Seasonal Nodes : Minor Cold

Photo by @aaronburden

After Winter Solstice there are only two more Seasonal Nodes in the Chinese calendar before the Chinese Solar New Year and the beginning of Spring - Minor Cold and Major Cold.  As the the names imply, temperature is an important part of understanding the last two seasonal nodes of the traditional Chinese calendar.  Even though the current temperatures are not frigid, it is cold!  What is more important is that now is the time of year when the potential for sustained cold is very real as, even though we are moving into Spring, January and February are usually the coldest months of the year. 

This year Minor Cold starts today, January 6th. 

The three shorter breakdowns of Minor Cold, the material manifestations, are Geese Head North, Magpies Begin to Build Nests, and Ring Necked Pheasants Begin to Crow. On our farm we see a definite shift in the chickens laying eggs…..they begin to lay again!  Winter Solstice, is the time of the year when Yang qi is born again in the natural world. However, despite the growth of yang, this month continues to become colder and colder,  Maintaining your health during this time is quite similar to Major Cold.  Nourish and Store.  Go to bed early.  Enjoy warming therapies such as bathing, foot soaks, warm foods.  When possible sit with your back to the sun.  Eat foods that are easy to digest, soups, stews, broths and cut back on meat and heavier foods.  Alcohol, herbal wines, warming spices taken in moderation are warming and expansive.  Enjoy the quiet cocoon of these last stages of winter, soon it will be Spring and full of activities and growth!  and later this month the Lunar New Year starts a new cycle of 12 years with the Year of the Rat.  So it seems we are in a period of new beginnings!