Warm Solstice Wishes To You ✨🎄✨
/
It's that time of year again
We are nearing the shortest day of the year. During the wee hours of Saturday December 21st the Winter Solstice will arrive. The light has been waning for months now and soon, bit by bit, the amount of sunlight in our days will begin to grow again.
I don't think I'll be the first to tell you that this is an energetically potent or significant time but I'm happy to share a few thoughts from the Chinese Medicine perspective...
The official start to the Winter season
In Chinese Medicine theory, the Winter season is governed by the energetics of the Kidney (and Urinary Bladder) system: the Water Element.
There are a great number of characteristics, energetic qualities, color associations, physiological significations, emotional features, tissues, etc etc that correlate to the Water element. It's a rich landscape that provides interesting and insightful therapeutic applications during this corner of the year.
One of my teachers describes the Water Element as a cold block of ice, a glacier even. The Water Element can be thought of as a rich reservoir of fluids and resources that, when functioning and tended to optimally, slowly melts and makes available its nutrients and nourishment consistently over time.
As you might intuit, the energetic quality of the Kidneys is that of stillness, conservation and consolidation.
The color association is black, like midnight, perhaps symbolic of this moment of time when Winter is initiated and daylight is less but the night sky lingers longer.
Your dear Kidneys
As per Western Physiology and also to your Chinese Medicine practitioner, the Kidneys have a physiological role in regulating urination - "the waterways" and fluid balance within the physical system.
In the Chinese Medical System, the health and energetics of the Kidneys is also responsible for the health and quality of your bones and teeth.
"The Kidneys govern the low back" as a general rule, which should not come as too much of a surprise since that is where the organs reside.
In this medicine, the Kidneys also contain our genetic code. They contain the essence of what we inherited from our parents and what we we will pass on to our offspring (if that is a path you chose in this life) as well as play a role in one's ability to conceive and maintain a healthy pregnancy.
Emotionally, the Kidneys are responsible for our experience of fear and fright whether that be acute or chronic.
An energetic level further, it is said that the Spirit of the Kidneys or the spiritual function of the Kidneys is the Will. I've always interpreted this in my own understanding to mean that the Spirit of the Kidneys functions with some level of resolve, resilience and/or determination in response to challenges, obstacles or adverse experiences in life.
Tending to yourself in this particular season (and all seasons)
Ancient traditions and especially ancient medical traditions are steeped in wisdom for consideration, reflection and therapeutic application during particular times of year - but also during all times of the year!
In fact, all of the seasonal shifts are significant and felt in their own ways. I often recommend that for long-time patients of the clinic who are feeling well and interested in maintaining their health that they plan to schedule an appointment around the changes of the seasons.
Often times presentations that are or have felt well-managed will suddenly become a bit unruly around a solstice or an equinox. It's a great time to check in with your practices and supports to help align yourself as best you can with the energy of the current season.
If you have urinary dysfunction you can consider Chinese medicine an additional support or viable medical tool for treatment. I have treated acute urinary tract infections with Chinese herbal medicine. Acupuncture can support and help manage or reduce nighttime urination, incontinence, as well as low back pain and dental pain. There are many folks who utilize acupuncture to support fertility where there are evidence-based methods to improve the statistical likelihood of successful IVF or IUI procedures.
Specific to this season and this moment in time, it is a particularly potent time to cultivate and nurture Kidney energy and to practice the embodiment of its qualities and characteristics.
Yes, we tend to speed up this time of the year as a culture and energy output is often greater, but we have all observed that we often do our best to slow down come early January. There will plenty of Winter left to develop a relationship with your Kidney Qi :)
Absolutely the holidays are often stressful and depleting! And perhaps after this little email, you have some additional perspective on a modality or resource that might feel supportive as you tend to your commitments and your obligations.
On a broader scale, we are living in uncertain and stressful times nationally and globally. Whatever it is you do to take care of yourself, to connect to your sense of self and your sense of humanity, anything you do to help yourself rest and recover will assist you in connecting to a relative sense of safety and will help you help yourself as well as other people <3
Ahimsa in the new year...
The clinic will be open normal hours the week of the Solstice, limited hours the week of Christmas and then Monday December 30th and Tuesday December 31st. The clinic will re-open Tuesday January 7th, 2025. You will see all available appointments on the online scheduler.
I love working New Year's Eve so come on in! Have a moment, set a tone, treat a cold, support yourself body, mind and spirit.
One last quick note: this year I endeavored to study Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture - something folks have asked me to study since I started practicing - and it has been really informative, really engaging and a unique application of Chinese Medicine with a surprising amount of depth. I hope to share more about that soon.
In the meantime, Winter Solstice blessings to you and yours. I hope you are taking wonderful care this season and always.