Acupuncture during seasonal transitions in Saint-Martin: when should you consult?
Acupuncture during seasonal transitions in Saint-Martin is part of a traditional approach to seasonal changes in Chinese medicine. In the traditional Chinese calendar, spring does not begin with the equinox of March 20 or 21. Its beginning is associated with Lìchūn (立春), one of the 24 solar terms of the Chinese calendar, which generally occurs around February 3 to 5.
Lìchūn literally means "beginning of spring". It traditionally marks the start of a transitional period during which nature gradually awakens: the days lengthen, vegetation resumes its development, and the first buds appear.
The spring equinox, called Chūnfēn (春分), occurs around March 20th. In this traditional system, it therefore corresponds approximately to the middle of spring and not to its beginning.
This way of dividing the seasons belongs to the history of the calendar and traditional Chinese thought. It differs from our modern Western calendar and should not be confused with a medical or biological definition of the seasons.
Spring in Traditional Chinese Medicine
In the texts and theories of traditional Chinese medicine, the seasons are linked to various symbolic and functional correspondences.
Spring is traditionally associated with the Wood element (木, Mù), as well as the Liver (肝, Gān) and the Gallbladder (胆, Dǎn). It is described as a period of growth, movement, and development, like vegetation resuming its activity after winter.
In this traditional view, the Liver is associated with the circulation of Qi and the body's ability to adapt. These concepts belong to the traditional Chinese medical system; they do not directly correspond to the functions of the liver as defined by modern anatomy and physiology.
In this tradition, spring is thus considered a favorable time to pay attention to movement, physical activity, and the gradual adaptation to seasonal changes.
Why do we talk about the Liver in the spring?
In traditional Chinese medicine, the term "Liver" does not refer solely to the anatomical organ. It belongs to a set of correspondences called Gān (肝), to which Chinese medical texts have progressively associated different functions and manifestations.
In this traditional system, the Liver is notably associated with the movement and circulation of qi, the tendons, the eyes, and certain emotional manifestations, particularly anger and irritability.
The association between the Liver and spring is part of the Five Elements theory (五行, Wǔxíng): Wood is associated with spring, growth and movement, and the Liver is itself linked to Wood.
These correspondences constitute a theoretical model of traditional Chinese medicine. They do not mean that a disorder appearing in spring is necessarily caused by the liver in the sense of modern medicine, nor that spring "overloads" or "intoxicates" this organ.
Seasonal transitions: an important time in Traditional Chinese Medicine
In the traditional Chinese theory of the Five Phases, the transition from one season to another constitutes a special period. This transition is traditionally associated with Earth (土, Tǔ), considered as the Centre around which the other seasonal phases are organised.
The seasonal transition period is therefore regarded as a time of transition and recentring before entering the next season. In traditional terminology, the aim is to promote the harmonisation of qì and prepare the body for the changes associated with the new seasonal cycle.
Within this traditional framework, acupuncture may be offered around the time of seasonal changes. The consultation does not aim to “cleanse” or “detoxify” the body in the medical sense of these terms, but, according to the traditional Chinese model, to identify patterns of imbalance during the assessment and promote a return towards better balance before the following season.
In my practice, I therefore consider the seasonal transition period to be a particularly interesting time to carry out an acupuncture assessment, even in the absence of a specific painful complaint.
The concepts of qì, energetic movements and recentring belong to the theoretical framework of Traditional Chinese Medicine and do not correspond to physiological structures or mechanisms demonstrated by modern medicine.
Why are seasonal transitions associated with Earth and the Centre?
In the theory of the Five Phases, Earth (土, Tǔ) occupies a special place. It is traditionally associated with the Centre and with periods of transition between seasons.
Within this system of correspondences, Earth is also associated with the Spleen (脾, Pí) and the Stomach (胃, Wèi). These terms do not refer solely to the anatomical organs as defined by modern medicine, but to sets of functions described within Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The idea of “returning to the Centre” takes on its full meaning here: before entering a new seasonal phase, the transition period symbolically represents a return to Earth and the Centre.
In traditional acupuncture, this period may therefore be considered a particularly appropriate time to carry out an assessment and identify, according to traditional Chinese diagnostic principles, patterns of imbalance that may be addressed before entering the next season.
This is not a “cleansing” of the body in the physiological sense, but an approach that belongs to the traditional Chinese concept of balance and seasonal transitions.
When is the best time to have acupuncture during seasonal transitions?
In the traditional approach I use in acupuncture, the seasonal transition period corresponds to approximately 18 days preceding the beginning of the next season.
These periods provide useful reference points for scheduling an acupuncture assessment, without necessarily waiting for pain or a specific complaint to appear.
For 2027, the following approximate periods can be used as a guide:
• before spring: from January 17 to February 3, with the traditional spring beginning around February 4 with Lìchūn (立春);
• before summer: from April 18 to May 5, with the traditional summer beginning around May 5–6 with Lìxià (立夏);
• before autumn: from July 21 to August 7, with the traditional autumn beginning around August 7–8 with Lìqiū (立秋);
• before winter: from October 21 to November 6, with the traditional winter beginning around November 7 with Lìdōng (立冬).
These dates may vary slightly from year to year because the beginning of each season is determined by the solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar.
In my practice, I recommend making an appointment during these seasonal transition periods to carry out an assessment according to traditional Chinese diagnostic principles and to accompany the transition into the next season.
Acupuncture during seasonal transitions in Saint-Martin
Would you like to take advantage of a seasonal transition period to have an acupuncture assessment and prepare for the next season?
I welcome you to my practice in Orient Bay, Saint-Martin, for an acupuncture consultation tailored to your individual situation and based on traditional Chinese diagnostic principles.
To make an appointment, please contact me preferably via:
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