I’m sure many of you have noticed the shift in the season—the cool air stinging your face in the morning, the instinct to put on a few extra layers, turn up the heater, and spend more time indoors. That inward pull you’re feeling? It’s no coincidence. The winter season is upon us. And in Chinese Medicine, winter is the season of the Water Element.
The Deep Wisdom of Water
The movement of Water is inward. Of all the Five Elements, Water holds the most Yin energy—cool, still, and quiet. Water always finds the lowest point and comes to rest there. It teaches us to yield, flow, and settle.
In many ways, Water is the most fundamental element. It’s abundant—covering about 70% of the Earth’s surface—and its ongoing presence made life on our planet possible. In our own bodies, water makes up around 60% of our total composition. So when we talk about Water in Chinese Medicine, we’re also talking about a vital part of ourselves—both physically and energetically.
The Season of Rest, Reflection & Reserves
In nature, winter is a time of stillness. Plants and animals retreat, conserve energy, and pause. There is little visible growth, but beneath the surface, important processes are taking place—storage, renewal, and quiet preparation for the burst of spring.
This is the time to honour the same cycle within ourselves. To slow down. To rest. To reflect. To replenish our reserves after the activity of warmer months.
Winter encourages us to cultivate the Water element by becoming more receptive, introspective, and restorative. It’s not a time to push, but a time to allow.
Supporting the Body Through Food: Salty & Bitter Flavours
In Chinese dietary therapy, we nourish the Water element with foods that have salty and bitter flavours.
- Salty foods– like miso, seaweed, soy sauce, millet, barley, and naturally salted meals- support the kidneys, which are the organ associated with the Water element. These foods help draw energy inward and promote deep nourishment.
- Bitter foods—like rocket, oats, quinoa, citrus peel, celery, turnips, endive, watercress, and the outer leaves of cabbage—are often overlooked but incredibly helpful in small, regular amounts. They support emotional clarity and strengthen our ability to hold joy within, even through darker months.
These flavours promote a sinking and centring quality, cooling the surface of the body and drawing warmth to the core. This subtle shift helps us feel the cold less and conserve our internal energy.
Living in Harmony with Water
To live well in winter, we must align ourselves with the Water element:
- Rest generously, especially with longer nights
- Meditate or reflect deeply, tuning into your inner voice
- Stay gently active to keep joints and spine flexible
- Eat warm, nourishing meals with seasonal vegetables and broths
- Protect your energy—say no more often, and embrace solitude
Water reminds us that we don’t need to be in constant motion to grow. Sometimes, the most powerful transformations happen beneath the surface, in stillness.