seasonal affective disorder

Despite the recent -35 F windchill, 2020 marches forward into the Rain Water seasonal node. Practically speaking, we Minnesotans are a long way off from literal rain water. But then, we’re also at a very different latitude than the Ancient Chinese sages who named the seasonal node thousands of years ago. But the different latitude doesn't mean that we escape the energetics of the next two weeks. The days are getting longer which means yang is getting stronger. The generative energy of spring is getting more obvious every day and if we wait until we see actual rain water, we’re going to miss out on a huge part of the season. The Rain Water seasonal node, like the Great Cold seasonal node, is about two very important things: protecting our qi and protecting our yang. But this time, we’re protecting these vital substances for a very different reason. Featured photo and cover photo by Sitthan Kutty via Pexels

The Rain Water Seasonal node: Fighting off the Damp

Despite the recent -35 F windchill, 2020 marches forward into the Rain Water seasonal node. Practically speaking, we Minnesotans are a long way off from literal rain water. But then, we’re also at a very different latitude than the Ancient Chinese sages who named the seasonal node thousands of years ago.

But the different latitude doesn’t mean that we escape the energetics of the next two weeks. The days are getting longer which means yang is getting stronger. The generative energy of spring is getting more obvious every day and if we wait until we see actual rain water, we’re going to miss out on a huge part of the season.

The Rain Water seasonal node, like the Great Cold seasonal node, is about two very important things: protecting our qi and protecting our yang. But this time, we’re protecting these vital substances for a very different reason.

Featured photo and cover photo by Sitthan Kutty via Pexels

By Jessica Gustafson, ago
This past winter has been long, cold, and dark. Hopefully, you haven’t accomplished much. I mean that in all sincerity. After all, winter is the season of hibernation; we’re not supposed to accomplish much. Winter reminds us that rest is important. I say so often that rest is the root of productivity, something that a culture obsessed with action often forgets. But rest is also the root of creativity and motivation. If we spend winter resting appropriately, not only can we recover physically, but we can recover mentally and spiritually as well. In other words, in order to be truly prepared for the dynamic, generative, and upward movement of spring we have to engage with and process the still, slow, and inward movement of winter. And the best way to do that is through journaling.

Born from yin: Six journaling prompts for the end of winter

This past winter has been long, cold, and dark. Hopefully, you haven’t accomplished much. I mean that in all sincerity. After all, winter is the season of hibernation; we’re not supposed to accomplish much.

Winter reminds us that rest is important.

I say so often that rest is the root of productivity, something that a culture obsessed with action often forgets.

But rest is also the root of creativity and motivation. If we spend winter resting appropriately, not only can we recover physically, but we can recover mentally and spiritually as well.

In other words, in order to be truly prepared for the dynamic, generative, and upward movement of spring we have to engage with and process the still, slow, and inward movement of winter. And the best way to do that is through journaling.

By Jessica Gustafson, ago
This seasonal node is called "The Great Cold" (which this year, is unseasonably warm and snowy but what are you going to do.) Usually, this is the coldest time of year; Minnesotans tend to think of February as the month where it's too cold to snow. The yang that was reborn at the Winter Solstice is getting stronger as the days are getting longer. People are starting to get restless and depending on their pattern diagnosis, their seasonal affective disorder is kicking up a notch. Living seasonally for these last two weeks of winter can go a long way to alleviating that increased anxiety and restlessness and set you up for success for the coming year.

Gearing up for the Great Cold Seasonal Node

This seasonal node is called “The Great Cold” (which this year, is unseasonably warm and snowy but what are you going to do.) Usually, this is the coldest time of year; Minnesotans tend to think of February as the month where it’s too cold to snow.

The yang that was reborn at the Winter Solstice is getting stronger as the days are getting longer. People are starting to get restless and depending on their pattern diagnosis, their seasonal affective disorder is kicking up a notch.

Living seasonally for these last two weeks of winter can go a long way to alleviating that increased anxiety and restlessness and set you up for success for the coming year.

By Jessica Gustafson, ago
The days are getting shorter and colder as we move from the autumnal equinox to the winter solstice. For many of us, that means hot cocoa, eggnog, sweaters, and boots. But for some, it means that a dark dragon rears its head: seasonal affective disorder. Seasonal affective disorder is a common type of depression that occurs at a particular time during the year. For most people, it happens during the shorter and darker times of the year. Many people experience it during the winter but some start seeing symptoms as early as October. Like with many chronic conditions, pre-emptive care can mean lessening or completely eliminating symptoms. Check out these six ways to alleviate symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. Cover photo and featured image by Lisa Fotios from Pexels

Adjusting to Autumn: Preventing Seasonal Affective Disorder

The days are getting shorter and colder as we move from the autumnal equinox to the winter solstice. For many of us, that means hot cocoa, eggnog, sweaters, and boots. But for some, it means that a dark dragon rears its head: seasonal affective disorder.

Seasonal affective disorder is a common type of depression that occurs at a particular time during the year. For most people, it happens during the shorter and darker times of the year. Many people experience it during the winter but some start seeing symptoms as early as October.

Like with many chronic conditions, pre-emptive care can mean lessening or completely eliminating symptoms. Check out these six ways to alleviate symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.

By Jessica Gustafson, ago
Emotions are complicated. Psychology is complicated. Humans, well, we’re complicated. This season we’ve been diving deeply into emotional and psychological disorders on the blog. We started on Halloween with Sun Si Miao’s ghost points, the ancient treatment for conditions like addiction, bipolar, depression and anxiety. Last week we talked about the shen, or how we understand spirit and consciousness in Chinese medicine. But this week I thought we would get back to acupuncture and discuss an interesting group of points – the outer shu points – and tie them back to their impact on the shen.

The Outer Shu: A Natural Approach to Mental Health

Emotions are complicated. Psychology is complicated. Humans, well, we’re complicated.

This season we’ve been diving deeply into emotional and psychological disorders on the blog. We started on Halloween with Sun Si Miao’s ghost points, the ancient treatment for conditions like addiction, bipolar, depression and anxiety.

Last week we talked about the shen, or how we understand spirit and consciousness in Chinese medicine.

But this week I thought we would get back to acupuncture and discuss an interesting group of points – the outer shu points – and tie them back to their impact on the shen.

By Jessica Gustafson, ago