A note for the Summer Solstice
A short letter for 夏至, the Summer Solstice. The longest day of the year. The sun stands at its highest and then begins, almost imperceptibly, to turn.
The sun stands highest, pauses, then turns.
A single cicada sings too soon,
Warning of decline within fullness,
As shade becomes something to seek.
A reflective note
Can you sense the turning point, even at the height of growth? Rest is not weakness. In TCM thinking, the body's restorative work happens precisely when the active work is most demanding. The patient who never rests is the patient whose Yin runs thin.
A body practice for the season
Eat cooling foods. Walk at dusk rather than at noon. Take the second cup of tea on the porch instead of at the desk.
A relational thread
Sit in silence with a friend for ten minutes this week. The conversation that comes after the silence is often better than the conversation that would have come before. Sometimes stillness is the truest gift.
A seasonal gift
Pass this letter to a practitioner you know who is striving at their peak. Remind them that rest is part of the work, not a pause from it.
With respect,
Dr. Lan
Your Herbal Pharmacist
Four formulas for the season
Ao Yi Patch (Back in stock)
Acupoint patches from the Miao tradition. For MSK.
Ao Yi Herbal Tea
Du Yi Wei. Moves blood and clears damp.
Tibetan Foot Soaks
Twenty minutes at dusk. Cooling and downward.
Sol Tea
Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang. For fluid metabolism and quiet sleep.