Staying in Sync with Late Summer

Are you in sync with the Late Summer phase of Nature’s creative cycle?

This Late Summer, the season of harvest, when the time of flowering is over but Nature has not yet started its phase of decline is ruled by the Earth element and its color is YELLOW. It is special among the elements because all other elements derive their source from Mother Earth, being provided with life, support, and nourishment.

The Earth element rules the stomach, spleen, and pancreas.

The stomach meridian is the ONLY meridian that penetrates ALL the major body organs. The stomach controls digestion and has the role of rotting and ripening, processing the nourishment we provide it when we eat and making it usable by the body. The stomach energy is downward, through the gut. The spleen then transports nutrients and controls the flow of blood. When these Earth organs cannot transform raw materials into usable energy, dampness occurs. Their peak energy is between 7am and 11am.

At a non-physical level, the spleen and stomach also help us absorb nourishment for the mind and spirit: love, truth, beauty, and new ideas. They help us tend each other, managing the practical parts of life. The Late Summer energy lets us be thoughtful, compassionate, and count-on-able for each other.

When there is an Earth imbalance, we have digestive troubles. Outside of the digestive system, this can look like never-sorted papers, clothes piled in a hamper, a house filled with books never quite read … bogging us down! Dampness can cause a heavy-headed feeling as if your thoughts are moving through fog, and it can be localized at a wound site, puffy and weeping.

Earth imbalance can show up as bossiness, fussiness, or overblown sympathy. Practicality may show up as small-mindedness, or an inability to see the larger picture … or you might be endlessly needy.

The key idea of Earth shows up as TRANSFORMATION. The abundance of what we harvest now must be transformed so we and others get the good. We can become more centered, more grounded, and more fully present in the physical world as it actually exists, and become more contented with whatever life brings. Practice makes perfect.

Action Steps

Harvest Earth’s bounty by buying and eating local produce. Food nourishes and comforts us, so any imbalance here can lead to overeating. To avoid that, add more drinking water into your day; always cook your food until soft, as raw food puts stress on the spleen (this wisdom is for Earth out of balance), and avoid fatty foods like red meat and dairy.

Think in terms of abundance. When asked, “How are you?” respond “I’m blessed.” Know it. Be generous.

Practice good giving. Give someone a card, a phone call, or a CD of your favorite songs. Give yourself a gift … free time or a reflexology session 🙂

Practice good receiving. Accept the thoughtfulness of others. If you pay attention, you may be surprised at how many times a day you get help … unasked.

Sing. Find a quiet place and hear the Earth sing: cicadas, katydids, or the bark splitting on the trunk of a tree (one of MY life’s amazing moments!). And then simply sing for yourself … forcing a deep breath, soothing the spirit.

Learn from the stomach’s cycle. It takes 4-6 hours to break down your food. Your mind and spirit need time to pummel new thoughts and events into usable form. Let things Rot AND Ripen.

Learn from the spleen. Ask yourself how you can transform ANY situation. Can you move a worry into thoughtful action? Is there a small, practical step you can take?

Savor all the good work you have done on this day, in this week, and throughout this season.