- 10
- Jul
- 2018
Summer and the Fire Element
In Summer, Nature is alive with activity! Days are longer, the sun is hotter, plants are flowering, and crops are growing in the fields. The Fire Element is in full bloom, both in Nature and in people.Summer is the season of joy, laughter, fun, intimacy, love, and yes, hot summer days. Here in sunny Florida, many people tend to avoid the Great Outdoors during the hottest time of the day in summer, unless you are near a source of water to keep cool. It’s a perfect example of the natural balancing action between the Fire and Water Elements. Fire warms Water, especially in summer, which makes swimming in a pool or ocean very pleasant.
Likewise, Water cools Fire, just as afternoon showers bring summer day temperatures down. People also need Water to cool the body down. My patients have probably heard me talk about the importance of drinking at least 64 ounces (half a gallon) of water per day, to provide the necessary fluid for all bodily functions. To stay hydrated in the heat of summer, you need to drink more than that. Depending on how long you are outside and how much you perspire, your body may need up to a gallon of water per day. For most people who don’t stay out in the heat, 96 ounces (three quarters of a gallon) of water daily is usually sufficient in summertime. Over years, low grade dehydration can cause many unwanted effects to your joints, muscles, spinal discs, and other body systems that build over time. Drink more water to stay healthy, keep cool and stay hydrated all summer long!
In terms of your emotions, the Fire Element is associated with joy and love, while the Water Element is associated with fear. Love and fear are like opposites. You are either in one state or the other, but not simultaneously in both. Fear can block your natural loving Self. When it comes to personal relationships, fear can breed mistrust and distrust, making intimacy difficult. When it comes to your inner relationship with your Self, fear can distract you from knowing the loving person you are inside. Since fear cannot co-exist in the presence of joy and love, one key to reduce your fears is to make a conscious choice to become more positive and loving. Five Element acupuncture can help by giving you an “attitude adjustment” in a more positive direction.
In Five Element acupuncture, the Fire Element is comprised of four meridians: two organs and two functions. The two organs are the Heart and Small Intestines, and the two functions are Circulation-Sex (also called the Heart Protector) and Three Heater.
People are often curious about what these two functions do. The Circulation-Sex meridian maintains the health of your circulatory system and sexual function, while also keeping your Heart safe from insults and emotional hurt. When this function of protecting your heart is strong, it allows you to be open-hearted and vulnerable, without fear or mistrust.
The Three Heater function maintains your body in warmth and balance, no matter the temperature. In this way, the Three Heater keeps you warm when it is cold, and keeps you cool in the heat. As all meridians do, the Three Heater functions on a mental, emotional and spiritual level as well as physically. When the Three Heater is strong, it maintains your positive attitude and warmth of emotion. Together, these four Fire meridians hold the keys to your happiness, as well as the health and vitality of these organs and parallel functions.
The ancient Chinese recognized the value of maintaining their health in each season. They used seasonal acupuncture treatment as preventative medicine. Each season corresponds to a different one of the Five Elements, and each Element is best balanced in its own season. Summer time is the best season of the year to boost your Fire meridians. Call us at the Acupuncture & Holistic Health Center to receive your Fire-balancing Summer “tune-up”. If you schedule an appointment during the month of July, mention this article for a 10% discount on your next treatment fee! Call us at (904) 296-9545 to schedule your tune-up.