How does Chinese medicine relate to springtime energetics?

The origins of Chinese medicine are lost in prehistory, pre written language, but as with all models of medicine, to truly understand Chinese medicine, one must look to its foundation in the prevailing thoughts, beliefs and philosophy of its culture. The original creators of Chinese Medicine strived to be in harmony with nature. These healers looked to the natural world for patterns and extended their findings to describe the inner workings of the human body.

The first theory to appear in Chinese medicine was the Yin-Yang theory. Yin-Yang theory dates back to antiquity and first appeared in the “Book of Changes”, dating back to about 700 BC. In this theory, all of existence is viewed in terms of relational Yin and Yang.

By the fourth century BC, Chinese medical theory had grown to include the idea of the Five Phases or Five Elements. Through observation and deduction, theses early healers organized the laws governing nature into the Five-Element System, a model used to explain the functional dynamics of our bodies, our spirits and all phenomena.

Each of the five elements represents a set of correspondences  that describe the different qualities of all natural phenomena - earth, metal, water, wood and fire are like shorthand ways of referring to an energetic quality, a color, a sound, an odor, an emotion, a season, and an organ system. It’s a language that allows us to grasp and communicate a complex set of qualities and relationships.

Wood is associated with spring. At this time of year, the woody plants and vegetation of the natural world take center stage surrounding us with a sense of renewal, growth, and creativity. Wood represents birth and an uprising of Yang energy.

Here is the story of wood:

Imagine a bamboo sprout, pushing its way up through the earth's crust to seek out the sun.  Bamboo's mission in life is to reach for sunlight, and so with a burst of energy, bamboo grows straight up toward the sun. Spring weather is unpredictable and windy but bamboo is not rigid and is able to bend and yield without breaking. As the spring winds subsides, the bamboo is able to stand upright again and continue forward on its path of growth toward the sun. Balanced wood energy stays flexible and always moves forward.

Wood energy physically manifests in our Liver and Gallbladder.  The Liver is a Yin organ, and as all Yin organs, its functions relate to our inner world. The Liver is responsible for manifesting our deeper life goals by creating a vision for our future and plan of action to take us there.  The Gallbladder is the Yang of the pair and acts more externally.  It processes information about our life's situation and transmits its findings to the liver. It also actualizes whatever plan the liver sets forth.  The two work together to allow us to travel through life as a free and easy wanderer following the path of inner wisdom, facing curves in the road with creative spontaneity.  

To embody wood in balance is to remain flexible in the face of life's ups and downs, to grow up out of your roots following your inner wisdom like our little bamboo shoot reaching for the sun.  When this creative energy is not expressed qi stagnation occurs and feelings of frustration, anger and depression can arise along with a host of corresponding physical complaints.

It is very common to see Liver/Gallbladder  imbalances aggravated in the spring. In my own clinic, I see more cases of irritability, teeth grinding, insomnia, headaches, neck stiffness, shoulder tension, hip pain and eye issues.

How do you engender wood in balance? 

Maintain an attitude of detached objectivity. When you are not attached to a particular outcome or a certain way things "should" be, it's easy to be flexible and spontaneous.

Practice meditation and Qi Gong.  These practices allow you to tap into your inner wisdom and all the treasures of your internal resources.  Take the time to know yourself and let your inner wisdom guide you.

When you do face a bump in the road or some sort of obstacle, it's easy to become reactionary or just give up all together.  Instead take the time to evaluate where you are, where you want to be and decide on a plan to get there. Contemplation and meditation really help this process - so does list making and journaling.

Keep moving. Walking, t’ai chi, yoga and exercise of any sort keeps qi from stagnating and prevents many of the problems associated with Liver/Gallbladder imbalances.

Give yourself lots of fresh foods, water and time to eat well. Fruits, vegetables and herbs nourish and cleanse our bodies. Move away from eating heavier winter foods and embrace the spring by eating in tune with the season's bounty.

Take care of your physical body.  When you are in optimal health, it's so much easier to maintain the free flowing qi you need to keep moving forward.  When your qi gets stuck you get stuck and problems arise in your body, mind and spirit. The Liver is responsible for ensuring the smooth flow of qi through the body; so, give it special care especially during this season.

It's not hard to stay in balance, but in the demanding world we live in, it does require that we stay awake and aware.  Don't let stress throw you out of balance, keep up your good habits and ask for help when you need it.

Maciocia, Giovanni. The Foundations of Chinese Medicine. London: Churchhill Livingstone, 1989.
Kaptchuk, Ted J. The Web That Has No Weaver. Chicago: Contemporary, 2000.