“Listen, listen, listen to your Heart’s song.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
Summer is about Celebration! It is our time to celebrate our joy, creativity, the ripening of the earth’s bounty all around us, and our own Blossoming. We can celebrate our own spirit by absorbing the all the solar energy available this time of year, exercising, playing, just being in the outdoors. The Heart is the ruler over the Summer season. The Heart is the root of life and generates all changes in Spirit. In the cycle of the five elements Fire is the element associated with Summer. The fire phase embodies armth, expansion, joy, compassion, creativity and brilliance. The Summer is a time of Blossoming where the fullness of yang supports this period of luxurious growth. Fruits and flowers abound during the Summer’s season of growth and maturation.
love. compassion. self confidence. joy. peace.
These are all gifts of Fire in balance.
Season: Summer
Organ: Heart (yin) & Small Intestine (yang) – Sovereign Fire
Pericardium (yin) & Triple Heater (yang) – Ministerial Fire
Direction: South
Colour: Red
Sound: Laughing
Emotion: Joy, Happiness
Odour: Scorched
Taste: Bitter
Orifice: Ears
Sense organ: Tongue/Speech
Fluid: Sweat
Climate: Heat
Planet: Mars
Quality: Ripening
Governing body part: Blood Vessels/Vascular system
Indicating body part: Complexion
Highest expression: Compassion
Spirit: Shen (Spirit)
SUMMER FOODS
Millet, Plums, Cabbage, Lamb, Cilantro, Bitter greens (Mustard, Watercress), Cranberries, Cauliflower
Just look around at what fruits and veggies are in luscious abundance this time of year, this is the ideal Summer diet! This is a full yang time so eating less heating (yang type) foods is better to be in balance with the season. More yin, cooling, moist foods like fruits and veggies combined with some millet, rice, a few nuts, seeds and a touch of dairy protein balance out a Summer diet.
SUMMER HERBS
Ginger root –stimulates circulation, good for nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, gas
Hawthorn Berries –heart tonic, good for palpitations and to nourish & balance the heart!
Red Clover –blood tonic & cleanser, also for coughs
Fennel Seed –digestive tonic, anti-spasmodic, expectorant
Motherwort –heart tonic, anti-spasmodic, emmenagogue, palpitations, mothering nourishment
Cayenne –tonic, stimulates circulation, pungent, heating, anti-inflammatory, blood cleanser
SOLAR/LUNAR HERBAL TEA
Loosely fill a clear glass jar with dry or preferably fresh herbs.
Place in the Sun for one full sunny day or place in the light of the full Moon for one or two nights. Add a little honey or maple syrup if desired.
Enjoy!
Leaf herbs & flowers work best:
- Peppermint leaf
- Spearmint leaf
- Hibiscus flowers
- Lemon grass
- Red clover blossoms
- Chamomile flowers
- Rosemary
- Lemon Balm
- Catnip
Any green herbs!
A nourishing substitute for juices or lemonade.
