrating the skin, particularly around the neck, head, and upper back, Wind is the reason why your acupuncturist recommends a scarf during the spring.
3 Ways to Live in Harmony with the Spring Season
- Start your day early and with a brisk walk.
Allow the sunshine to lift you up and out. And as you walk outside, notice the growth and abundance around you, and feel life awaken within.
- Begin new things.
Just as nature reinvents itself this time of year, so can we. Try to look at people and situations with new eyes. Let new growth mend over old wounds. Be creative! Make things, do things – at home, at work, and in yourself. - Contemplate how you wish to prepare for your summer harvest.
Spring does not last forever. Use its energy wisely, so that the crops you sow are those you wish to harvest. Allow the energy of spring to bring vision.
Sources:
The Season of Wood Energy by Neil Gumenick
Wood Becomes Water: Chinese Medicine in Everyday Life by Gail Reichstein
