Jun 2011
Summer
Summer
Welcome, Summer! In Chinese Medicine, each season has many associations within the
body as well as the world in which we live. There are the organs and their respective
channels or meridians(pathways of energy), one of the five elements, color, emotion,
and sound. Summer is the season of the Heart, and Fire, the color red, joy, and laughter.
Summer is officially upon us, as Summer Solstice was June 21.
The word solstice comes from the Latin words sol, meaning sun, and sistere, meaning to
stand still. This is because when this astronomical event takes place, the Sun stands still
in declination, that is, the apparent movement of the Sun’ s path North or South comes to
a stop before reversing direction. In this vein, may we take a moment to contemplate the
fullness of fiery Summer as we delve into it.
And now a haiku for Summer:
feathery cohosh rising
above plump red fallen fruits
as mourning doves coo
The spirit of the Heart is called Shen. It is considered to be the most heavenly of the five
spirits. A teacher of mine, named Lorie Dechar, writes about Shen as follows,” It is the
starlight and sunlight that stream down from the sky and illuminate the mountaintop. It
inhabits the realm of the divine fire of the sun and the initiatory energies of dawn.”
The Heart is revered as the Emperor or Empress within the body. All of the other
components of the body and mind rely on the Emperor to live and reign from a place of
wisdom, love, and purity. From an acupuncture perspective, a significant way to affect
and honor the Heart is through the Source point on the Heart channel. Source points are
the most direct way to connect with our Yuan Qi or Original Qi, our deepest and most
precious Life Force Energy. This point is named Shen Men, which translates as Spirit
Gate. It serves as a gateway to the Emperor.
Now that we are in the time of the Empress, Summer, it is a great time to receive
acupuncture on the Source points on all the Fire channels. The Heart is paired with
the Small Intestine; and together they are the Imperial Fire. The Pericardium (Heart
Protector) and Triple Burner are also of the Fire element and are known as the Ministerial
Fire. Needling these Source points is a reverent way of honoring the Fire within and
around us.
This is seasonal acclimation via acupuncture.
The Source points on the Fire meridians are:
Heart 7, Shen Men, Spirit Gate
Small Intestine 4, Wan Gu, Wrist bone
Pericardium 7, Da Ling, Great Mound
Triple Burner 4, Yang Chi, Yang Pool
Look forward to seeing you in this Yang time of fiery Summer,
Welcome, Summer! In Chinese Medicine, each season has many associations within the
body as well as the world in which we live. There are the organs and their respective
channels or meridians(pathways of energy), one of the five elements, color, emotion,
and sound. Summer is the season of the Heart, and Fire, the color red, joy, and laughter.
Summer is officially upon us, as Summer Solstice was June 21.
The word solstice comes from the Latin words sol, meaning sun, and sistere, meaning to
stand still. This is because when this astronomical event takes place, the Sun stands still
in declination, that is, the apparent movement of the Sun’ s path North or South comes to
a stop before reversing direction. In this vein, may we take a moment to contemplate the
fullness of fiery Summer as we delve into it.
And now a haiku for Summer:
feathery cohosh rising
above plump red fallen fruits
as mourning doves coo
The spirit of the Heart is called Shen. It is considered to be the most heavenly of the five
spirits. A teacher of mine, named Lorie Dechar, writes about Shen as follows,” It is the
starlight and sunlight that stream down from the sky and illuminate the mountaintop. It
inhabits the realm of the divine fire of the sun and the initiatory energies of dawn.”
The Heart is revered as the Emperor or Empress within the body. All of the other
components of the body and mind rely on the Emperor to live and reign from a place of
wisdom, love, and purity. From an acupuncture perspective, a significant way to affect
and honor the Heart is through the Source point on the Heart channel. Source points are
the most direct way to connect with our Yuan Qi or Original Qi, our deepest and most
precious Life Force Energy. This point is named Shen Men, which translates as Spirit
Gate. It serves as a gateway to the Emperor.
Now that we are in the time of the Empress, Summer, it is a great time to receive
acupuncture on the Source points on all the Fire channels. The Heart is paired with
the Small Intestine; and together they are the Imperial Fire. The Pericardium (Heart
Protector) and Triple Burner are also of the Fire element and are known as the Ministerial
Fire. Needling these Source points is a reverent way of honoring the Fire within and
around us.
This is seasonal acclimation via acupuncture.
The Source points on the Fire meridians are:
Heart 7, Shen Men, Spirit Gate
Small Intestine 4, Wan Gu, Wrist bone
Pericardium 7, Da Ling, Great Mound
Triple Burner 4, Yang Chi, Yang Pool
Look forward to seeing you in this Yang time of fiery Summer,
The Health Benefits of Goji Berries
The Lycium fruit, Goji berry, is very popular now in the health food movement, as it has been for thousands of years to the Chinese. It is also known as Wolfberry fruit and Gou Qi Zi (in pinyin, the English written version of phonetic Chinese, pronounced "go chee zuh".) It is also known as Matrimony Vine. It has long been revered as a health tonic.
The part of the plant that is used is the fruit. It resembles a raisin, though it is light red in color. The taste is also somewhat like a raisin. It is sweet.
Some of the many health benefits include:
longevity
healthy vision
relieves dizziness and vertigo
reduces blood sugar
prevents anemia(iron deficient anemia)
helps low back pain
relieves tinnitus
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Gou Qi Zi is classified as a Yin and Blood Tonic. Yin is generally the fluid aspect of the body. Specifically it is associated with the Liver and the Kidneys, and that is why it nourishes the eyes, because the eyes are associated with the Liver. The Goji berries nourish the Liver Yin and therefore keep the eyes moist and support healthy vision. The Kidneys are associated with the ears and the low back. Because the Goji berries nourish the Kidney Yin, they help with tinnitus (ear ringing) and low back pain. Also because of their affiliation with the Kidneys, they play a significant role in longevity. The Kidneys and their role in the body are very highly revered in TCM. They are thought to be the foundation of our energy and life force. Gou Qi Zi nourishes the Kidney Yin and therefore enhances longevity;for when the Kidney Yin dries up, there is no more life.
It is best to eat a small handful of the Goji berries daily. They are great as a snack. They are also great in oatmeal, or added to rice, or tossed in a salad.
They can be found at most health food stores as well as from your local Acupuncturist and Herbalist!
The part of the plant that is used is the fruit. It resembles a raisin, though it is light red in color. The taste is also somewhat like a raisin. It is sweet.
Some of the many health benefits include:
longevity
healthy vision
relieves dizziness and vertigo
reduces blood sugar
prevents anemia(iron deficient anemia)
helps low back pain
relieves tinnitus
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Gou Qi Zi is classified as a Yin and Blood Tonic. Yin is generally the fluid aspect of the body. Specifically it is associated with the Liver and the Kidneys, and that is why it nourishes the eyes, because the eyes are associated with the Liver. The Goji berries nourish the Liver Yin and therefore keep the eyes moist and support healthy vision. The Kidneys are associated with the ears and the low back. Because the Goji berries nourish the Kidney Yin, they help with tinnitus (ear ringing) and low back pain. Also because of their affiliation with the Kidneys, they play a significant role in longevity. The Kidneys and their role in the body are very highly revered in TCM. They are thought to be the foundation of our energy and life force. Gou Qi Zi nourishes the Kidney Yin and therefore enhances longevity;for when the Kidney Yin dries up, there is no more life.
It is best to eat a small handful of the Goji berries daily. They are great as a snack. They are also great in oatmeal, or added to rice, or tossed in a salad.
They can be found at most health food stores as well as from your local Acupuncturist and Herbalist!