THE SUMMER SEASON
SUMMER’s Associations
in CHINESE MEDICINE
A season of expansion, growth, activity and creativity.
Element: Fire
Nature: Yang
Yin Organ: Heart
Yang Organ: Small Intestine
Emotion: Joy
Spirit: Shen (Mind)
Climate: Hot
Color: Red
Taste: Bitter
Sense Organ: Tongue
Tissues: Blood Vessels
Sound: Laughter
Virtues: Connectivity
Stage of Development: Maturity
FIRE ELEMENT
Summer is the most yang, energetic time of the year marked by its association with the Fire element and its emphasis on vibrant energy, brightness, and movement. Fire symbolizes transformation, warmth, and vitality and is linked to various aspects of human life, including passion, joy, compassion, and the ability to connect with others. Fire is also a symbol of divinity, transformation and purification.
ORGANS OF SUMMER
The Heart strives for union, finding the experience joyful – the more joy the Heart finds, the more it radiates to others. Like a glowing fire, the Heart spreads warmth to all who come within reach. When our Fire burns too low we lose its warmth and can no longer reach out to others, or connect with those around us in an appropriate way.
The Heart’s sister organ, the Small Intestine, is an alchemist that “sorts,” separates pure from impure, absorbs what we need (body, mind, spirit), and passes on what does not serve.
COmmon themes & COMPLAINTS
Insomnia, irritability, headaches, dizziness, inability to trust one’s own judgment or make decisions, brain fog, rejection of intense work, interest in connection/joy, imbalances or blocks in our fire energy can lead to extreme sadness, a lack of joy and the fear of being lonely or rejected.
Meridian CHANNEL
The Heart, Small Intestine and other supporting channels of the Fire/Summer element all come to surface at the arms. The season asks us to think about our arms. Outstretched to what connections? Reaching to what joy? Releasing tightness in the shoulder, elbow and wrist is a way to open the heart.
Heart Channel (figure A) – The internal pathway originates at the Heart and passes through the diaphragm and surfaces at the axilla and down the arm, ending at the pinky finger (see Figure A)
Small Intestine Channel (figure B) – External branch begins at little finger, Up the posterior aspect of the arm, At shoulder blade a branch goes internal, At the clavicle it enters the heart and goes down to the small intestine (see Figure B)
Essential oil recs
CITRUS, MINT & FLORALS
Essential oils best for summer are refreshing, cooling and fragrant such as peppermint, spearmint, eucalyptus, tea tree, lemon, lemongrass, lavender, geranium, and chamomile.
MODALITY HIGHLIGHT
CUPPING
Cupping of the upper back and neck can clear heat from the system and open the heart and back of the lungs
Lifestyle recs
