The Qi Gong season of summer begins in early May. The season is associated with the element of Fire. The Heart is the central organ of the Fire element. It is the “Emperor of all organs”. It rules over the entire body, physical, emotional, and mental. The organ paired with the heart is the Small Intestine, the “sorter of pure from impure”. This energy helps us to decide what is needed, and what is not, in a mental, emotional, and physical sense.
The energy meridians
The Heart Meridian system rules more than the Heart. In addition, It regulates the circulatory system, speech, face, and facial expressions. The Heart houses the Shen or Spirit, which radiates and shines from a person’s face. Mental ability and our consciousness are found in the Heart.
It is also the energy of the Pericardium Meridian, “the Heart Protector”. This energy influences our ability to connect to others. It shields us from hurt, like a warrior would protect a monarch.
The emotions of Summer
The Fire element sparks and encourages our personal growth and our abilities. In other words, Summer and fire speak to what we’re most excited and passionate about in life, and what we want to create.
Joy and laughter are the emotions associated with the Fire Element. Summer is seen as a time for fun and action. There’s a reason that many people experience a free-spirited joy during the year’s hottest months. The season brings a unique energy that fuels passions and liberates minds.
Summer has a way of provoking the fires of the heart to lead us to new emotional experiences. That is to say, when fire/heart energy is directed in a healthy way, we can sense joy and happiness circulating throughout our body.
Like all good things in life, there is a flip side to the fiery heart energy that summer brings. For many, intensified emotions can bring sadness and suffering. It’s very important not to ignore such feelings. Rather than taking action from a place of pain or negativity, Qi Gong helps us to use the energy we experience for transformation and growth. In the same way that a forest fire leaves behind a rich and fertile soil for new life to blossom, difficulties are a natural part of life but with care they can give birth to new and beautiful experiences.
Summer activity
During Summer, the Fire Element in nature is moving, the plants are growing, animals are getting ready to produce young and everything is busy. Qi Gong is a practice that teaches us how to harness the gifts of nature and the seasons for personal empowerment.
Summer is when we spend more time outside, which increases our exposure to the Sun. This synthesises vitamin D in our body which is good for bones and boosts Serotonin levels (the “feel good” hormone). The days are long and warm which encourages more activity not just in ourselves, but also seen in the plants and trees. The flowers of a plant often represent the full unfolding of the uniqueness of their character, the Fire Element symbolises this process.
As mindful individuals, we seek to cultivate the positive experiences and transform the harmful. Qi Gong helps us bring awareness to what is and isn’t serving us. Excessive busyness, hastiness, stress, and taking on others’ negative emotional states can all harm the heart. Western medical understanding reflects this. Stress and anxiety lead to elevated blood pressure, which is bad for the heart.
Because of this, it’s even more important than usual to pay attention to our surrounding environment, and how much busyness we take on.
Therefore, Qi Gong practices for Summer focus on keeping our emotional energy intact. By learning how to direct our emotional experiences towards love and joy, we can celebrate the season in a positive and fulfilling way.
Qi Gong for the Summer season
A healthy Heart needs regular exercise to keep the circulatory system in good condition. The Heart Meridian is more vulnerable in the Summer Fire element, so we need to build our exercise routines gradually.
In the Qi Gong sessions in our wellness programme, we start to add more weight to our structure. We also start to focus on proprioceptive awareness and how this helps with our balance. Sessions start and end with a flow state to help find that deep sense of relaxation.
A Season For Being Alive
Qi Gong helps us to tune into what we truly enjoy doing, both in and through our body. This means you can harness your emotional energy and transform it into positive action. Getting out and having fun outside with friends and family is a perfect example of letting your heart energy direct your life through taking action.
It is wise to avoid excessive busyness or stress during the summer months. However this does not mean avoiding action. Summer is a perfect time for letting the fire of your heart drive you to new experiences, be it through work or play. The important thing is to make sure you do it in a way that is positive, and that allows enough time to rest between your adventures.
Above all, engage your senses. Summer brings intense colours, sounds and fragrances. Take the time to absorb these experiences.