Summer and the Fire in our Hearts
It is mid-July and as I write this the sun is beaming down in radiant glory. The heat of the day is rising, and the morning birdsong has given way to stillness and the buzz of insects. This is Summer in the Pacific Northwest.
In the 5-element perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, summer is the season most closely aligned with the cardiovascular system, the element of Fire, and the emotions of joy and passion. We see this in the wildfires that burn unchecked, the heat of the sun at its seasonal zenith, and in so many moments to be savored. Delight in the caress of cool water on sun-kissed skin. Smiles and laughter as we gather around music or BBQ’s or campfires. Or maybe, the sweet relief of an afternoon matinee in a dark, air-conditioned theater. Whichever your pleasure, the joy in our hearts is celebrated this season.
Many of the plant foods that flourish now are rich in nutrients that nourish and support the cardiovascular system. The anthocyanins of raspberries and blueberries, capsaicin of peppers, and allicin of garlic all have beneficial effects on the heart and blood vessels. The color frequency red is also associated with Summer in the 5-element perspective, so it should come as no surprise that beets, another summer vegetable, support nitric oxide production in the blood vessels. So, while you are snacking on summer berries or fresh homemade salsa, or maybe grating a little beet onto your salad, take a moment and lean into all that is being offered for your health and well-being. The flavor, the pleasure of eating: these are just the beginning. Nutrients and nourishment have supporting roles in this story as well. And the grand finale is the wholehearted passion for life, for the season, and for BEing offered by the simple act of mindful eating.
Our delicious meal completed, the nutrients and light codes of these foods eventually make their way to our physiologic hearts and vessels. These marvelous organs labor endlessly on our behalf for the duration of our lives, fulfilling the culturally conditioned demand for constant productivity during our waking hours. And there is value in this, and in appropriate exercise that strengthens more than it depletes. However, the heart, like all organs, does need rest, and relaxation is where it finds healing and recovery. Balance is key here.
This is not new information. As we dig deeper, the line between science and wisdom becomes blurred. Let’s consider for a moment a well-known scene from an ancient Egyptian text: the weighing of a heart at life’s end. The heart was not measured against one’s bank account, social connections, or chores completed. It was compared to a feather. And while in ancient Egyptian beliefs the feather is associated with Ma-at (keeper of truth and cosmic balance), it is also worth considering the feather’s attribute of lightness. A heart that weighed the same as a feather, demonstrated by balance of the scale, indicated a life well lived. A balanced heart, a light heart, was valued so highly by these extraordinary ancient people that it was the final deciding factor in the quality of their afterlife.
From a modern perspective the effects of stress, overwork, and emotional neglect are often revealed with a diagnosis of high blood pressure. When left untreated, undiagnosed, or poorly managed, chronic high blood pressure can cause cardiac hypertrophy. This condition, characterized by an enlarged or thickened heart muscle, reduces the ability to pump blood and can lead to many more severe medical issues. A healthy human heart weighs between 230-340 grams, and the heart of a person with cardiac hypertrophy weighs more than double, between 450-750 grams, and occasionally up to 5 times as much. Light-hearted in this case is an indication of healthy function.
These diverse cultures and eras in the human experience convey a similar truth. That our physiologic hearts and vessels tell the story of our deep, sometimes hidden, emotions. They teach us that joy is sacred because it brings peace and balance, and relaxation is productive because that is when healing happens. And finally, in the 5-element tradition, that summer is an optimum time to nourish our sacred heart center by engaging in both.
But there is more to learn from Summer, because it is not all joy and delicious meals, glorious sunshine and lazing about swimming holes. As the season progresses, some years bring an increase in fires of untended wild forests. This is also in alignment with the 5-element perspective of the season, as the element of Fire is a powerful transformer of that which is old, dead, or no longer useful. When things are left untended or are present in amounts too large for normal processes of decomposition and release, Fire is the force that clears and restores balance. Similarly, this season is a good time for checking in on our sacred heart center, and asking ourselves, ‘what has been neglected, what old things am I clinging to, what stands in the way of my joy? What needs to be acknowledged, honored, and released so my passion for life can be fully expressed?’. Powerful questions – and answers – that hold the possibility to transform and ease the emotions we carry in our heart.
And so, the season and all its associations and elements come together. There is more that could be said, but let’s pause for now, and allow a moment for integration. Take a slow breath, and imagine a tree growing next to a beautiful, peaceful lake. Can you see it or feel it? Good. Come and sit with me on a blanket in the shade, and enjoy a few delicious, red berries from this bowl. Did you bring your journal? Wonderful. Let’s write, in great detail, about something in our life right now that is filling our hearts with happiness. And then, when that story has been told, let’s ask our sacred center if there is a message for us tucked deep in the secret chambers of our heart, and let those words too flow out onto the paper.
Ready? Let’s begin.
Shared with love from your friendly, local medicine keeper,
Alicia Tremblay, ND
Naturopathic Physician | Plant Spirit Medicine Practitioner
This post is offered as general information only. Please make an appointment or see a healthcare practitioner for medical advice.
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Dr. Tremblay is an expert in natural health with degrees in naturopathic medicine and ethnomedicine. Drawing on her diverse background and personal experience with healing from chronic illness, she guides clients on their health journeys, and occasionally writes blogs with unique insights into natural medicine and the healing process. Read more >>
