As we coast into August, riding waves of heat, we notice a subtle shift in the air. There’s a sense that something is changing, almost as though summer is coming to an end. Yes, we still have some of the hottest moments of the year ahead of us, but there’s something different about this time of year, it has its own quality. It's Late-Summer, a fifth season in the paradigm of Chinese Medicine. 

Late-summer is a transitional time. Transitions call on us to pay extra close attention. They can be trick or sticky (if it’s humid), and they require that we re-orient and reconnect to the ground beneath our feet. There’s an opportunity for a reset, and yet they can trip us up if we don’t stay present.

The Late Summer the season of the Earth Element - that which provides the foundation of support, interconnectedness, and integrity. The Earth produces a bounty of nourishment while serving as the ground for decay and decomposition at the same time. It’s the element of transformation and paradoxically the icon of stability. 

As you move to the music of your day and week, notice what's ready to change into something new, and what within you is serving you by being stable and consistent.