Late Summer 2024

   A very unusual Summer, and we are now upon the season of Late Summer. So let me begin this season with the above photograph. Yes it's the ocean, the waters stirred by yet another storm, and rip currents pulling at the beaches and leaving their mark. Tempest tossed and wind blown.

   But it is the skies that appear to have the greatest change. For starting in May of this year, still Spring and not quite Summer, where we have been fortunate enough to see the Aurora Borealis this far south as a result of solar flares and coronal mass ejections and solar winds swirling. In this photograph the sky is covered with a greenish tint I've never seen before. A have a few photographs of green skies over the house as well in a suburban area late at night.

   However, this season, mid August the sky has lit up with the most magnificent hues of pink and magenta, even here locally at our nearby beach. A wonder and a natural phenomenon to behold!

   And so now with mid August we also approach Late Summer, yet another season, as indicated in traditional Chinese Medicine. Here is where we begin to transition, slowing down from the fiery pace of bright light and heat and Summer, as even the Sun begins to fade. Days are already noticeable as a little shorter. The cicadas, although in concert now, don't seem as robust as last year.

   Soon it will be Fall, and this season helps to prepare us. Late Summer corresponds to the element of Earth. Everything is ripened, before the coming harvest, and preparing for the fruit of next year. All in our natural cycles. This short season seems to have qualities of all the seasons, fluctuating between hot and cool and extremes as things shift.

   This element relates to nourishment, so the sense organ for this time is the mouth, the sense associated with this time is taste, while the body fluid is saliva. Here we start to incorporate more grains into our diet to prepare for Fall, then Winter. The organs connected to this time is the spleen and stomach. The spleen distributes the energy obtained from foods. The digestive system reflect the influences of diet, mental activity and emotions, the stomach being one of the most sensitive organs in our bodies. When we are nervous or under stress, do we not get butterflies in our stomachs?

   One key thing during this time of Earth is to stay grounded, and nourish oneself, reflect upon where we have been. It often brings a sense of melancholy and longing, remembering special times we have just experienced over the Spring and Summer. Our diet should include the fruits and vegetables that are in season now, yes incorporating grains slowly and some nuts and seeds as well. All this should be done according to your own needs and comfort and to not over eat or be able to sense when some foods may be too heavy yet.

   The color for this season is yellow, the direction is center, climate moist, the emotion we feel is that of sympathy. The sound is singing, the taste is sweet, like the harvest of honey. Try to enjoy these last days of Summer that can linger into Fall and take good care of yourself.

   Again you can always read past articles on this blog for more tips.

Be well,

Maery

   

 

Summer Solstice

   And then the rains came.....

   And they came and stayed, water in sheets and torrents, soaking the Earth, drowning flowers and plants, causing people to run with umbrella in their daily tasks, hiding inside. It has been a time of unusual weather patterns, not just here but across the country. We are fortunate here in that we have not gotten extremes like tornados ripping through with destructive cleansing.

   Yet at the same time, it is hard to tell when one season onsets and when one ends. And as we approach the Summer Solstice this year, we have had some record heat here and there, yet in between remains the cool chill in the air, having had the heat on as late as the month of May. 

   Of course weather is always changing and unpredictable, but when you have extremes in weather and temperatures and humidity and life threatening damaging storms it is hard for the body to adjust to the changes, which causes a bit of stress on the systems. So which season do you pick to follow your routine in well being and healthy living?

   It seems you have to adapt to whatever is coming and be flexible. Carry the extra sweater and dress lightly or in layers, for by afternoon you could be experiencing a heat wave, or a downpour and hail, or high winds. About 2 or 3 years ago we had 60 mile per hour winds on a regular basis which was close to hurricane force winds.

   I try to abide by the season that seems most dominant, although the seasons seem to be arriving about a month or two late, so I wait and see and sense what seems most appropriate. For Spring was a time of cleansing, yet with the darkness of days inside and rain, it seemed like Winter was lingering. So on the chilly wet days get out the soups and warm beverages and return to cleansing. For Summer we need to deal with intense heat so the cooler foods and beverages apply. Healthy fruit or vegetable smoothies, salads, less of the heavier foods.

   The good news is that more time can be spent outside with exercise and sports or just enjoying the day outdoors in nature. Walking continues to be an all around activity, if you can, with many health benefits, including cardio, brain, just about everything.

   I also found that after such long periods of time with dark skies and rain for days that the sunlight can be a bit of a shock. Make sure to wear your sunglasses to protect your eyes, and sunscreen to protect your skin.

