CYCLES: GIFTS OF SUMMER

Traditional Chinese Medicine tells us that it is important to notice what is happening in the natural world and to be in harmony with it. At Summer Solstice, the earth is closest to the sun, and for humans Summer is the time when we are most able to be our true selves and to be open to light. According to the classic text attributed to the Yellow Emperor who reigned in China during the third millennium BCE, the abundance of Summer derives from the merging of the energy (Qi) of heaven with earthly Qi. In nature, Summer is when “the 10.000 beings flower and bring forth fruit.” For humans, it is the season of maturity and creativity.

Fire is the element connected with Summer, and red is the color. Joy is the associated emotion. While the other four elements each have two associated organ systems, Summer/Fire has four.

Heart has a central place in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), associated with the cardiovascular system and blood, as well as with spirit. The organ coupled with Heart is the Small Intestine, which in TCM is responsible for separating what is useful from what is not. This organ is also associated with listening, in the sense of discernment, of hearing what is true.

The other organs associated with Summer/Fire have no analogues in western anatomy. Master of the Heart serves as a sort of buffer or protector for internal functions associated with the Heart. Triple Heater has a thermostat-like role, mediating cues from the environment to ensure smooth functioning of the entire organism, body mind and spirit.

When all four organs associated with Summer/Fire are in balance and Qi is moving smoothly along their pathways, a person is open and warm, in touch with her or his own spirit and able to listen deeply to others.

Maintaining well-being in Summer

• Balance solitude with activity, and activity with solitude. Engage with others and enjoy outward activity. Retreat and take time for replenishment.
  
  
• Notice clues that you may be “burning out.” Are you sleepy when you are expected to be “on task”? Are you relieved when commitments fall through? What excesses contribute to your exhaustion?
  
  
• Think about what “working from the heart” means to you. Do you experience heart connections with those with whom you work? Do you nourish yourself so that your work flows from your full heart?
  
  
• Let your diet reflect the vividness and abundance of Summer. Eat brightly colored and varied fruits and vegetables, lightly cooked. When it is quite hot, eat cool fresh fruits. Use hot spices, too. They bring heat to the surface where it can be dispersed. When one’s body mirrors the climate, it is less affected by it. Bitter foods also help balance Fire. A Summer diet that includes foods like endive, spinach, and watermelon stimulates digestion and nourishes the circulatory system.
  
  
• Intimacy is the gift of Summer. Knowing what lies in one’s heart is necessary for health. Summer reminds us: reach out, open up, be there for others. Life is short. Take joy- and share it.

Issa

adapted from Elsie Hancock and Ann Bailey, “Cycles of Our Lives,” Meridians 10, Winter/Spring 2003
and Paul Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition (Berkeley CA: North Atlantic, 1993). Haiku from Jackie Hardy, ed. Haiku: Poetry Ancient and Modern (Boston: Tuttle, 2002).