Winter is Kidney (Water) Time. In one year we pass through the 5 different Elements/Energy Qualities. Literally one year equals one complete in and out breath of the Earth.
Fire………Summer……………….Maximum Expansion…….Lungs full………………………….Yang
Earth…….Indian Summer………..Stillness……………………The pause between breaths……….YangYin
Metal…….Fall…………………….Contraction……………….Lungs begin emptying
Water……Winter…………………Maximum Contraction…..Lungs completely empty…………YinYang
Wood……Spring………………….Expansion…………………Lungs begin to fill again………….Yin
As the Earth contracts we are asked to do the same. It is too cold outside (out = yang) so we have to stay in (yin). This is the best time to do inner work (mental cleaning) on ourselves. Since the kidneys relate to fear, it is the best time to work through fears that keep us from living life to the fullest. In doing this we are ready to go out into the world when spring comes.
It is the Taoist way to live in sync with the natural flow of energy/life. One of the ways of being in sync with nature is to eat the right foods at the right time. Winter/Kidney foods: cranberries, cinnamon, seafood, beans, walnuts, bone soup.
Try and reduce stimulants like coffee, soda(kidneys hate carbonation) and sugar. We have created cities and lives in those cities that are out of sync with nature. In winter everything should slow down to regenerate for the next expansion (spring). Instead we keep going at break neck speeds year round. This depletes our Original Chi that resides in the kidneys and we age more rapidly. Try doing some herbal teas like Yerba Mante or Earl Grey. Black tea is better than coffee but it still amps the body up, so try to do less and I guarantee you’ll live longer and happier.
A long, happy and healthy life can be achieved through learning how to be in sync with the Tao (the natural flow of life). It is interesting to me that Jesus was known as the “Way shower.” Could Jesus have been Taoist? He did have three wise men from the E..A..S..T visit him at birth following his star. Birth star…hmmm…that sound like astrology to me.
Anyway, back to the whole flow thing. Taoist Lee Ching-yuen lived to be 265 years old, and when he died he had a full head of hair and all his teeth. Please to enjoy:
“The Wandering Twist is one of the most detailed and authentic accounts of the training of a traditional Taoist adept ever recorded in English. At the end of the book, author Deng Ming-dao, who has become a disciple of Master Kuan, recounts his first inquiry regarding Kuan s own teacher the Grand Master of Hua-Shan: 'He must be very old,' I said, trying to keep the subject going. Mr. Kuan was quiet, reluctant to discuss the matter. 'He is,' Mr. Kuan said after a moment of decision. 'He has long white hair and beard and is now 142 years old. He spends his time in meditation.' '142! Is that possible?' 'Of course. He's a Taoist.' One of the most remarkable cases of longevity to spill over into the twentieth century is that of the Chinese herbalist and Taoist adept Lee Ching-yuen, who maintained his youthful vigor, sexual potency and perfect health throughout a long, active life. Lee died in 1933, shortly after marrying his 24th wife, and it remains a matter of historical record in China that he was born in 1677, during the early years of the Ching Dynasty. That made him 256 years old when he died, for those who wish to count the years. Lee died with all his own teeth and hair, and those who knew him say that he looked about 50 when he was already over 200.
Lee Ching-yuen left clear-cut guidelines for those who wish to follow his footsteps and emulate his example. He followed three primary rules in his regimen:
1. Never hurry through life. Take it slowly, take it easy, and take your time. He instructed his students to always keep a quiet heart, sit as calmly as a tortoise, walk as sprightly as a bird, and sleep as soundly as a dog.
2. Avoid extreme emotions of all kinds, especially as you grow older. Nothing drains energy from the body as rapidly, nor disrupts the functional harmony of vital organs as completely, as strong outbursts of emotion.
3. Observe a daily physical regimen of exercise and breathing. The duration and intensity of your regimen are not nearly as important as its daily regularity.”
-From: Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity, Danierl Reid, Fireside, New York, 1989 pp. 345-349.