Happy New Year! (2026)
Happy New Year from Sun Moon Acupuncture!
There’s always an excitement to starting a new year: a blank slate, fresh goals, future travel plans, and of course the infamous New Years Resolutions. While it’s easier for some individuals to feel motivated during this time, often due to their more Wood-like constitutions (the Wood element rules planning and execution), many people struggle to feel that same drive and motivation. And I’m here to tell you: that is for good reason!
Although the calendar has reset and 2026 is now upon us, seasonally we are still in the depths of Winter. While the Winter Solstice on December 21st marked the longest night of the year and the gradual return to longer days, nature is still very much in its resting phase. We still have a little while to go until nature truly “wakes up” from its wintertime slumber.
According to Chinese Medicine Five Element Theory, the start of the new year actually takes place at the beginning of Spring, not January. This is because the Five Elements begin with Wood, which represents growth, planning, and new beginnings. Think of a small sapling that pushes through the soil to form the beginnings of a tree. Spring is high in Yang energy, because birth and renewal require strength and energy; seeds need this upward Yang force to burst through the tough ground and reach open air.
The reason you may still feel tired and unmotivated right now is because your body inherently knows that it is still Winter, governed by the Water element. During this time, the body’s natural priority is to go inward, rest, and restore. We see this reflected in nature: it’s quiet, trees are bare, flowers have lost their blooms, and many animals hibernate. This quiet, restorative phase allows energy to be stored so the body is prepared for the active, outward energy of Spring and Summer.
In Chinese Medicine, Winter is considered essential for rest and repair. If the body’s resources aren’t protected during this season, illness can arise later in Spring or Summer. One of the earliest Chinese medical texts, the Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon), emphasizes living in harmony with the seasons as a way to prevent disease. During Winter, it advises going to bed early and waking later (after the sun rises), avoiding excessive exercise (gentle movement is fine as long as heavy sweating is avoided), and limiting social activity, all to preserve Qi and protect health for the coming seasons.
“In the three months of Winter, this is called ‘closing and storing.’
Water freezes and the earth cracks open.
Do not disturb the Yang.
Retire early and rise late, waiting for the sunlight.
Keep the mind as if hidden, as if having private intentions, as if already obtained.
Avoid cold and seek warmth.
Do not let the skin open and leak sweat,
lest the Yang Qi be excessively depleted.
This is the way of nourishing the Winter Qi.
Those who go against it will injure the Kidneys;
in Spring they will suffer weakness and lack the ability to grow.”
Even thousands of years ago, there was an emphasis on preventive medicine. We are still beings of this universe, deeply affected by the rhythms of nature, although modern society often disconnects us. Living in harmony with the seasons is not a trend, but a necessary practice to maximize our long term health.
So don’t feel guilty about a lack of motivation right now - you’re actually living in sync with the seasons. It’s still Winter, so focus on rest, reflection, and quiet nourishment. Your body will thank you come Spring!
