Let Yourself Be Fed by Joy

As I sit down to write today, there’s a palpable air of excitement in our house — tomorrow my boys break up from school. I remember that feeling so clearly: the giddy anticipation of summer holidays. My youngest keeps telling me he can’t believe he has six whole weeks off. It feels like an eternity when you’re six!

 In Chinese medicine, this is the season of joy. Not just fleeting happiness or surface-level pleasure, but the deep, bubbling kind that arises when you feel connected, inspired, and alive.

 Summer relates to the Heart organ, and it’s joy, laughter, connection, expression, and love that truly nourish the Heart.

 As we move through this most expansive time of year, we’re invited to fill up — not in a frantic or overstimulated way, but in a way that feels meaningful, rich, and connected.

Because soon, we’ll move toward autumn and winter, when the energy will naturally turn inward. The Heart’s stores of warmth, love, and joy will help carry us through the darker months, like a glowing ember in the hearth.

 True joy isn’t about being constantly busy or entertained. It’s about doing more of what feels real, alive, and aligned for you. That might be dinner with a dear friend, singing loudly in the car, a spontaneous sea swim, or simply sitting in the sun with a good book — no guilt, just presence.

 So, as I sign off for a few weeks and shift into summer holiday mode, I’m taking the medicine of the Fire element with me — giving myself permission to enjoy life, just as it is.

 And I’d love to invite you to do the same.
Let yourself be fed by joy.
Let it rise, expand, and settle gently in your heart.