Summer Solstice

Around this time June 20th to June 23rd our natural world experiences a cyclic energetic shift: the Sumner Solstice , a time to celebrate the joy, warmth and laughter of summer. Just take a moment to feel the sun and you will experience the Yang, expansive energy of our brightest star. Allow yourself to connect with the guiding star within you: your Heart and you will find the Sun alive right at the center of your chest!

Summer is a period of luxurious growth, expansion, lightness, outward activity and creativity. The I Ching (Book of changes) teaches us that “the Heavenly energy descends and the Earthly energy rises. When these energies merge there is intercourse between Heaven and Earth. As a result plants mature and animals, flowers and fruit appear abundantly. For us women, it represents ovulation, fertility and the full moon”.

No wonder this is a fertile time since our senses awaken every morning to the intoxicating scent of seasonal flowers and fruits. The bounty of the outside world enters and enlivens us.

Attuning our energy with the energy of the season
Summer reflects abundant variety of foods and our diets should reflect this. Farmer markets are great places to find the vegetables and fruits that Mother Earth is birthing for the season. On the hottest days, we need to practice mindfulness in terms of types and quantity of foods that we choose to consume.
Paul Pitchford in his wonderful book “Healing with whole Foods” suggests that we “create a cool atmosphere (picnics, patio meals) and serve more cooling fresh foods such as salads, sprouts (especially mung, soy and alfalfa), fruit, cucumber, tofu and flower and leaf herbal teas such as mint, chrysanthemum and chamomile”. Common fruits which cool summer heat are apples, watermelon, lemons and limes. Mung bean soup or tea is another specific remedy.

You may also want to add some spices to your food. I know this sounds weird, especially during summertime! Yet, think about the ways in which we can mirror nature. At first, the effect of hot-flavored spices is to increase warmth, but ultimately they bring heat out to the surface of your body to be dispersed. With heat on the surface, one’s body mirrors the summer climate and therefore will be less affected by it. However and like with everything else in life, we always need to exercise balance; if too many dispersing foods are taken, then weakness and loss of Yang will result, and the ability to stay warm and vital in the cooler season is lost. Some of the spices recommended for the season are: fresh (not dried) ginger, cayenne red pepper, horseradish and black pepper.

Foods that are best to avoid during this season are those that cause sluggishness and make us feel heavy. Such foods include meats, excess of nuts, seeds and grains.
Remember to drink plenty of water. You may also want to add some electrolytes to your water bottle so that we make sure that you keep your body well hydrated and your energy levels stable.

What about the emotions?
According to Chinese Medicine, this season corresponds to Fire which is the element of the Heart. Overexcitement may kick up the Heart fire a little too much which will show as palpitations, some level of anxiety and poor sleep. The Inner Classic teaches us that during summertime “One should refrain from anger and stay physically active, to prevent the pores from closing and the Qi from stagnating. Emotionally it is important to be happy and easygoing and not hold grudges, so that the energy can flow freely and communicate between external and internal. In this way illness may be averted in the fall.”

You may want to use this time of the year to connect with and listen to your Heart. According to the tradition of Chinese Medicine, the Spirit of awareness resides in the Heart. I find mindfulness and compassion to be very helpful tools to focus my awareness towards those things that nourish my Heart versus those that deplete my energy. Kindness, gentleness and the exquisite power of the shinny Sun will assist us in transforming that which causes our hearts to overreact into fertile soil for the fruit of our own destiny to ripen to its fullest potential!

For a joyful and balanced Heart!

With you
Yamin Chehin, L.Ac, D.OM.

References
Paul Pitchford: Healing with Whole Foods.Asian Traditions and Modern nutrition. Third edition
Dr Maoshing Ni: The Yellow Emperor’s classic of Chinese Medicine. A new translation of the Neijing Suwen.

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