Spring is finally here with bursts of bright sunshine and showers of rain. But, this is what we love about the Northwest, right? We never get bored with the subject of the weather!
However, in terms of our health, this erratic weather “non-pattern” can wreak havoc on our bodies. Humans aren’t great at handling these dramatic transitions. So, it is vital that we prepare our bodies for the Spring and the Summer that follows. Here are some tips from my favorite Qigong Master, Dr. Liu He:
The Spring season is associated with the Liver organ. In nature, the Earth begins to wake up and renew as the Qi (vital, active energy) starts to move to the surface. Since it can be said that human beings are part of nature, we can see this also occurring in our bodies as we mirror this process.
If you are fatigued, have cold hands & feet, experience digestion problems, tend to catch colds easily, or have excessive emotions – it means that your Qi has not risen up yet. It is struggling to rise because your Liver is stagnant and it has created a blockage of Qi. These symptoms mean that you did not store up enough Qi during the Winter season.
Below is Master Liu’s advice for this season:
Soak your feet in very warm water each night before bed – this helps the Qi to rise. Drink ginger tea (warming for Qi) and mung bean water (cooling-to release liver qi stagnation) in the morning. Massage Liver 3 to Liver 2 in a downward motion (releases anger) towards the tips of your toes. This area can be found on the top of your foot, in the space (called the web margin) between the intersection of the biggest toe and the second toe. Get up early and walk for at least minutes to warm up your body. Try to avoid excessively sweating. In the Spring, everything needs to be free – it is best to wear loose-fitting clothing. Fly kites – this provides far vision and free flowing qi.