Welcome to the new Heavenly Star Acupuncture website and the Chinese New Year of the Earth Dog! This is a time of auspicious beginnings.
Spring is the season of new beginnings – of tentative steps into the fast flow of life. In Wuxing theory, most commonly translated as Five Element theory and one of the key philosophies at the core of Traditional Chinese Medicine, this time of the year is governed by the element of Wood and the Liver.
The element of Wood and the Liver are traditionally associated with feelings of freedom, flexibility and growth. Just as one of the functions of the Liver is to ensure the free flow of qi around the body, so we seek to be free flowing in our lives – harnessing our bodies, our excitement and our energy in order to manifest our desires.
As sap rises in the trees in Spring and bulbs begin their surge toward the sky, so our plans and projects, fed through the long, dark winter months by the element of Water, start to stir as the uplifting, assertive influence of Wood takes hold.
One of the most important classical texts of Chinese Medicine, the Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen, talks of spring as being a time to pace in the courtyard with great strides – with loose hair and a relaxed body – exerting the will for life. It is a time to wake from the stillness of winter hibernation. The text emphasizes that this season is about growth – about giving life to life. It is a season of giving and not taking, of rewarding and not punishing. The movement of qi is outwards from the individual into the world, and traditional thought holds that acting in accordance with the energy of the season ensures happiness and health.
When that outward movement is thwarted, be it because of an external obstacle or a lack of available energy, the Liver is injured. The qi of the Liver becomes stagnated and, as a result, we become frustrated, irritable and angry. These emotions lead to illness or discomfort in the summer months.
