Summer Solstice is Here: Embrace Season of Fire!

Today marks Xiàzhì (夏至), the Summer Solstice – the longest day of the year and the peak of Yang energy in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). From this point, light slowly gives way to shadow, inviting a balance between movement and rest, brightness and depth.

Welcome to Fire Summer - Summer belongs to the Fire element, linked to the Heart and Small Intestine meridians—governing joy, connection, sleep, and emotional clarity. But too much heat can lead to restlessness, anxiety, or poor sleep. That’s why now is the time to nourish your Shen (spirit) and cool the internal fire.

🥒 Eat and Drink to Stay Balanced - Keep your meals light, hydrating, and cooling:

• Add: Watermelon, cucumber, bitter melon, greens, mung beans, tomato, plums, peach, mint

• Enjoy dishes like cold noodles with mung bean sprouts, or bitter melon stir-fried with egg

• Avoid: Fried, greasy, or spicy foods that increase internal heat

  
  

🍵 Cooling Herbal Teas to Calm & Nourish the Heart - Support your energy and hydration with:

• Green tea – calms the Heart and clears heat

• Chrysanthemum tea – soothes the eyes and cools the body

• Lotus leaf tea – aids digestion and reduces summer dampness

• Honeysuckle tea – clears toxins and inflammation

• Peppermint tea – eases heat headaches

• Rose or white peony tea – gentle support for emotional balance

  
  

🧘‍♀️ Qigong & Lifestyle for Inner Calm

• Practice Heart Qigong or gentle breathwork at sunrise

• Wake early, rest around midday when heat peaks

• Dress in light, breathable fabrics (cotton, linen)

• Move gently – Not jogging! Qigong or tai chi help circulate qi without overheating

• Take cool showers to release surface heat

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💗 Let this season of fire teach you not to burn out—but to shine steadily, nourish your spirit, and let joy arise naturally.