🌿 SPRING WELLNESS 🌿
- Mar 12
- 6 min read
Spring — A Season of New Beginnings
Spring is settling in somehow slowly, but we had a glimpse of what is coming last week. The days are growing longer, the sun is gaining strength ( at least was) , and nature is waking up — colours are more vivid, flowers are blooming, and there's a sense of things stretching upward and outward after the stillness of winter. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this is exactly the energy of the season: expansive, upward-moving Yang energy, full of momentum and possibility.
Spring is a natural invitation to emerge from hibernation — to start moving, growing, and stepping back out into the world. If you've been reflecting or sitting with something over winter, now is the time to act on it.
Spring & the Wood Element: Liver and Gall Bladder
In TCM, every season is connected to an element and its corresponding organs. Spring belongs to the Wood Element, which governs the Liver and Gall Bladder. The Liver has a particularly important job: it's responsible for the smooth flow of Qi (energy), emotions and Blood throughout the body. It also regulates bile secretion, stores Blood, and connects with the tendons, nails, and eyes.
The predominant emotion of the Wood element is anger — not just explosive anger, but also its opposite: the suppression of it. Frustration, bitterness, feeling bottled up, or 'flying off the handle' are all signs the Wood element may be out of balance.
On the positive side, a healthy Wood element shows up as:
• Increased motivation and drive
• Clarity about decisions and direction
• A sense of purpose and forward movement
When Things Get Stuck: Liver Qi Stagnation- probably the most common pathologies I see in the clinic
The most common Wood element imbalance in spring is Liver Qi Stagnation — essentially, energy that isn't flowing freely. You might recognise it in some of the following:
• Irritability or holding onto anger
• Anxiety (often from long-term tension depleting your reserves)
• Fatigue and tiredness, feeling stuck
• Insomnia
• Headaches and migraines
• Tension in muscles
• Menstrual irregularities
• Postural Dizziness- when you get up quickly for example
• High blood pressure
• Hayfever and seasonal allergies
• Eye issues — infections, blurred vision, swollen eyelids
If any of these feel familiar right now, you're not alone — and there's plenty we can do to get things moving again.
Nourishing Your Wood Element Through Food
The colour of the Wood element is green, so it won't surprise you to hear that this is the season to pile your plate high with greens. Think broccoli, kale, asparagus, rocket, lettuce, peas, beans, sprouts, dill, and parsley. These fast-growing plants carry an upward, expansive energy that beautifully supports your Liver's job of keeping Qi flowing smoothly.
Pungent-tasting foods are also wonderful in spring — mint, chives, rosemary, scallions, garlic, ginger, watercress, baby turnips, spinach, legumes and seeds all fit the purpose. And if you notice energy rising a little too strongly to your head — headaches, for instance — introduce some sour foods to bring things back into balance. A mug of warm water with lemon in the morning is a simple and lovely place to start. If your head feels warm, try peppermint tea for its cooling properties
Keep meals simple and cooked, with plenty of warming soups. Try to eat until you're about 70–80% full — overeating can create stagnation in the digestive system, and giving yourself that little bit of space goes a long way.
Supportive spring teas: white peony, lavender, lime tree flowers, milk thistle, and dandelion are all wonderful for liver health this time of year.
Moving Your Body, Moving Your Qi
Movement is one of the most powerful things you can do for your Liver energy — when we move our bodies, we help Qi and Blood circulate throughout the whole system. And it really doesn't need to be intense to make a difference. A gentle walk in the park, a stretchy yoga session in your living room, some flowing Qigong or a Pilates class can all do wonders.
If you've been thinking about trying something new, spring is the perfect time to take the challenge. Qi Gong here is lovely movement to move stagnation: ) and Tai Chi are especially beautiful practices for this season — they work with the body, mind, and emotions together, and their slow, flowing movements are made for getting stuck energy moving. For in person classes I could highly recommend Mei Quan Academy
With the natural urge to become more physically active after the stillness of Winter. This increased activity — walks, jogs, hiking, cycling, gardening, and outdoor sports — brings with it a greater risk of sprains, strains, and joint discomfort. Evil Bone Water (Zheng Gu Shui) is a powerful topical herbal liniment used to treat pain and trauma from backache, arthritis, strains, bruises, and sprains , making it a particularly well-suited remedy for Spring's burst of movement. It is known for smoothing Liver Qi, invigorating blood flow, and clearing stagnation that may manifest as pain or stiffness. By supporting circulation and easing the aches that come with seasonal activity, Evil Bone Water acts as an ideal companion to the body's natural springtime renewal. Now available in a handy 10ml roller in my store.
I have just mentioned gardening! Planting, pruning, and tending to growing things is a wonderfully direct way of connecting with Wood energy — both inside and out. I planted some basil and noticed some sprouting, very exciting:)
Emotions, Boundaries & Letting Flow
In TCM, the smooth flow of energy isn't just physical — it includes emotions too. The Liver governs our ability to express what we feel, and when emotions get bottled up or suppressed, that stagnation has a real knock-on effect on our physical health. Spring is a wonderful time to check in: are there feelings you've been holding onto? Things you've been wanting to say or process?
It's also a good season to look honestly at your boundaries and beliefs. Are they still serving you? Do any need revisiting or letting go? Making space — physically, emotionally, and mentally — is what allows fresh, creative energy to come in.
A Note on Spring Weather
Spring weather can be wonderfully unpredictable — warm and sunny one day, breezy and cool the next. In TCM, wind is considered a significant factor in health, and the nape of the neck is especially vulnerable to Cold Wind and drafts. A simple tip: pop a light scarf in your bag and dress in layers so you can adapt through the day.
Some help for exam season
Exam season can be an anxious time for both young people and the adults who support them. With pressure coming from schools and peers alike, creating a calm and nourishing home environment can make a real difference.
Last year I put together some EFT tapping videos that many of you found helpful — one aimed at young people, and a separate one for parents and carers. I've also added a relaxing audio to listen to at bedtime, which guides them on a gentle visualisation into a positive future, helping to ease present-day anxiety by connecting them with hopeful feelings and outcomes.
If your young person is struggling with stress, it might be worth exploring these resources on this post.
Self-Acupressure for Spring: Two Points to Know
Acupressure is a simple and accessible way to support your body's energy at home. Here are two key points for the Wood element season:
Gallbladder 20 — "Wind Pool"
Good for: Headaches, migraines, neck tension, eye fatigue or blurriness, and cold and flu symptoms. Particularly helpful when tension stems from frustration or restlessness.
Location: In the hollow at the base of the skull, between the ear and the spine.
How to use: Use your thumbs or fingertips to apply gentle circular pressure for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Liver 3 — "Great Rushing"
Good for: All kinds of pain including headaches, chest or abdominal tension, and bloating. Especially helpful for processing and releasing anger, frustration, and difficult emotions.
Location: In the hollow depression between the bones of the first and second toe.
How to use: Use your thumb to apply pressure in a circular motion for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
⚠ Contraindication: Do not use this point if you are pregnant.
Observe how your energy is growing — and make things happen. 🌱
Sending lots of love,
Kate
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