07/04/2025
Spring, Wind & the Liver (Gān) in Traditional Chinese Medicine
As we step into spring, it’s the perfect time to talk about the Liver — or Gān in TCM — and its deep connection to the season, the element of Wind, and a powerful energetic cycle.
In TCM, the Liver isn’t just an organ. It’s part of a greater energetic system called Gān, which belongs to the Jué Yīn stage in the 6-stage Yīn/Yáng classification:
✨ Tài Yáng (Greater Yáng)
✨ Yáng Míng (Bright Yáng)
✨ Shào Yáng (Lesser Yáng)
✨ Tài Yīn (Greater Yīn)
✨ Shào Yīn (Lesser Yīn)
✨ Jué Yīn (Shrinking/Reverting Yīn)
Jué Yīn is the stage of:
🌑 Deepest Yīn — still, quiet, and internal
🔁 Transformation — the turning point back toward Yáng
🌊 Like a wave gathering power before it crashes onto the shore
At night, the Liver (Gān) embodies this stage:
🌙 Stores blood, allowing the body to rest and regenerate
🛌 Creates stillness so we can emerge into spring with strength
⚡️ It’s the root of rising Yáng — creativity, movement, and growth
But Gān can be easily disturbed…
⚠️ What injures the Liver (Gān)?
😠 Excessive anger or repressed emotions
💨 External or internal Wind
🍷 Dietary excesses, especially greasy, spicy, or alcohol-heavy foods
🌃 Lack of restful sleep or an imbalanced daily rhythm
⚠️ Signs Gān may be struggling:
💤 Insomnia or restless sleep
⚡️ Headaches, dizziness
✋ Tremors or numbness
♀️ Irregular or painful menstruation
🔥 Irritability or mood swings
Spring is Liver season. So give Gān some love:
✅ Prioritize rest
✅ Eat clean and light
✅ Move your body gently
✅ Practice emotional balance
✅ Flow with the season, not against it
Let the stillness of winter rise into the power of spring — through a healthy Liver.
