On November 7th, we entered the winter season according to Daoist cosmology.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the kidneys (yin) and the bladder (yang) are the organs associated with winter. The element is water; the sense organ is the ears; the color is black; the sound is groaning or humming; the balanced scent resembles a fresh salty sea breeze, while the unbalanced scent is rotten. The direction is north, and the climate is cold.
The emotion of winter is fear, and its antidote is openness, generosity, awareness of abundance, and gentleness.
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The Way of Winter
According to the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, translated by Ilza Veith:
“The three months of winter are called the period of closing and storing. Water freezes and the earth cracks open. One should not disturb one’s yang. People should retire early at night and rise late in the morning, waiting for the rising of the sun.”
Winter invites us to rest, restore, and preserve. It is a time to nurture our inner reserves, allowing energy to be stored and replenished for the seasons ahead.
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Kidney 1 (KI 1): Bubbling Spring
In TCM, Kidney 1 (KI 1) — also known as Yongquan or Bubbling Spring— is a key energy point in Qi Gong and Tai Chi practice.
It is the lowest point on the body’s meridian system and connects us directly with the Earth’s grounding energy.
Location:
KI 1 is found on the soles of the feet, between the second and third metatarsal bones, in the depression that appears when the foot is plantar-flexed — roughly one-third of the distance between the base of the second toe and the heel.
Benefits:
Stimulating this point helps to:
• Regulate and balance blood pressure
• Calm the mind and clear heat
• Relieve headaches, red eyes, and hypertension
• Ground and stabilize energy
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Heart–Kidney Connection
Daoist physician Zhu Dan Xi reminds us:
“If you want a strong heart, first you need strong kidneys.
If you want strong kidneys, you must quiet your heart.
Heart and kidneys must communicate and assist one another like water and fire.”
When water (kidney) and fire (heart) are in harmony, the body’s internal balance, both emotional and physical, is maintained.
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The Spirit of Winter
Winter teaches us the power of stillness. The water element carries the potential for action within rest, the source of creativity and wisdom.
It gives us confidence, adaptability, and trust in our own resilience.
May this winter be peaceful, restorative, and filled with quiet strength.
“Within the stillness of water, life prepares to flow again.”