立夏 Lixia, 'Beginning of Summer'- Seventh Seasonal Point- May 5
Summer begins with Lixia – literally the Beginning of Summer - and finds us embraced by the warmth of the season’s element, Fire.This is not so surprising as we all notice the shift in the temperatures. The days certainly warm, but the evenings start to lose their chill as well. As such, plant-life begins to flourish, and the land begins to reveal to us just how abundant she can be. Much like our flora-friends, we too are flourishing. The fragility of our Spring Yang has grown into maturity and its momentum is helping us soar into the warmer months of the year. With that our Yin conversely retreats into dormancy, and much like a baby, or a small seed, must be held and nurtured with gentle care.
Much like Easter, Lixia is often celebrated with the symbolism of eggs. Often believed to represent new life and new beginnings, they are also known to strengthen our bodies, immune systems, replenish energy, and as we know, are an excellent source of meat-free protein. In China during Lixia, eggs are marinated or dyed before they are enjoyed, and are often hung from a necklace to be worn by children for good health.
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