Chinese Five Elements Programmes

Each programme consists of three booklets, three prerecorded zoom sessions with accompanying slides plus bonus extras and Facebook group.

The three prerecorded zooms cover:

• Kick-off with an introduction to the season in Chinese Medicine. Food planning, shopping list and recommended recipes.
• Somatic session incorporating kinesiology, breathing and / or movement tips.
• Emotional release session based on the emotions associated with the season. Inclusion of flower essences, crystals, and aromatherapy.

Spring is associated with the renewal of life, balance, and the importance of focusing on the liver for detoxification and hormone balance. 

The liver plays a crucial role in processing toxins and maintaining hormone balance. The liver is paired with the gallbladder.

The liver also influences emotions, such as, anger, frustration, and resentment. This is where bilious comes from.

Spring cleaning extends beyond tidying our homes. It involves embracing a diet rich in fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, staying hydrated, and engaging in activities that promote emotional wellbeing.

Summer in Chinese Medicine is linked to the heart and small intestine, and in other practices the pericardium and triple warmer. The latter two refer to our hormone and endocrine system, this includes the adrenals, which sit at the top of the kidneys. In Chinese Medicine the adrenals are viewed the same as the kidneys due to their location.

The kidneys are usually associated with Winter, a time when we should be conserving and storing energy. Summer however is a great time to incorporate plenty of raw foods and juices to help gently support cleansing the kidneys ready for Winter.

During the warmer months, fresh fruits and vegetables are more abundant, and consuming them in their raw form can provide a range of nutrients and hydration.

The emotions connected to Summer are joy and potentially lack of joy.

Chinese Medicine recognises five seasons, with the addition of late-Summer, associated with the stomach and spleen. Late-Summer transitions to Autumn at the Autumn Equinox.  

The spleen plays a role in the overall balance of the body. Chinese Medicine teaches us to support the spleen for immune function and blood sugar balance during the Autumn months. Warming foods are recommended during the cooler seasons.

In Chinese Medicine Autumn is associated with the lungs and large intestine. Guilt relates to the large intestine, and our lungs are the seat of grief in Chinese Medicine.

The idea of a gentle colon cleanse to release and let go emotionally is part of the philosophy of many Eastern traditions.

In Chinese Medicine Winter is associated with the kidneys and bladder, also fear and anxiety.

We can all relate to festive feelings of lethargy, sluggishness, and bloating. There may be a temptation to eat raw fruits and vegetables, however, they are best to avoid as we are already cold enough during Winter.

Winter is associated with heaviness, coldness, and stagnation, which can cause dampness. We need to maintain our digestive fire in Winter and use warming foods to reduce this excess.

We should also integrate cleansing seasonal foods, fibre, movement, and techniques from different traditions to support.

This seasonal programme is all about subtly including these principles into our everyday life coupled with inspiration from Chinese Medicine food energetics. It aims to banish the Winter blues and support you in sailing through Christmas and the New Year.

*Please note this programme is not recommended for those with kidney disease*