Harvest Time

I used to dread August because it meant that summer was coming to an end, but Qigong teaches that this is an especially wonderful time of year. Yin and Yang are once again in balance, after the heat and activity of summer.  Echinacea flowers are producing seeds for the yellow finches to enjoy and my vegetable garden keeps me hopping as I harvest tomatoes, beans, and cucumbers. The days are getting shorter, but it’s comforting to remember that this is all part of the cycle of nature.

Late summer is a time of nourishment, relaxation, awareness, and grounding, according to Qigong.  It’s the season of the Earth element, when we can empower our ability to trust. The stomach and spleen are the organs associated with this season, which makes sense, given the lushness of harvest time. Along with food, we can (when we trust and relax) also “digest” our emotions. Digesting emotion, what a concept!  Some things “stick in our craw”, others fuel inspiration and worthy effort. Late summer is a good time to sort this out, separating the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. I’ll share some of my favorite exercises to help with this process during the weeks ahead. Can’t wait to see you all!