   In the traditional Chinese Medicine, Summer is the time of maturation and growth, which we also see evident in the plants and flowers. Summer is governed by the element of Fire, like the Sun which is so bright now, and the organs connected with this season is the heart and small intestines. Summer is considered masculine in nature, the high point of the day being 12 noon. During this season it is important to stay hydrated, and to not get too overheated. It is a good reminder for our heart health - in eating healthy foods including fruits and vegetables, of which there is plenty this time of year. Why not get your annual checkup to make sure your blood pressure and heart are still healthy. For the small intestines it is to do with digestion and nutrition, so eat well and lightly, to nourish and cleanse and balance. It's always a balancing act in all the seasons.

   the tongue and speech are the sense organ for Summer - find how well you can communicate with others and be aware of your sense of taste. The tissue associated with Summer is blood vessels, so again check your heart health. The taste for Summer is bitter - for this balances out the Fire believe it or not. Examples are Green Tea, cranberries, endive, arugula, celery, unsweetened cocoa powder, olives to name a few. The sound of Summer is laughter, which is good to hear and experience. For the emotions associated with Summer there is both joy and sorrow so you must choose which one you want to have.

   You can always look back to previous articles for tips on the seasons. I wish you well in this and every season. Live your life and celebrate it.

Maery

The Approach of Spring                           

Mountain Bluebird

   I say the approach of Spring, for it seems to take its time in onsetting, shifting back and forth between the end of Winter, and a few warm days here and there, the Sun growing ever stronger. Already sunset is about an hour later here, much welcomed after a long, dark Winter.

   Right now there is a steady rain, an inch and a half projected, but it is the wind that really captures my attention. March is like that - the wind seems endless - but it's all a part of the balancing act between seasons, as well as cleansing.

   For in Chinese Medicine Spring is actually a time of cleansing. The climate for Spring and the element of Wood that goes with Spring is the Wind. It cleans out the debris of Winter, and yet too much wind can be harmful. We have been protecting ourselves from the cold, but now we must also face the wind.

   Along with the element of Wood, the liver and gall bladder are associated with Spring, again a time of cleansing. The toxins locked in during the Winter will now be released, cleansed and then a new start that is associated with Spring.

   We start to wake up after hibernating indoors, and get more active. The color green goes with both Wood and Spring, signifying new life.

   The emotion associated with Wood is anger, but too much anger or repressed anger is not healthy and can damage the liver.

   No matter what season we are in, we need to find the balances. There is nothing like a long walk in nature to restore balances and cleanse as well. Try to find more time outdoors if you can.

   Above is our visiting Mountain Bluebird - who came here from out West. Sometimes this species will wander to the East Coast, but it is rare. Here we are Spring and Summer habitat for the Eastern Bluebird.

   This little bird has been here for the Winter on our south shore, in a park on the Great South Bay, with the ocean beyond. She loves to perch on the tops of cedar trees and juniper bushes, or fence posts.

   The beautiful colors, once she spreads her wings are magnificent and remind me of the birds returning from the South. Hummingbirds are already enroute North. This year I hope to put out red Trumpet Vines and Hummingbird feeders, as they have been seen in our area.

   Today is a soaking rain, no sunshine, but keep reminding myself of the Spring days to come!

The Winter Solstice

The Hazy Sun of Winter

   The Winter Solstice is approaching. Already the darkness in early evening seems darker, all consuming. We retreat more indoors, slowing down, taking stock of the last year, and wondering where do we go to next. We are more inward, as the Fall fades into Winter and we have yet another time of transition for our health and well being.

   Winter is related to the element of Water, and so the organs associated with Winter are the bladder and kidneys. Although the kidneys are nourished by a colder climate, extreme coldness can be damaging or difficult, so it is important to keep warm. Warm soups and stews, layers of clothing, and a fireplace or place of warmth are ideal in Winter.

   The emotion which correlates to Winter is fear, while the senses affected are to due to with ears. Be careful to keep your head and ears warm, especially in cold winds, as the ears are more sensitive this time of year. The taste associated with Winter is salt - but remember to keep salt at a reasonable level, otherwise high blood pressure can result. The colors of winter are blue and black, which also remind us of water. 

   Despite the colder weather approaching, I still try to walk as much as possible, being outdoors, and getting some sunshine, even though the sun seems more hazy. Dressing warmly helps, as well as finding areas that are somewhat protected from the wind, for the wind makes things feel even colder. I have walked, in mid winter, in the mountains, with the trails covered with snow, and lots of ice everywhere. There is a quietness and stillness in the air. But on those walks they tend to be shorter and I retreat to the warmth indoors.

