From Solstice to Da Shu: Yoga & Qigong Reflections for the Period of Maximum Yang

As the sun arcs high above, we are in the season of intensity, expression, and expansion. In both the natural world and the inner body, summer is the season of Fire, associated in Chinese medicine with the Heart, Joy, and Spiritual Clarity.

The Summer Solstice — the longest day of the year — and the solar term Da Shu (大暑, "Great Heat") mark the peak of Yang energy in the seasonal cycle.