Happy Year of the Wood Dragon!
This Saturday, February 10th, the morning after the new moon, marks the start of the Lunar New Year (commonly called Chinese New Year).
In Taoism, the spring season aligns with the Wood phase of the Five Phases (or Elements) of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, symbolizing the eastern direction, wind, dawn... and green dragons! Consequently, this year, within the 60-year cycle combining the twelve zodiac animals and the Five Phases of the traditional Chinese calendar, the Wood Dragon triply embodies these characteristics of Wood, dragons and spring, promising a notably vibrant, powerful and intense spring as well as 2024 overall.
The dragon epitomizes power, influence, insight, assertiveness, and confidence, alongside tendencies towards arrogance, strong will, and occasional temperamental behavior. Being a fire-breathing entity and given wood's propensity to ignite easily, there exists potential for both destructive and purifying transformations.
Associated with the east and the rising sun, symbolizing increasing yang energy, the wood phase heralds novelty, creativity, and the genesis of fresh concepts and occurrences. This correlation with wind and change often manifests abruptly and chaotically, necessitating adaptability and liberation from rigid mindsets. Thunder and lightning, associated with Wood (perhaps because lightning strikes trees!), embody a duality capable of harm or healing — we can receive a “bolt out of the blue” and get inspired to change, or we can be shocked and unable to integrate all the energy hitting us at once. In health terms, individuals resistant to the change of the Wood element in spring may experience symptoms such as frustration or anger, emotional volatility, jaw and neck pain, sciatica, allergies, dizziness, and vertigo.
To navigate the energetic currents of this year, flexibility, acceptance, and openness without judgment will facilitate finding your groove. Avoiding black and white polarized thinking is crucial, as extreme polarity fosters conflict, akin to the interplay of thunder and lightning. Easier said than done in this election year!
Getting into the Season
Acupuncture in the spring often focuses on Liver patterns, which is associated with the Wood Phase and with the free flow of Qi in the body. The spring in temperate climates, especially here in Colorado, is a time of transition, where we get alternating heat and cold, the desire to relax and get outside mixed with frustration at surprise snow. This uneven energy wants release! It's a great time to reset your nervous system in that particular way that acupuncture excels.
Helpful Supplements
In Chinese Herbal Medicine, we see more need for formulas that treat stuck Liver Qi such as:
Xiao Yao San (i.e. Free and Easy Wanderer)
Si Ni San (Frigid Extremities Powder)
Chai Hu Shu Gan San (Bupleurum Powder to Spread the Liver)
Self Care
Get active! Let go of the stagnant energy, or qi, accumulated during our indoor winter months due to the pandemic. As spring arrives, so do the aspirations and plans we've nurtured through the colder season, ready to reach upwards. It's crucial to engage both our physical and mental selves, not only to alleviate built-up stress but also to manifest our emerging dreams and possibilities into the tangible world. Spring offers an opportune moment to realign with the natural world, transitioning from the stillness of winter's hibernation to active engagement with the surrounding environment, so take a spring hike, stroll in a garden, test the warmth of the sun and smell the new scents of life emerging from their slumber.
Eat Spring Flavors
The Wood element is linked to the sour taste. To align with this, consume fresh spring greens including baby dandelion, chickweed, chives, dock, garlic mustard, mallow, and plantain. Emphasize whole foods while minimizing processed foods. Consume foods that help alleviate stagnation, like brassicas, including broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. Also, incorporate bitter herbs like citrus peel, dandelion root, and milk thistle (famous for saving the liver from poisoning) into your diet.
I hope your spring and your 2024 is invigorating but not aggravating, and may you all ride the Wood Dragon to your goals.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Ben