Winter - Time to return to the root of health

Winter Greetings!

At the time of writing this, the Winter Solstice has passed, and we have entered the Minor Cold, and the Major Cold is coming. Traditional cultures around the world have recognised the importance of observing, listening, and living by following the natural phenomena to preserve their health and prolong life.

From the perspective of yin-yang transformations, the Winter Solstice is the exact point where the first spark of yang energy begins to stir; where yin reaches its peak, it gives birth to yang, bringing the anticipation of Spring. It is not yet seen on the surface of the earth, but it can be felt; although the Cold may intensify after the Winter Solstice, the night is getting shorter and the day is getting longer. In Ancient China, the Winter Solstice was regarded as the beginning of the New Year.

Winter Moon

The period between the Winter Solstice and the Major Cold is the most important time of the year to preserve our health from the inside. Yang qi is the inextinguishable Fire under the Water, the source of Life. Balancing the Fire and Water of Life is a delicate affair; this is the heart of our Medicine. During Winter, yang qi goes inward to be nurtured and regenerated to be reborn in Spring. As plants return their energy to the roots during Winter, it is also the time for us to nurture our roots. Those who know how to nourish and protect themselves in Winter, avoid illnesses in Spring and Summer. This is what it means by "taking care of oneself before the illness arises".

This is one of the reasons why I allow this space for all of us to reduce our activities as much as possible. I'm fully aware that the worldly system often dictates otherwise. For example, I have to treat patients at the teaching clinic in the city from 8 am to 5 pm with only a 30-minute lunch break. Nevertheless, with this awareness of Nature's rhythm, we do our best to preserve our well-being (and sanity 😇).

Some general suggestions to nourish our bodymindspirit during the Winter season (disclaimer: this serves as information only and never to replace proper consultation with your health care provider.)

❤️ Keep your feet, belly, back, neck, and head warm. Especially when you go outside, where you will be exposed to wind and cold. Many traditional people who live in the coldest Northern hemisphere have an adage: there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.

❤️ Eat foods that are warm in nature and warm soups and stews, vegetables in season: cabbage, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fennel, daikon radish, warming herbs, sesame seeds, walnuts, black beans, red beans, azuki beans, bone broths.

❤️ Light exercise to move the big and small joints to keep the circulation flowing, like what we do at the beginning of each class.

❤️ Moderate physical activities, and avoid excessive sweating ( for example: hot yoga, running) and extreme fatigue, if possible, sleep early, and get up later after sunrise.

❤️ Moderate mental and emotional fluctuations, practice deep breathing to nourish the Organs and send them the Healing Sounds, like what we practice in the Qigong class.

❤️ When we forget or lose ourselves in the daily grind, always allow rest and quiet time, no matter how brief, to return to the centre of our being.

❤️ Allow gratitude to bubble up from inside, no matter what happens.

❤️ Stay connected to your inner light, discern, and separate the wheat from the chaff, as there is plenty of insidious noise and dust in the world.

❤️ The trajectory is fluid; there is no final destination. Be agile in moving in and out of different densities of consciousness.

❤️ Know beyond any doubt that your thoughts and emotions create your reality.

❤️ Dedicate small actions to heal oneself and the world.

These YinYang concepts are not easy to grasp and even more difficult to explain in words, as our modern vocabulary is insufficient, and our minds are tethered to Cartesian concepts. Like many traditional cultures, the "unschooled" tend to approach life with deep listening and quiet observation. The wisdom is felt, not analysed or scrutinised. The more it is talked about, the more it becomes meaningless. Such is the mystery of the Great Nature.

☯️The mysterious excellence of the Great Nature☯️ Those who know [the Great Nature] do not speak about it.

Those who like to speak about it do not know it. Those who know it keep their mouths shut and close their senses (avoid being excited by sound bites).

They blunt their sharpness (avoid being loud and opinionated) and become as common as a rock (humble).

They temper their brightness and bring themselves into agreement with the obscurity (stay low profile). Such a character cannot be treated familiarly or distantly to gain favour from.

Above the Clouds - Australian Winter

They are beyond all profit or loss; beyond all consideration of praise/ aggrandisement or insult/ condemnation.

Thus, they become priceless as the Great Nature.

知者不言，言者不知。塞其兑，閉其門，挫其銳，解其分，和其光，同其塵，是謂玄同。故不可得而親，不可得而踈；不可得而利，不可得而害；不可得而貴，不可得而賤。故為天下貴。

Dao De Jing verse 56. Adapted from the translation by James Legge (1815 - 1897).

Warmest wishes, Chrysanty Soenaris for Kinglake Chinese Medicine