4 Ways To Nurture Health in the Season of the Water Element

As we move into the darker winter months of the year, we have cycled solidly back into the season of the water element. Each season presents us with an opportunity to honor its dominant energy and when we do this, we are in harmony with the cosmos. Beyond that simply sounding like the most woo-woo, hippy dippy thing that has come out of my mouth yet, it also means that we are nurturing our health not only for that season, but also for the one(s) to come. The water element in particular plays one of the most special parts in this cycle, so read on to give yourself the best advantage to feeling amazing all year long.

In organ/element relationships in the body, the kidneys are governed by the water element. In class, you’ve heard me describe how Chinese medicine considers the kidneys as the seat of vitality and longevity-thus the importance of safeguarding this precious energy. Really, a Western view isn’t much different- you need healthy functioning kidneys to survive. In addition to good health and energy, we can also look at the work our kidneys do as supporting stamina and endurance- whether that’s running a marathon or just having the resolve to look at the news again when you know it’s still going to be a dumpster fire. In short, our kidneys support our physical AND mental wellness and resiliency. In essence, this is the root of all other functions, so doing whatever we can to support it is a really good idea.

Each season has its own recommendations for how to best use its energy. Here’s four ways you can love on your water element and kidney Qi all winter long:

Keep your back warm-

The lower back houses the kidneys and its energy. If we look at one aspect of our kidney energy as being the fire that drives our Qi, obviously having that energy warm and circulating is better than cold and stagnant. This means wearing seasonally appropriate clothing. Another way I achieve this is by sitting on a heating pad when I’m on my couch reading.

Have warm foods and beverages-

This is discussed a lot in my Qigong for Metabolic Health course. It’s just as important for our kidney energy. This time of year more than ever, avoiding raw and cold foods like salads, smoothies, ice cream, ice water and the like help keep the fires at the gate of life burning. Remember, it’s a cold time of year. So, we want everything we introduce to the interior of our bodies to be warm.

Soak Your Feet In Hot Water

I had a teacher in acupuncture school who told 99% of his patients to do this. You don’t need a fancy foot spa. Just get a bucket (which you only use for this) and fill it with warm tap water to soak your feet for 20 minutes a day. Feel free to add Epsom salts and/or essential oils. Our three leg Yin meridians (including the Kidney meridian) begin on our feet. By soaking your feet, you’re introducing warmth into those meridians- the perfect counter to the cold outside. Plus, you’ll sleep like a baby after.

Rest

There’s a reason that certain mammals hibernate this time of year. Although holiday shopping and gathering calls, taking ample time out to rest is one of the biggest gifts you can give yourself. Within any dominant element is the nascent seed of the one that follows it- in this case the wood of spring. Think of the time you spend resting as nurturing that seed of wood so that, when the time is appropriate, it can burst forth and grow strong. Even the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, the first book ever written about Chinese medicine, says in the winter that we are to go to bed earlier and rise later. Sounds like a good enough reason for me to sleep in.

Since you read this blog, you probably also know that it goes without saying that Qigong is another great way to support our water element and kidney energy. Exercises like Nourishing Kidneys, Drumming Kidneys, and Carrying the Moon are all fantastic to this end. Ultimately, we can choose how we look at anything, which is one of the beautiful things about the mental clarity that our practice affords us. We can groan and bellyache about how another winter is upon us, or we can embrace the cozy season by grabbing another cup of tea, putting on another blanket, and another log on the fire. I know what I’m doing, how about you?