The Tibetan Medicine
Seasonal Advice
Seasons are the natural global earth clock and the rhythm of the world. Equinox and solstice make the two main divisions of the seasons, which further divide into four seasons. The same seasonal phenomenon is found inside the body of each being living in this world. Tibetan Medicine and Buddhist tantras explain that the external seasons exist because of the solar and lunar systems. Similarly, the internal solar and lunar channels reflect the phenomenon and give the internal seasons. Most people know the seasons, but few of them know their effects on the body/mind and their prevention.
Seasonal Advice
Seasons and health
Before starting an explanation of the seasonal influence on the human body/mind, one should get some short general information on seasons and their functions. Therefore the article will be divided in two sections: the general and specific explanations on seasons.
Seasonal Advice
Seasons, climate and diseases
The natural seasonal climate change helps increase and decrease the taste and quality of the food and temperature. Therefore seasons accumulate the humors that share the same qualities and make them decrease when their quality and temperature are opposite. The general aspect of this phenomenon shows the three stages of accumulation, manifestation and pacification throughout a year. These stages are called gsog ldang-gzhigsum in Tibetan.
Seasonal Advice
Spring advice
The early spring season starts with the first month of the Tibetan year. On the western calendar it generally falls in the middle of February (sometimes it falls in March if the Tibetan year has thirteen months). It is the month of the Tibetan official New Year’s Day, which is celebrated by all Tibetans. At that time, earth begins to increase its heat and sun melts the glaciers. The same phenomenon also takes place in the body where the Phlegm, frozen during winter, begins to melt and produce humidity, which starts to make phlegmatic symptoms manifest in the body. Earth produces clouds and rains and diminishes the quality of the water that cools down and disturbs the digestive fire medrod (metabolism) in the body.
Seasonal Advice
Summer advice
In the summer, energy increases, flowers blossom and the world smiles. This season produces two important phenomena in Asia and Europe. In Asia: this season is hot and humid and the monsoon climate begins. There are heavy clouds in the sky, and the rains make the earth wet and humid. The cold wind and monsoon rains attack aggressively and increase the bad quality of rivers and springs waters.
Seasonal Advice
Autumn advice
Autumn is the season where food and body qualities become oily and sharp. Not only the external conditions, food and beverages promote bile, but also the body nature becomes of bile quality and gains a hot and sharp energy. Even if the external summer heat strength begins to reduce, sunrays concentrate more like a laser to the earth. Therefore the quality of the seasonal energy becomes similar to bile and fever.
Seasonal Advice
Are you prepared for autumn? Really?!
The autumn season lasts from around the middle of August until the middle of October. During this season there are particular recommendations for people with naturally bile constitutions, young people with excess body heat, those who tend to be attacked by or have trouble with the sun and its heat and balancing the sweating, or have digestion and/or dermatological problems (in some cases they manifest).
Seasonal Advice
Winter advice
The early winter season generally coincides with the beginning of cold weather. Especially the external coldness blocks the body pores and keeps the heat inside the body. It helps the heat concentrate inside the body and protect the heat loss. Therefore the heat increases the inner heat and the power of digestive fire is stimulated by the fire-like wind.
Seasonal Advice
Water quality and the Rishi days
Did you know that the quality of water changes along with the seasons? The spring water is heavy. It is influenced by the winter cold, and is melted by the spring sun, which makes it difficult to be digested by the digestive fire. It is said to be unhealthy for the Phlegm humor and disorders. This water needs to be boiled until one quarter of it evaporates.
