This month brings the Songkran Festival to Thailand which heralds the end of the dry season and the coming of the rains. It is the marking of the Thai New Year and not only is the rain symbolic of washing away the old year and past deeds, it also celebrates the bursting forth of new life and energies.

The changing of the seasons is a perfect time to give our wellness a little assessment. Whether we are transitioning from a colder season to a warmer one or vice versa, there is always a tendency for our energy to become a little sluggish as the season draws to a close. We may find our energy is low and we start to feel a little ‘off’. We may become ill more often or find it takes a little longer for us to shake off an illness.

When this happens, the cause may be what is known as Stagnation in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Stagnation occurs when there is congestion of something in a given area of the body and can be caused by improper diet, too much stress, prolonged illness, lack of movement and repressed emotions among other things. When things become congested, toxins start to accumulate and over time, our health deteriorates. The treatment of Stagnation will therefore require the clearing of toxicity.

There are 5 types of Stagnation; Qi (energy), Blood, Fluid, Food and Cold, and they can occur singly or together or in combination with other patterns of imbalance. The diagnosis can be complex, needing the skilled observation of a trained practitioner, but if you feel you may be a little congested, there are a few things you can do at home to help.

1. Detox – cleansing the body and mind during the transitioning of the seasons is a great way to boost your health. It clears out the old energy of the past season and prepares the body for the new one to come. There are many different ways to cleanse the body, from a simple 1 day juice fast at home to a week long full fast retreat at a detox center, and it is essential that you choose the right detox for your body so as not to aggravate any imbalances or health concerns. If you are unsure about the best style of cleansing for you at this time, it is always best to seek guidance from someone with experience.
2. Exercise – moving is a great way to shift congestion and it doesn’t need to be a gym work out or a run. A game of football with friends, swimming, tai chi, yoga, dance, walking and cycling are all valid forms of exercise and the more you enjoy the activity and are emotionally and mentally fulfilled by it, the more benefit you will gain from it.
3. Diet – proper diet is a must for everyone, but what is a ‘proper’ diet? With so many diet plans and nutritional trends on the market these days it can be confusing. The most important thing to remember is that there is no ‘one plan fits all’ solution to diet and health and you need to choose a diet which fills your unique nutritional needs. Also keep in mind that one of the worst things you can do for your digestion is to over-eat, so avoid eating until you are ‘stuffed’.
4. Emotions – its an area of ourselves that many of us are uncomfortable with, but emotions are possibly the biggest factor affecting our health. We all know that when we are feeling good and happy, we rarely get sick, but when we are feeling down and depressed then coughs and colds, aches and pains, are never far away. Learning to become more aware of our emotions on a daily basis is not only beneficial in relieving and avoiding Stagnation, it also directly benefits the health of our Liver and our entire being. Journal writing can be a useful tool, as can painting and talking to yourself out loud in the mirror!

So if you are feeling like you need a little boost at this time of year, take some action and get moving to shift any congestion before it starts to really get you down.

Christina is available for sessions at Atmanjai.

For more infomation about Christina and her work please visit:
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If you would like to read more on Stagnation, visit Lesley Tierra’s series of blogs which explain it more detail.