Late Summer

Chinese Philosophy recognizes five seasons - Spring, Summer, Late Summer, Autumn, and Winter. We are now in Late Summer in Seattle - its harvest time! Tomatoes, peaches, pears, & plums are literally falling off the trees and vines. There is a sweet smell in the air. The heat of Summer is gone, the air has turned cooler, the days are shorter. Its time to take in and savor all that Nature gives us, as well as appreciate our own hard work and all that we have accomplished.

When the energy of Late Summer is in balance inside of us we are able to truly receive, to feel nourished, satisfied with our lives and the abundance that we have. There is a sense of gratitude for our health, our family and friends.

Great Late Summer activities include:
Picking fruit
Baking crisps, pies, tarts
Making jam
Expressing gratitude
Walking slowly in Nature - really taking in the experience
Letting peach juice drip down your arm as you savor the sweetness

For a great blog entry on Late Summer see Mixedgreensblog.com
For more on the Five Elements see The Center for Classical Five-Element Acupuncture in Seattle.