Spring is poking its head up in Western Pennsylvania and I wanted to take some time out to talk about what that means in terms of Chinese medicine. Spring is nature’s next chance. It is a season of new beginnings, new growth. It corresponds with the element of wind and the organ system of the liver/gall bladder. After a long, cold, and heavy winter, spring gives us the opportunity to refresh and renew. Naturally, our energies go dormant in winter, but in spring, our systems are like a budding flower – with all the potential and excitement to grow into a lustrous full-bloom. Where we are, rain and sun give way to vibrant greens, buds on trees are waiting to burst open with vibrant initiative.

Specifically, I wanted to share my ideas of the underlying emotion of spring: anger. Anger, and all of its manifestations; frustration, edginess, impatience, stubbornness, arrogance, explosive personality – these are emotional patterns we begin to notice in springtime. So, what do all of these emotional states have in common? Momentum. All of the states associated with anger and frustration have the ABILITY to force movement. Think about it. Think about a very frustrated state you’ve been in. Think about something that made you very angry. What happened after you were able to express this frustration or anger? Most likely, there was MOVEMENT. I’m not necessarily talking about physical movement, although that could be an aspect. I’m talking about a shift or a change. Anger gives rise to change. Sometimes drastic, sometimes subtle. Anger has the direct ability to create some type of change. A lot like a seed bursting forth. Once underground and unmoving, then violently cutting through and bursting out.

It reminds me of my second son’s birth. I had the distinct pleasure of being surrounded by friends, all of whom were mothers, cheering me on during the final stages of labor and into delivery. I was pushing and focusing and panting and sweating and at one point, my eyes locked with my good friend, Jess. She must have seen my sheer frustration and felt my readiness to want to give up. She yelled at me, “Just get ANGRY about it Michelle!” It was exactly the right thing to say – the perfect motivation – the permission I needed to burst forth that new life.

And, indeed, spring is one of the best and easiest seasons to bring forth new projects. As the weather becomes warmer, and we start eating lighter, our activity level increases and it becomes the best season to loose weight. Yes, we may be feeling more edginess building inside, but what better way to work out that frustration and underlying emotion than to begin a new task? Its literally the best time of year to start a diet, start a new type of exercise. Focus your attention outward. Trying to suppress or repress your frustration, or turning your anger inward only leads to depression. Nature is offering you a fresh start. A new chance. Will you take it?

Source here .