The first of Spring is here my beautiful friend and a very happy Chinese New Year to you and your family! As I promised, I will be sharing at the start of each season the Art of Living with the four seasons according to the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine, or the Neijing.
First of Spring
First Spring or the beginning of Spring (Chinese : lì chūn “立春”) is one of the 24 solar terms according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar. It marks the beginning of Spring for the northern hemisphere.
24 Solar Terms
Solar Term is a calendar of twenty-four periods and climate to govern agricultural arrangements in ancient China and functions even now. Each solar term has about 15 days and it is decided by the position of the sun in the sky.
Yellow Emperor’s Guide to Internal Medicine or Neijing
The Neijing is the most monumental classic to Chinese Medicine and Taoism [ the text is based on a conversation between the Yellow Emperor (who reigned during the middle of the third millennium BCE) and his disciple].
To me, Neijing is one of the greatest legacies my ancestors have left me and no words can express my sense of gratitude. For this reason, I am on a mission to spread its wisdom! In a nutshell, Neijing has given the roadmap on how to live a well-nourished (juicy!) life in our body-mind-heart in harmony and respect with the Cosmic order or nature. If we choose to live in resonance with the ‘greater’ or Cosmic order, we can skillfully use this harmony to stimulate, rejuvenate and tonify our natural life force and our goals and wishes for ourselves and for the benefit of all sentient beings.
The Neijing sets out the art of living for the 4 seasons and here are the top tips for Spring.
6 Top Tips for living in flow with Spring
1. Birth and new beginnings :
“The three months of the spring season bring about the revitalization of all things in nature. It is the time of birth.”
Springtime is a time of new beginning and hope, a time of giving birth to all. Animals come out of their winter’s hibernation and life takes a new flight. Love is in the air! It’s time to plan and manifest your dreams at the start of the year on all levels- just like a company starts to make the annual forecast, on a personal level, this is the time to create your vision board.
As each season is part of the larger cycle, if you want to be healthy in summer, you start by taking care of yourself now in spring.
2. More Active (Yang); Less Passive (Yin)
Spring is a time where “Yang overrides Yin”
During the first half of the year, it’s a time when “Yang overrides Yin”. To resonate with this energetic state, we are invited be more active – physically more active, more move to strengthen and stretch – keeping your muscles strong and tendons juicy! It also means making firm intention and staying focused and taking actions to move towards your goals.
3. Rise early, retire a little later
You can retire a little later!
To resonate with the active mode, we are advised to rise early (before sunrise!) and not to sleep too early but maybe before the wee hours of the morning!
4. Wear loose clothing and don’t catch cold
Time for your comfy tracksuit bottoms!
Take care of the fluctuations of temperature in Spring. Layering helps!
5. Be easygoing, open and kind
Be Kind. Be Kind. Be Kind.
Any indulgence in anger, frustrations, depression, sadness or any excess of extreme emotions can hurt your liver.
6. Keep calm and nourish Liver
Spring is the season for Liver and Gall Bladder.
The liver and its partner gall bladder, are the organs for Spring. We are advised to be liver-friendly in the next three months so we don’t risk falling ill in the summer.
I will be writing more about my practical tips for Juicy Liver soon here!
M.x.
p.s. Interested to practice together, check out my classes at the Oriental Spa, Landmark Mandarin.
p.p.s. In the meantime, I’d love to stay connected with you and sign up here to receive my weekly Om Juice!
p. p.p.s. Finally, check out my free downloads here!
Related Post: Ancient Chinese Wisdom for Winter Wellbeing