Slow Burn: Cultivating Warmth and Strength in the Cold Months
“The beginning of Winter marks the initiation of storing. Plants extend their roots; this correlates to the storing of heat below. The Yang heat above the surface (of the earth) has been gathered and descends fully into the water below. The qi (potential) of transformation is rooted beneath the earth.” - Circular dynamics by Peng Ziyi. Translated by Bryan McMahon.
As a part of the natural world, is it any wonder that our bodies respond well to mimicking the conservation and cultivation of Yang, as we observe in nature.
Retreating. Hibernating. Consolidating.
Roots penetrating below the surface. An inner knowing. Wisdom. Surrender.
Our energy moves down and in. Deep. Deeper. Deepest. The marrow within the bones.
Dense. Dark. Concentrated.
My practice is largely informed by a school of thought centered around the conservation of Yang within the body. Life force. Fire. Vitality. Movement. As we bunker down for the Winter, stoke the fire and conserve your energy.
Water and Kidney Qi
Winter correlates with the Water element and the Kidney organ system.
We can explain normal physiology using a common analogy in Chinese Medicine - a boiling pot of water on the stove.
When the Yang life force is sufficient, the fire underneath the pot is burning and the water is bubbling and simmering away.
In our bodies, we are able to properly digest what we consume (food, fluids, our environment, our thoughts etc.) and the steaming of fluids nourishes the tissues.
When the Yang life force is burdened, the fire diminishes and the water becomes stagnant.
In our bodies, we cannot properly digest what we consume and we may see signs of pathological fluids accumulating and weakening of the Kidney Qi such as lower back and lower body pain, heaviness in the body especially lower body, deep fatigue, urinary issues, craving salty foods, bloating, brain fog, absent thirst or thirst without desire to drink.
Build warmth within and support Kidney Qi
︎Nourish Yang with soups and stews, warm slow-cooked foods rich with the stock and marrow of bones.
︎Retreat earlier and rise later, as even the sun is sleeping in this time of year.
︎Focus on keeping your neck, lower back and extremities warm and covered. Avoid exposing these areas to the wind and cold.
︎Focus training on building strength, particularly of the lower body. Refrain from activities that promote excessive sweating.
︎Moxibustion is applied to specific points on the body such as the lower back and belly, to stoke the fire within.
Aligning your pantry with the current season is not only cheaper and more accessible, it’s one of the best things you can do for your health.
It makes sense that nature adapts to survive the cold, so these foods are the more resilient and hardy of the bunch. They will be most delicious with some TLC such as long and low slow cooking, which softens and makes these foods easier to digest.
Root vegetables: carrots, turnips, parsnips, beetroot, potato, kohlrabi
Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale
Greens: fennel, celery, snow peas, lettuce, broad beans, spinach
Aliums: onion, leak, spring onion
Herbs: coriander, dill, oregano, parsley, rosemary, mint
Fruit: kiwifruit, apples, pears, oranges, mandarins, lemons, limes, grapefruit
︎Retreat earlier and rise later, as even the sun is sleeping in this time of year.
︎Focus on keeping your neck, lower back and extremities warm and covered. Avoid exposing these areas to the wind and cold.
︎Focus training on building strength, particularly of the lower body. Refrain from activities that promote excessive sweating.
︎Moxibustion is applied to specific points on the body such as the lower back and belly, to stoke the fire within.
Aligning your pantry with the current season is not only cheaper and more accessible, it’s one of the best things you can do for your health.
It makes sense that nature adapts to survive the cold, so these foods are the more resilient and hardy of the bunch. They will be most delicious with some TLC such as long and low slow cooking, which softens and makes these foods easier to digest.
Root vegetables: carrots, turnips, parsnips, beetroot, potato, kohlrabi
Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale
Greens: fennel, celery, snow peas, lettuce, broad beans, spinach
Aliums: onion, leak, spring onion
Herbs: coriander, dill, oregano, parsley, rosemary, mint
Fruit: kiwifruit, apples, pears, oranges, mandarins, lemons, limes, grapefruit
The ancient text The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine (Huang Di Nei Jing) says it best, “The transformation of yin and yang in the four seasons is the basis of growth and the destruction of life. By following the universal order, growth can occur naturally. If this natural order is disregarded, the root of one’s life will be damaged and one’s true energy will wane.”
May your embers burn Winter long.
Courtney.
