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Mindi K. Counts-Author | Healer | Leader

Late Summer: Nature’s Fifth Season

  • Mindi Counts
  • September 13, 2021
  • Earth Element / Five Elements / Seasonal Nutrition
  • 0

Golden sunsets, abundantly sweet fruit, warm beverages, and feeling of closeness with the Earth and her rhythms. 

Yes, we are entering that fifth season of Late Summer. The seasonal limbo of where the energy of Summer meets the slow motion start to Autumn is known as Late Summer in traditional Chinese medicine. While it doesn’t get recognition in the calendar sense – there is no denying its significance and alignment with the rhythms of nature. This season is marked by the ending of summer and the end of the cycle of growth for this year, but not quite time for the death and transformation. This is the in-between time. 

The essence of this time of year is about pausing and honoring the fruits of our labor from the energetic effort over the last few months. All of the harvests are at their peak of expansion, turning ripe, and ready to be picked before letting go and returning back to the Earth to begin the cycle again. 

With a bountiful harvest, comes the possibility of abundance of nutrition, immune support, and energy management as we make our way toward the colder, more yin and introverted months.

Harvest season isn’t just about collecting the fruits of our labor – but also harvesting the labor of love we’ve given to ourselves and wholeheartedly received from those around us. From the chill in the air and the changing of the leaves, this is a poetic time for an internal pause and reflection for how far you’ve come and where you see yourself going. But don’t hold these things inside, this is a season for sharing, for closeness, for family-like connections whether blood or not.

Late Summer is represented by the Earth element, and the organs that are center of the spotlight during this time are the Stomach, Spleen, and Pancreas. If you’re familiar with my work and with my Five-Element focused practice – you’ve probably heard me talk about the importance of our gut microbiome and its connection with our immune system. After all, with a healthy digestive system = we have strong and healthy immunity, a balanced psyche that is able to feel all the feels without getting stuck, and the ability to feel compassion straight in our hearts.

It is critical at this time to pause and focus on balancing our nutrition, harmonizing with our surroundings, and saying a genuine hello to our inner self. When our Earth element is imbalanced, often some of the first signs and symptoms are: anxiety, digestive challenges, feeling overly clingy (or wanting to be alone in a way that is unusual for you and your temperament), and otherwise ungrounded in ourselves. 

When working to balance and support our Earth element through the stomach, spleen, and pancreas – some of the principles I outline in my book are:

Slowly increase your food intake⁠⁠ (assuming you lessened your food intake during summer)

Avoid cold foods and limit raw foods⁠⁠

Make friends with soups and stews⁠⁠

Eat more foods that are orange and yellow in color⁠⁠

Creating nutrient-dense meals that are centered, grounded, and slightly sweet in nature is not only good for feeding our souls, but is also great for a healthy gut and microbiome. So go ahead and take those last few weeks of Late Summer and get to the farmer’s market, not only for some fruits and veggies but also for that last dip into community and socializing before the energy begins calling us more inward.

If you’re looking for support as we transition through the seasons, book a Discovery Session with me where we’ll take a stroll through your personal healing goals and see what has been holding you back from where you dream of being.

I also share helpful resources, tips, and healthy recipes to my blog and by following me over on Instagram to keep you supported in the elements and their seasons.

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