As we head into the final stretch of summer, you may feel a subtle shift in energy. Even though the weather is still warm, humid, and balmy, the magnificent blooms of summer herbs and flowers will begin to fade. Their energy starts turning inwards and travels down back into the earth. Some plants will drop their seeds for future harvests, whilst others will redirect their energy into their roots, preparing for the dormancy of winter. As summer days gradually shorten and the light softens, a gentle peacefulness descends. Bountiful yields of summer fruits and vegetables also start to diminish and turn yellow, making way for the purple and maroon hues of autumn produce such as passionfruit and figs.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), around mid-February is the point where summer ends and a fifth season, late summer, begins. This short, yet important, season of passage ends at the autumn equinox.

Summer is associated with yang energy and the fire element. It is a season of heat, long days, celebrations, and social activities. Our routines, along with our eating and sleeping patterns, are unpredictable during December and January – working around adventure, celebration, and play. Structure tends to fly out the window during the height of summer, along with our worries, and we experience an intense outward flow of energy. By February, some of us may start to feel the lure of rest, relaxation, and quiet reflection, especially if our vitality and energy reserves were already depleted in December.

While fun and sun can be invigorating, late summer arrives just in time to help gently nudge us back into a state of rest and reflection. You may sense this transition begin when the days start shortening and the mornings and evenings begin to cool down. To those aware of its elusive nature, late summer can be a tranquil pause where one can gather thoughts, fine-tune routines, take a deep breath, and move confidently forward into the year with simple and harmonious intentions.

This fifth season is associated with the earth element.  As such, it is the perfect time to start reigning in the abundance of our outward flow of energy and ground ourselves. This short period between summer and autumn is the ideal time to find ways to anchor us to our purpose, our core beliefs, and our basic needs – and transition into a more sustainable way of existing. It is a period to begin nurturing and nourishing our physical bodies, as well as the environments that sustain these.  More importantly, it is the time to start setting intentions and stable routines that will support us as we move into the colder, most introspective yin seasons of autumn and winter.

In TCM, late summer and the earth element correspond with the spleen and stomach.  These organs are responsible for transforming food into qi – the life force that drives every aspect of wellbeing. It is often said that supporting the spleen during this season will help to protect against illness during the colder months; when Spleen Qi and the earth element is robust and strong, we feel grounded, empathetic, rooted, and nourished. When earth is diminished, we can overthink and feel scattered, untethered, and worried. Our digestion can be poor, with reduced appetite and intense bloating after eating. We may feel fatigued, weak, and crave sugar or stimulants.

This makes late summer the ideal time for making a few simple changes to the way we are living and eating day-to-day to strengthen digestion, fortify Spleen Qi, and prepare for the coming year.

Some ways to nourish and strengthen the earth element in late summer may include:

• Make “moderation” your mantra.  Be mindful that giving too much, or consuming too much, depletes earth’s energy.

• Get your circadian rhythms back into a routine.  If you can, synchronise your wake and sleep times with the rising and setting of the sun.

• Embrace mindful eating.  Summer is the time of year where we tend to eat standing up or on-the-go, so late summer is the perfect time to introduce mindful eating practices to ensure our food is being enjoyed and savoured with awareness and adequately digested. Most importantly, eat at regular times and avoid late-night eating.

• Incorporate lightly cooked foods into your daily meals.  Begin to prepare soups, dahls, porridges, congees, and warming, cooked foods; too many raw foods can burden the spleen.

• Keep food combinations simple.  Choose a feature food for each meal that is harmonising and represents the centre. The colour associated with late summer is yellow and the taste connected to this season is sweet. As such, foods recommended in TCM for late summer are mildly sweet wholefoods that are golden or yellow in colour (e.g. millet, corn, carrots, chia seeds, peas, pumpkin, potatoes, rice, soybeans, squash, sweet potatoes).

• Enjoy foods that support digestive function. Herbs and spices that are aromatic, pungent, and slightly warming can be excellent digestive tonics (e.g. cinnamon, clove, fennel, ginger, star anise); chai spices with a touch of sweet honey can be a great way to achieve this.

• Brew herbal teas made from sweet-tasting roots that will support the spleen and earth element.  While the roots of burdock, chicory, dandelion are quite bitter to taste, they do contain complex carbohydrates, such as inulin, which give them a sweet quality. It is not hard to see a strong association with the earth element in the yellow flower of dandelion or the long, thick root of burdock. Astragalus root is another option to add to broths or soups at this time of year.

• Give yourself time to “digest” your emotions and thoughts.  Participating in mindful outdoor practices are the best way to ground and reconnect with the earth’s energy; journaling, sketching, gardening, and walking in nature can foster connection with the earth element and nurture creative yin energy. One troublesome emotion that can surface in late summer is worry. Remember to make time in your daily routine to ground yourself, connect with earth, and find clarity and stability.