Winter solstice: New energy from the perspective of TCM

It is the shortest day. The longest night. The moment,
when darkness reaches its peak. And right now —
At this lowest point, something unexpected happens:
Light is born.

Not loud. Not visible. But hidden away.
Like a seed that sprouts underground. Like a heartbeat,
that begins quietly. The winter solstice is not an end.
She is a goal. A transition from yin to yang. From depth to ascent.
From darkness to light.

Nature holds its breath. Not out of exhaustion — out of wisdom.
For only in complete tranquility can something new emerge.

Trust the darkness; it knows the way to the light.

💧 The water element: the origin of all life

In TCM, winter belongs to the Water element. The time of depth.
The silence. The source.

Water is the source. Everything comes from it—and everything returns to it.

The Kidney is his organ. It stores your Jing — your life essence.
The most precious thing you have.

Jing is what sustains you when everything else fades away. It is the inner fire in the ice. The embers beneath the snow. The spark that never goes out — if you tend it.

In winter, qi retreats inward. Just as light sinks into the earth to renew itself there.

This time is not a standstill. It is Preparation.

What dies on the outside is gathered on the inside. What disappears is transformed.

🌊 The wisdom of water

Water is the only element that can take on any shape.
It can freeze, flow, evaporate. It adapts—without losing itself.

A person with strong water knows that they don't have to fight. They trust. They rest — and regenerate more deeply than they think.

Water always seeks the lowest point. Not out of weakness—out of wisdom. Because there, in the depths, lies its power.

But when the water is weakened, it becomes apparent that:
→ Fear that comes out of nowhere
→ Exhaustion that no amount of sleep can cure
→ The feeling of being empty — hollowed out
→ Cold feet, cold back, cold soul
→ The will that wanes
→ The feeling: „I have nothing more to give.“

Then your body calls you back to its roots. To warmth. To sleep. To silence.

🧠 The western bridge: What happens in the body

Science confirms what the old masters knew:

The pineal gland: It produces the most melatonin during the darkest hours. Your body WANTS to rest—biologically, not out of laziness.

The adrenal glands: They sit on the kidneys and produce cortisol, adrenaline, and DHEA. After a year full of stress, they are at their limit. December is their low point.

The immune system: It regenerates during sleep. Long nights are a gift—if you use them.

The internal clock: It follows the light. When the light is at its weakest, the body switches to maximum regeneration — if we let it.

Two worlds. One truth: The longest night is not a punishment. It is an invitation to the deepest healing.

🕯️ The 5 pillars for the darkest times

1. Become the guardian of your fire

On the longest night, warmth isn't comfort — it's survival.

Practical:

Keep your core warm: stomach, lower back, feet
Wear kidney warmers (wool, silk)
Hot water bottle on the lower back — every evening
Never walk barefoot on cold floors

Hot drinks:

Ginger tea with honey
Cinnamon water in the morning
Warm water with a pinch of salt

📣 Insider tip: Ming Men warming — place a hot water bottle between your kidneys (lower back) in the evening. 15 minutes. Nourishes the fire of life directly.

2. Honor silence

Darkness is not your enemy. It is the space where you can hear yourself.

Practical:

Sit in dim light for 5–10 minutes every day
No screens, no distractions
Just you and your breath
Light a candle — a light in the darkness

In the darkness, you learn to find the light within yourself.

3. Give your body sleep

The longest nights are made for the longest sleep.

Practical:

To bed before 10 p.m.
8–9 hours are not a luxury now — they are medicine.
Bedroom cool, but feet warm
No screen time after 8 p.m.

📣 Insider tip: The hour before midnight counts double.
Those who go to sleep at 10 p.m. regenerate more deeply than those who go to bed at 1 a.m.

4. Nourish your Jing

The essence wants to be nourished — with food that has substance.

Black foods for the kidneys:
— Black sesame seeds (1 tablespoon daily)
— Black beans
— Walnuts
— Bone broth

Warm, slow-cooked meals:
— Stews, soups, braised dishes
— Root vegetables from the oven
— Broths with marrow

📣 Insider tip: Black rice congee — the 2,000-year-old energy breakfast. 👉 Recipe: www.meine-tcm.com/winter-congee-gegen-erschoepfung

5. Movement like water

No intense workouts. No exhaustion.
Instead: Flow. Circle. Sink.

— Qi Gong (especially kidney-strengthening exercises)
— Tai Chi
— Gentle yoga
— Slow walks in nature

Rule of thumb: After exercising, you should more Have energy — no less.

📣 Insider tip: The „kidney circles,“ a simple qigong exercise,
which directly nourishes the Jing.

🎥 Instructions for the Qi Gong exercise „Kidney Circles“:
www.meine-tcm.com/qi-gong-uebung-nieren-kreisen

📍 Acupressure points for the longest night

Ni 3 (Tài Xī) — „Great Torrent“

Location: Between the inner ankle and Achilles tendon
Effect: THE main point for kidney essence — strengthens jing and yang
Application: Massage in circular motions for 60 seconds on both sides.

👇 Detailed instructions:
www.meine-tcm.com/akupunkturpunkte/akupunkturpunkt-ni-03

Ni 7 (Fù Liū) — „The returning stream“

Location: 3 finger widths above Ni 3, on the inner edge of the Achilles tendon
Effect: Strengthens kidney yang, warms from within
Application: Press gently for 60 seconds on both sides.

👇 Detailed instructions:
www.meine-tcm.com/akupunkturpunkte/akupunkturpunkt-ni-07

KG 4 (Guān Yuán) — „Gate of Origin“

Location: 4 finger widths below the navel
Effect: Strengthens Yuan Qi, the primal force — source of life
Application: Apply heat or massage gently in circular motions for 2 minutes.

👇 Detailed instructions:
www.meine-tcm.com/akupunkturpunkte/akupunkturpunkt-kg-04

🌿 Trusted companions from our practice

For your core: A strong intestine is the basis for strong kidneys. When the center is working, the essence can be preserved.
👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/bs-ballaststoffe-plus

For those sweet moments: When your soul seeks warmth, give it something that nourishes rather than robs it.
👉 www.meine-tcm.com/produkt/xocola