Here we are in Late Summer, a season unto itself in Chinese Medicine.  This season is associated with the Spleen, the Earth element, the color yellow and contemplation or worry.

The Spleen energetics relate to transition.  The Spleen Qi is what keeps us centered and focused while we transition. We come back to that sense of  center within ourselves, that round Earth energy in our middle area, that of the Spleen and Stomach.  It can be helpful to visualize a yellow orb in the middle part of the body, like a joyous and peaceful Buddha belly.

“The Spleen loathes Dampness” is an adage from the Classics in Chinese Medicine.  Dampness manifests as muddled thinking, poor digestion, and low energy.  Ways we can transform Dampness are eating warm and cooked foods, clarifying the mind by practicing meditation, and burning moxa(Artemisia vulgaris) on acupuncture points to nourish the Spleen.

Haiku for Late Summer:

sitting still, pausing

the gold finch seeks solace in

but a fading bloom