   And slowly, as we get through January here, the sun starts to set later in increments, as it makes its return. While indoors I get ready for plans for the Spring, when everything starts anew. Cycles, cycles, endless cycles of life.

 

The Last Day of Summer - Autumn Begins

    An ode perhaps to this last traditional day of summer, but it is not really true. Nature knows its own boundaries and seasons and not those we attribute to a calendar of our own making. Seasons come and go, onsetting gradually. A few days and nights of a coolness, a specific chill, but it merely seems to overly the last remnants of Summer. Already into September, we will be having a heat wave of consecutive days of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, already unusual in and of itself.

   The cicadas are still in full chorus day and night, although stronger at night, this nocturnal hymn, and usually the continue until the end of October, when the harvest had ended and days are even cooler. Not yet Winter, no longer Summer, Autumn has its own rhythms and speeds.

   A time of transition, it always signals changes, and a bit of physical stress as we attempt to adapt. There is a distinct slowing down after the fast pace of Summer, fueled by the very energy of the sun it seems. A time now to cleanse, prepare for Winter, to reflect on where we have come thus far.

   Birds feel the signal and gather to migrate to warmer climes - heeding the call to do so. Animals hide food in their new burrows, nests are long forgotten until next Spring.

   A harbinger of change and things to come.

Late Summer - More Changes

    Now we begin to transition into Late Summer. It’s always hard to pinpoint the exact time, for many claim it is the end of August, but still even as August onsets there is a different feeling to the season, to the Summer, not the full blazing glory of Spring and Midsummer - but a more tranquil time it seems.

   And so of course, we must shift with the seasons, which can be stressful to some degree, and so we must try to maintain healthy balances, and prepare for the Autumn and the Winter to come. It is a time to start reflecting on what has recently been, and ponder where we are going next.

   Harvesting of all kinds of produce begins, although I have to say with the heavy rains we had this Spring, and lack of sunlight, and then a searing heat wave in the Dog Days of July, a lot of produce has failed to ripen or grow to its maximum.

   In Chinese Medicine, as we have learned these past years, the time of Late Summer is connected to the element of Earth. And Late Summer is a short season, but yet an important one. The element of Earth gives us a sense of being grounded, providing a foundation. There are no solstices or equinoxes in this time. I think of it as a pivot between Summer and Autumn, again, a time of preparation for what is to come.

   And so what goes with Earth is the color Yellow. The quality, which we already sense, is transition. The sensory organs here are the mouth and taste, which also leads us to the organs of the stomach and spleen and digestion. Often in Late Summer our tummies are a bit sensitive, so we must eat lightly, and slowly increase the density, but not heavy. In the Autumn we need to increase heat, so we eat heavier foods and grains to prepare for winter.

   The smell associated with this element is fragrant - thinking of the flowers and their blooms with their sweet smells. The taste is sweet - the fruit that has ripened. The sound is singing. The emotions are sympathy and compassion. The climate is moist, while humidity, at least in this part of the world, is high.

   So this gives a flavor of this time and it is important to be in balance, not only now, but throughout the seasons. For me it is a good time for meditation, however I practice this regularly throughout the year.

   I hope this bittersweet Late Summer finds all of you well.

Maery

Summer Solstice - Warmth and Heart

Cooling off in Summer’s heat

  Well now Summer appears ready to arrive, yet hesitant. The Sun, when we can see it these days, is intense and burning, with a crystal clear quality, often to cloudless skies when it does shine. For as of late, everything seems to appear a monotone grey - the skies, the weather, with our sunny days few and far between, as the seasons seem reluctant to change, or take their time in doing so.

   Seasons used to be predictable, a slight overlap with either cooler or warmer days mixed in, but sometimes now it seems to be all one season, with variations in between. May and June used to be the two most beautiful months of the year here, but we had the heat on during the month of May, and in June the breezes are still chilly.

   Traditionally, June is the element of Fire in Chinese medicine, and yes you can still feel the presence of that. Yet the cooler days seem more reminiscent of Spring. The counsel might be to focus on cooling foods, drinks, as Summer does seem to be beneath it all.

   Not only is Summer a time of Fire, but also the heart. In all seasons it is important not to be in excess, and in Summer there is the possibility of burn out. We live fast and furious, inspired by our energy this time of year, when the Sun is at its peak. So balances are important.

   For a complete list of Summer diet, emotions and other counsels please see the previous posts for Summer.

   And as Summer’s emotion is Joy - have a joyful and pleasant Summer, and see you again in Late Summer, when the element of Earth takes precedence.

Enjoy,

Maery