It appears that spring is finally here to stay, as we’ve had quite the streak of beautiful sunny days. There is nothing like a walk outside when the sun is shining, it truly is the best type of study break. On my latest walk I saw a bird’s nest, though I’m not quite sure if it was newly made or left over from the previous year. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) continues to remind me to live in harmony with nature. The spring and summer seasons are when yang energy is at its highest, so I must meet that energy with more movement. In fact, ancient practitioners would suggest that going against that energy could cause injury to our health. This season is when nature is awakening from its deep sleep; the birds are chirping, the grass is beginning to grow green again, and the buds on the trees are enlarging. This warm weather stimulates life to start sprouting again, and if you quiet yourself outside you can feel the yang energy beginning to abound.

This season is also a great time for planning out your garden. This season I hope to make a contribution to the NUHS garden, I petitioned last season to add more TCM herbs and unfortunately my request was denied. This year the garden has a new faculty advisor so hopefully I will have a better result this year. I was speaking with one of the AOM clinicians, in the Whole Health Clinic, and he was so kind to provide us with TCM seeds to plant should my request be granted.

Thankfully I still have time, because in the Midwest Zone 5 planting schedule, most varieties cannot enter the ground until the chance of frost has passed. Get outside if you can and feel the energy of the season!