LATE - SUMMER

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the Five Element Theory, late summer is associated with the earth element

SEASON/ ORGAN

The earth element season lasts from August 8th, the first day of late summer, to September 22nd 2025, just before the autumnal equinox.
The spleen (Yin) and stomach (Yang) are the organs associated with the element of earth.

CLIMATE

Damp is the climatic condition associated with earth.
Yellow is the colour associated with earth.

Late - summer Dao yin uses a set of exercises that are part of the practice of Dao Yin, a type of Qigong that involves breathing, stretching, twisting, and massaging to direct the flow of Qi and harmonize the body.

Late - summer Dao yin exercises are designed to nourish the spleen and stomach. This fifth extra season is a transitional period for grounding and balancing the your energy before the cool, colder months approach.

Daoist wisdom holds that emotions are stored in the body's tissues and organs, and that late summer is a time to focus on calming the mind and managing worry or overthinking, as these can negatively affect the energy of the spleen.

Foods to support the spleen should be warm, cooked and naturally sweet, avoiding cold or raw and especially greasy food.

EMOTIONS

Sympathy is the emotion associated with earth.
Transformation is the spirit associated with earth. Imbalanced emotions of worry/ over-thinking/ regret turning into trust/ openness/ righteousness (sympathy) when balanced.

SENSES

Sweet is the taste associated with earth.
The mouth/ lips is the sense organ associated with earth.
Earth characteristic is associated with digestion and transformation.