Welcome to the BloomAcuHealth Wellness Blog~
My name is Chloe Andrews Goldberg; I am a state licensed and nationally certified Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist, practicing in West Loveland, CO as well as virtually via telehealth.
My intention for this wellness blog is to share my insights on how to best take care of yourselves, your families and loved ones, and your communities at different times throughout the year. Living in harmony with the seasons has always been the foundation of my philosophy; since growing up in New England where the seasons are so starkly different from each other that you have no choice but to flex to nature. My years working on a biodynamic vegetable farm helped solidify this way of life as I moved through 7 annual cycles of hard work and rest, from abundance to preserving and storage. My studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine transcended this inclination I had to live this way, into a connection with something so ancient, so wise, so naturally human.
This is the way we have existed on this planet since before we were homo sapiens. If we can adjust our lifestyles depending on our external and natural environment, our internal environment will be at peace. Living WITH nature as opposed to working against it.
So what does living in harmony with the seasons actually look like?
Each season correlates to one of the elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The elements have a multitude of correlations and associations; from organs in the body, to energetic directions, to climatic characteristics, to emotions, and many in-betweens that connect each element to each facet of life.
But wait, you may have heard the 5 Elements of TCM; if there are 5 elements, what is the fifth season? In TCM philosophy there is account for the time of transition between seasons; these periods occur 4 times a year and last for a few weeks, adding up to one full season.
The element of Winter is Water, Spring is Wood, Summer is Fire, Autumn is Metal, and the transition season is Earth. The Earth element is most often associated with the season of Late Summer, because of the generating cycle of the elements as seen below:
The element of fire generates earth, which within earth metal is born. Another way that to look at the elemental/seasonal connection is below:
We are finishing the last transition of the year from Autumn to Winter; with just a week left until the winter solstice, we are within the last week of Earth time.
Without the normal buzz of the holiday season, we have the chance to truly tap into & live according to the energetics of the season; which are actually quite opposite from the normal frenzy of shopping, celebrations, and plans to travel.
Energetically…
Winter is the most Yin time of year; the energy of Autumn has been contracting since the descent of Summer’s high reaching Yang energy, to reach final stillness. The energy of Earth comes in as balance and grounding; a chance to find peace within ourselves for these next few months of cold, darker days. After this unnerving, confusing, anxiety-provoking year, I’m sure we could all benefit from an effort to ground down.
Winter is a time to conserve energy, to replenish our deep stores that we used up throughout the year. During this time, our qi flows deep within us as the outside world is dormant. For some, this can inspire a deep connection to our true selves and emotions; for others, it can bring about feelings of loneliness and depression.
Wherever you find yourself, be gentle.
You may not have any energy for reflective internal work, which implies you need this season of even more so. You may find yourself motivated to adapt new self care routines such as journaling or meditating; go for it! But do so with grace, and not force.
Emotionally…
The emotions that dominate the winter season span from fear & anxiety when imbalanced, to calmness when in balance. This connects deeply to the nature of Water, the element of this season. Water is the essential to all life; it nourishes, supports, holds afloat. It also has the power to transform, crash, shape into something new. This soft, feminine, powerful force can indeed be fear-inducing when disrupted; rough waters can induce big, unnerving waves in our lives.
Embrace self care in the form of calm, relaxing activities. With public health restrictions still in place, there is little to engage in outside of our private lives. Take this as an opportunity to cultivate peace in your private life. Bundle up for a quiet walk out in a natural area in your neighborhood, leaving your phone at home. Turn the lights down after dinner and wind down by candlelight. Finish your day in bed with a book, giving your eyes a break from lit up screens.
Know that acupuncture, herbal medicine & seasonal nutrition can help your physical, mental, and emotional health be optimal and stable during this time. As beings of a natural world, we are sensitive to the environmental changes that are going on. Be proactive and preventative in your health care by coming in for acupuncture and wellness counseling! Visit my secure, online scheduling platform to book yourself today.
Visit this page for more information on the types of visits offered at Bloom.
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