Happy Spring Everyone!

Today’s equinox is the peak of vernal energy. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the wood element and its related organ systems the liver and gallbladder are particularly active now. This is a good time to support the health of these organs by focusing on their most important function, the smooth flow of energy through the body. Of course, in Chinese medicine the organs are complex systems that also affect our mind, emotions, and spirit. The primary emotion associated with the liver is anger. If you hold onto resentments, you may be “stoking the liver fire”. Like piling kindling on a campfire, this can flare up over time and even lead to heart problems, as wood feeds fire, the element associated with the heart. 

But let’s keep it simple! The ancient Chinese medicine classic, the Nei Jing, calls the liver “The root of stopping all extremes.” Think about it: pushing to extremes causes stress. Frustration, anger, and stress are manifestations of stuck, or stagnant liver qi. Keeping our emotional barometer steady and avoiding extremes supports the flow of healthy liver qi. Another gift of healthy liver energy is elastic, supple tendons, supporting physical as well as emotional flexibility. Last but not least, the liver energy grows upward and outward like a tree, its energetic branches (or meridians) extending all the way to our eyes, bringing clarity to our eyesight and also to our inner vision, or ability to see things from a calm, healthy perspective.

Join me this week when we’ll practice the beautiful, sinuous Dragon exercises which encourage flexibility, resilience, and nourishing, flowing qi. This is great for loosening up those winter-creaky joints and bringing spring back into your moves.