Like many of our ancient herbal allies, saffron threads weave a rich tapestry of connection and exchange between cultures and civilizations throughout time. While it may not typically be associated with TCM, saffron has been...

Across cultures, alcohol has been celebrated as a sacred elixir, condemned as a poison, and everything in between. Because Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is fundamentally concerned with the harmonization of polar forces—between Yin and Yang,...

The wellness industry is booming, pointing to both our collective health crisis and increasing personal agency when it comes to healing. Unfortunately, this boom has been rife with manipulative marketing, ungrounded trends, magic bullet promises,...

Acupuncture is an ancient therapeutic practice, and its ability to withstand the test of time—thousands of years—in and of itself speaks to its benefits. However, in the context of modern medicine, research more widely legitimizing...

Late Summer is a liminal fifth season in TCM, when we start transitioning from the Yang to Yin phases of our yearly cycle and are invited to undergo a clarifying process of integration. Corresponding to...

The concept of boundaries is one that’s deeply embedded in TCM, traversing the energetic to physiological levels so as to cultivate personal integrity that greatly supports our overall health. Boundaries represent a potent framework through...

The belief that nature is inherently intelligent shines through all of TCM, which teaches us to align ourselves with that intelligence in order to experience truly vibrant health. One of the simplest ways to attune...

The Summer Solstice can be understood as a cosmic tipping point in the balance of the world, holding deep seasonal, spiritual, and physiological significance within traditional Chinese culture. Known as Xiàzhì (夏至) in the traditional...

In TCM, a healthy stress response reflects a strong and resilient constitution that is able to withstand challenges, continuously maintaining or returning to homeostasis. Our stress response is like an innate regulatory mechanism, designed to...