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Supporting the Liver and Harmonizing with the Springtime
According to the
classics, harmonizing with the season ensures the proper movement of qi
within the body, helping to prevent illness and support vitality. There
are many traditional recommendations for harmonizing with the
springtime and supporting the health of the liver during the season.
All of these recommendations are essentially reminders that we should
enjoy the rising energy of the season, but we must temper that with
knowing when to stop; the natural surge of the season can carry us
along, and, if we are not careful, take us too far. This mindful
enthusiasm is expressed in the following traditional recommendations.
To begin with, we can look at our sleep cycle as one of the most
basic ways to govern the rhythms of the body. During the springtime we
should try to get to bed early and wake up early in the morning. This
mirrors the greater movement of activity within nature this time of
year; the increasing light and energy of the season allows us to get up
early in the morning, while getting to bed early in the evening (as in
the winter) protects our energy from becoming overextended. Within this
same context we can alternate our work activity during the day with
periods of rest, making sure that while we are increasing our
activities, we don’t reach the limits of our energy.
In terms of exercise, Medical Qigong exercises should be practiced
in the morning, facing the eastern direction. Both Quiet and Moving
Qigong exercises will help us to harmonize with the season. We can also
walk in the morning or throughout the day. Our steps should be big and
relaxed in order to loosen the body and support the circulation. Again,
we should be careful not to go too far, taking short, refreshing walks
and not pushing our limits. Strength building exercises should make use
of the body’s own weight rather than taxing the tendons with too much
external weight.
In terms of our mental state, we should act in the springtime, as
the classics say, “in such a way that the will is oriented towards the
generation of life... towards giving not receiving, rewarding not
punishing...” In other words, the surging force of the season that
rises inside of us should be directed outwards in a positive manner. If
we spend too much time focusing internally during this season we may
feel more irritated, depressed and overwhelmed. The way that we use our
mental faculties can thus help us to follow the movements of our own
life as a reflection of the movements of the season.
In the next newsletter I’ll continue this topic with a discussion of the role that foods play in harmonizing with the season.
To see previous newsletters click here.
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