Happy New Year! The winter solstice brought us into a seasonal shift, and a new year provides us with an opportunity for reflection and renewal. Many of us experience shifts in mood this time of year: post-holiday blues, cabin fever, depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Rest assured you are not alone and natural strategies are available to improve your mood.
In Chinese medicine the underlying principle is balance, represented in the yin-yang symbol as light within the dark and dark within the light. Yin is stillness and conservation; yang is movement and transformation. One flows into and depends on the other, gradually producing change and growth. When yin or yang are out of balance in our bodies, we can feel it in our physical and mental health.
As we shift from the most yin time of year when it is normal to want to hibernate, we can look to the birds, buds, and flowers for inspiration. Add movement to our routines—plan something active each day. Witness and embrace the seasonal changes. Spend a few minutes in the backyard or walk around the block during a lunch break to help gradually emerge from stillness to movement.
As the renewal of spring balances the conservation of winter, finding balance within us is a natural strategy for maintaining physical and mental health. When we need a little assistance, acupuncture can help balance the energy flowing in us.
Allyson is an acupuncturist at Wild Hearts Wellness in Beaumont Village. She has practiced in Portland for over ten years and taught and supervised acupuncture students at POCA Technical Institute.