Summertime- and the Living is Easy!
Sitting outside and feeling the sun’s warming rays on our bare skin, laying lazily on the beach, and strolling the farmer’s market and taking in the colors, scents, textures and flavors of fresh locally grown foods. Jumping into the refreshing waters of a Maine lake, sailing or kayaking on Casco Bay, sharing laughter and good times with friends on a warm summer night – nourishing our hearts with shared connections. There’s nothing better than a Maine summer – and we who have endured the long winter, know it!
In Chinese Medicine, summertime is the most Yang time of year – hot and dry, fast and active – the season of the Fire element. Summer is about ripening and thriving, about recreation, play and joy. In our bodies, fire energy is ruled by the Heart – the miraculous muscle that incessantly beats from our embryonic state to our death, pumping blood through the blood vessels and carrying oxygen and nutrients to the cells and tissues of our entire body. The heart encompasses the HeartMind, the seat of our spirit, our sense of self, our intuition, the ability to listen to the voice of our heart and the source of feeling alive and present.
Chinese Medicine says the Shen, the heart spirit, can be seen in someone’s eyes as a spark, a twinkle, a presence. True joy arises from self-awareness, from following one’s heart path. It means embracing all that life brings with a joyful amazement and wonder. Acupressurist and psychologist Iona Teaguarden says, “It is by extending our energy into life, by living fully, that we create ourselves and feel the joy of being. We can choose to feel or not to feel; we cannot choose to feel just some feelings.” (The Joy of Feeling, p. 65 and 66).
The energy pathways of the heart and its assistant, the heart protector, run from the heart down the arms to our fingertips. Through embracing, giving and receiving, and all we do with our hands we extend the energy from our heart to those around us and share our love and joy of living.
The connection to our HeartMind can be severed by shock and trauma, abuse or heartbreak. This leads to depression and despair, self-doubt and hopelessness – the Shen spirit leaves, the eyes become vacant and without shine, and the mind wanders without direction. Chinese Medicine attributes mental illness and addiction to this disconnection from the inner source. It can manifest itself in depression and lack of affect – or it can show up as addiction to pleasure, a chase for excitement, for increasingly stronger stimuli, for constant rush – what Chinese Medicine terms “over-joy”. Other signs for this can be giddiness and inappropriate laughter, and even hypo/maniac behavior.
The strong fire of the heart needs to be tempered and cooled by the water of the kidneys. When there is too much “fire in the heart,” the person becomes aimless, confused, and restless. Symptoms of this can be insomnia, difficulty concentrating and forgetfulness. One sign for “heart fire” is a red tongue tip. The cure is to strengthen the kidneys and adrenals through rest and relaxation, good sleep hygiene, yoga and meditation and mindfulness with stimulants.
When we are in touch with our inner source, when we live life from our heart, we experience a profound sense of well-being and joy, a child-like, playful sense of wonder at all of creation.
What can you do for your own self-care in summer?
- Spend time outside: Soak in the sun and replenish your depleted Vitamin D levels. Up to 20 minutes without sunscreen in moderate sun is okay, depending on your skin.
- Pump your heart: Cardiac exercise will get your heart rate up and strengthen heart and blood vessels. Trade in the gym and treadmill for outdoor exercise – walk, run, jog, swim, kayak, bicycle, play Frisbee.
- Rise early – and get enough sleep: Get the most out of daylight. Summer in Maine is beautiful, but all too short – so make the most of it. Don’t stay up too late playing and exhaust yourself – remember the heart fire needs rest to balance.
- Drink lots of water and seek the shade. Cool down and hydrate to prevent heat exhaustion and dehydration. Avoid direct sun in the middle of the day – moderate and protect yourself.
- Remember sun screen and good quality sun glasses.
- Eat a variety of fresh foods: Browse the farm stands, pick from your garden, and indulge in the abundance and variety of fresh foods. Summer diet allows for more raw and cold-natured foods. Cooling foods are lettuce, leafy greens, cucumbers, water melon and citrus fruits.
- Beware of over-indulgence: Be moderate with that cool beer, and beware of iced coffee drinks and ice cream – it’s easy to take in too much sweet and fatty food in the disguise of a cooling treat. The best way to cool down is to drink water.
- Eat bitter flavors: the bitter flavor strengthens the heart and balances its fire: lettuces, chicory, endive, watercress, cilantro, parsley, and a little dark, bitter chocolate and black tea or coffee in moderation.
- Play, be silly, and let your inner child out.
- Hug more. Reach out from your heart, give and receive hugs.
- Pause to smell the roses. Taste the flavors of summer. Awaken your senses. Slow down consciously.
- Appreciate life and find joy in the little things.
- Find your heart’s desire and live from your heart.
Meret Bainbridge, L.Ac. has been a licensed acupuncturist in Maine since 1997, and a registered Jin Shin Do® acupressurist since 1992. She studied Jin Shin Do with senior teachers Gail Hubatch in New Mexico and Kamala Quale in Oregon. Meret’s German background as clinical psychologist attracted her to the bodymind approach of Jin Shin Do, which in turn led her to study acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. She offers Jin Shin Do as self-standing therapy, and frequently incorporates it into her acupuncture treatments. Meret teaches introductory acupressure for self-care, and has fall classes scheduled through Windham-Raymond Adult Ed, http://windham.maineadulted.org/.
Meret Bainbridge practices at Acupuncture by Meret, 222 St. John St., Suite 137, Portland, ME. www.AcupunctureByMeret.com, phone 207.878.3300, e-mail: meret@acupuncturebymeret.com.
ELM™ | Maine
