Oh, we've all heard it.  It's time to cleanse your body!  Anyone who has been into learning about the seasons and keeping your body in harmony with them knows that spring is the time to detox, and summertime is a continuation of that process.  Alas, to some who read this, it can seem tiresome and confusing, another chore.  You might think," Oh geez, have I got to exercise even more, sweat more, eat those bitter leafy greens?"  Maybe you feel like you have too much to do already, and you're feeling like there's no time left, what with all those supplements you take, yoga you're doing, and label-reading that you're supposed to do in the grocery store.  Well, read on if you want a little inspiration for "cleaning house," or if you've tried these things, but need a little extra help.

Spring is the time of growth.  In Chinese medicine, the organ associated with spring is the liver, and the liver's paired "partner in crime" organ is the gallbladder.  This is why you see a lot of different philosophies favoring detoxifying the liver and gallbladder during the spring time. The summer is a continuation of this growth, but with added yang energy, or fire. Humans have their own yang energy, as does all living things, including the earth. This aggressive energy is at its zenith during the summer. Just imagine the sunshine that is everywhere in the summer, and see it as a symbol for the fire energy that is the fuel for this growth that began in the springtime.  It's like a baby that is beginning to grow into a child, and the process is hastened and supported with nurturing food and vitamins. Spring and summer is the best time to do this because our bodies instinctively want to be in accordance with the earth and seasons. For example, we sleep when it is dark. You wouldn't try to go to bed for eight hours as the sun begins to rise (anyone who has worked a night shift and has attempted this can tell you it doesn't work)!  But what does detoxifying have to do with growth, you wonder?

Imagine that you are at the train station, laden with baggage and struggling. Your arms will be aching, and by the time you get to the check in counter, you may feel annoyed or curt with the agent. Certainly you aren't enjoying you trip thus far, not to mention, where you aware of your surroundings even? Did you notice that good-looking stranger who smiled at you? How about the potential pick-pocket? Probably not. It is the same with the body. No matter how healthy that you may think you are, our bodies, psyches, and energy fields can become "clogged" due to the foods that we eat, stress, and our emotions and how we may, or may not, process them. It's just the normal course of living, wear and tear, if you will.  Depending on how you live, it may be more of a problem for some rather than others. It could manifest as physical problems such as acne, gastrointestinal problems, headaches, or even vague emotional issues, such as feeling low grade depression, feeling dissatisfied when others seem to be happy, or feeling stuck in life and unmotivated to change.

When we feel burdened, we are unable to integrate new information. It is the simple, old idea: you must prune the tree for the new leaves to bud.  These blockages, whether physical or energetic, could be preventing you from receiving all of the "messages" around you. This could range from something as simple as not receving all of the nutrients  from your food if your small intestine is congested, or something as esoteric as not receiving insight, or energy from the people and situations that you are near.  If you are one who believes in religion, any type of deities, or higher powers, where would be if you were unable to receive communication? The Native Americans recognized this, particularly in regard to the Great Spirit. They knew that part of being in communion with the Great Spirit meant being clean and pure, and fasting was an integral part to life. In colonial times in America, purging was also considered a useful medical tool.  When people suffered from general malaise, inducing vomiting was a typical prescription from the doctor, and people would report "brightening up" afterwards.  In Chinese herbal therapy, purging with strong herbs is also used as a therapuatic strategy for achieving balance in the body. Everything that needs to happen for us to function optimally can certainly take place much easier without having to operate through all of our mental and physical sludge. Working with a "tabla rasa" or blank slate, as the ancient philosophers referred to it, leaves us feeling physically better, more receptive, perceptive, and adaptive!  All of this is like an inbox that is too full.  In our over-stimulated lifestyles, there is hardly a person who cannot relate to feeling overwhelmed. 

Acupuncture and herbal therapy is another set of tools that have been used since ancient times, and in many different cultures, to help people heal just such blockages and excesses.  Acupuncture needles are said to dispel energetic blockages in channels in the body that may cause pain, or metal turmoil, as well as a variety of other ailments.  Herbs can help the body rid itself of excess phlegm, feces, sweat, bacteria, toxins, etc.  The two often work in conjunction.  Chinese medicine recognizes that the body and mind are connected, and we may access healing in the mind by applying these therapies to the body.  Many times after people initially try acupuncture for a bodily problem, they report many changes in thought, emotions, lifestyle, and opportunities that they did not even realize were possible.  It is as if suddenly gates were opened for them.  The porter came to the train station and alleviated them of all of their baggage!  One such book that inspires and chronicles many case studies relating to this phenomenon and acupuncture is Nourishing Destiny, written by Lonny S. Jarret.

So the next time you hear why you should detox, go on a cleanse, or if you are just feeling like something isn't right, try acupuncture and herbal medicine. You'll find yourself a lighter, more vibrant version of yourself with energy to spare for those around you. Afterall, we all have heard the saying, "out with the old, and in with the new!"