The three months of winter denote closing and storage.

Water freezes and the earth breaks open. Do not disturb the yang - go to bed early and rising late. You must wait for the shining of the sun. Allow the mind-will to enter into a hidden state as if shut in – not unlike someone with secret intentions, not unlike having already made secret gains.

Avoid the cold and seek warmth. Refrain from sweating as it causes the Qi to be carried away quickly. This is in resonance with the Qi of winter and the Way to nourish storage.”

(The Great Treatise on Regulating the Spirit with the Four Seasons, Su Wen Chapter 2) 《四氣調神大論》冬三月，此謂閉藏，水冰地坼，無擾乎陽，早臥晚起，必待日光，使志若伏若匿，若有私意，若已有得，去寒就溫，無泄皮膚使氣亟奪，此冬氣之應養藏之道也

**Winter’s Associations**

**Chinese Medicine:**

Element – Water
Yin Organ – Kidney
Yang Organ – Bladder
Sense Organ – Ears
Emotion – Fear
Flavor – Salty, bitter
Color – Black

**Winter in Chinese Medicine**

Yin is the dark, cold, slow, inward energy

Winter represents the most Yin aspect in Chinese Medicine. Yin is the dark, cold, slow, inward energy. This is in contrast to the Yang of Summer whose energy represents light, hot, quick, expansive qualities. In TCM we believe that the diet and activities in Winter should be adapted to enriching yin and subduing yang.

Winter, in TCM, is associated with the Kidneys which hold our body’s most basic and fundamental energy. It is believed that by harmonizing oneself with the seasons you can stay healthier and prevent disease, so Winter is a good time to strengthen the kidneys. Rest is important for revitalizing the kidneys, which is why some animals hibernate in Winter. One should go to bed earlier and sleep later to receive the full healing effects that sleep has to offer. It is also a good time to look inward, reflecting on ourselves with meditation, writing, or other inward practices such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong. These practices help us connect to our inner selves and support kidney energy. They are very helpful to relax the mind, calm our emotions and raise the spirit.

The sense organ associated with the kidneys is the ears, and our ability to hear clearly is related to kidney health. The quiet and stillness of Winter allows us to hear more of the world than the buzzing activities of Summer. This forces us to slow down, rest and relax.

The body part associated with the kidneys are the bones, so it is important to pay close attention to the bones in the Winter months making sure to tonify and heal any problems in this area. This is also why Winter is a time when Chinese Medicine prescribes bone broths as nutritional therapy, as they are warming, nourishing and especially good for the bones.

Eating for Winter

Winter is the time to focus on warming and strengthening the body

Winter is the time to focus on warming and strengthening the body so as to protect against the cold. Therefore, our food and drink choices should help support this treatment strategy. First, we must take care to eat and drink food that is literally warm or hot. While in the west people commonly drink iced beverages all year long, traditionally in Asia people almost never drank anything cold. Even hot beverages however can have either a more cooling or a more warming effect on the body. Teas, for example, are not all equally warming even when taken hot.