The Chinese have long believed that humans are deeply connected to the natural world, and that the changing seasons can influence our bodies, sleep patterns, and overall energy. When we allow our internal energy to resonate with the rhythms of nature, we cultivate health and vitality. In contrast, trying to maintain the same pace year-round—ignoring nature’s ebb and flow—creates disharmony and imbalance.
Each season carries its own distinct qualities. For example, winter is a time of slowing down, conserving, and storing energy. Spring, by contrast, is a season of expansion, growth, and enthusiasm—just like a bud bursting into bloom. The element associated with spring is wood, and like trees and plants, we need space to grow, strong roots for nourishment, and flexibility to adapt. When our natural freedom of movement is restricted, it often leads to frustration or anger. After all, when someone shouts, they’re usually calling for something to change.
Internally, this lack of flow can manifest in various ways—tightness in the muscles and tendons, stiffness in the joints, or a general sense of low vitality. But when tension is released from the body, we feel more open, energized, creative, and expressive. Physically, muscles soften, joint mobility increases, and circulation improves. As the old saying goes, "Flowing water never stagnates, and the hinges of a moving door never rust." Practices like acupuncture and the gentle, fluid movements of Qi Gong are particularly effective in maintaining this vital flow of energy.
In China, it’s also common for people to receive acupuncture treatments during seasonal transitions—such as from winter to spring or summer to autumn. The goal is to balance the body's energy, preparing it to adapt smoothly to the changes ahead. For example, those who are constitutionally “hot” might experience headaches, hay fever, psoriasis, eczema, or hot flushes—symptoms that can worsen in warmer months. Seasonal treatments aim to reduce internal heat and restore equilibrium.
On the other hand, individuals who tend toward a colder constitution may be more prone to fatigue, depression, arthritis, or frequent colds, making winter a more challenging season. In such cases, treatment would work to warm and strengthen the body.
The wisdom of Chinese Medicine has long emphasized aligning one’s health with the natural cycles of the seasons. Today, modern science is beginning to support this perspective. Researchers have found that the seasons can influence our health at a genetic level, affecting the expression of genes involved in immunity and inflammation.
Returning to the Fields
by T’ao Ch’ien
When I was young, I was out of tune with the herd:
My only love was for the hills and mountains.
Unwitting, I fell into the Web of the World’s dust
And was not free until my thirtieth year.
The migrant bird longs for the old wood;
The fish in the tank dreams of its native pool.
I had rescued from wildness a patch of the Southern Moor
And, still rustic, I returned to field and garden.
My ground covers no more than ten acres;
My thatched cottage has eight or nine rooms.
Elms and willows cluster by the eaves,
Peach trees and plum trees bloom before the hall.
Hazy, hazy—the distant hamlets of men.
Steady—the smoke of the half-deserted village.
A dog barks somewhere in the deep lanes,
A cock crows atop the mulberry tree.
At gate and courtyard—no murmur of the world’s dust.
In the empty rooms—leisure and deep stillness.
Long I lived confined by the bars of a cage:
Now I have turned again to Nature and freedom.