Summer Health: The Heart Organ in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Passion, Love, and Expansive Energy


This is part 1 of 5 in the Summer health Series:

  1. Summer Health: The Heart Organ in Traditional Chinese Medicine - Passion, Love, and Expansive Energy (you are here)

  2. Live Summer Like Summer (coming soon)

  3. Summer and Menstrual Health (coming soon)

  4. Summer Fashion: TCM-Inspired Tips for Staying Seasonally Smart (coming soon)

  5. Summer Food & Preparation: Eating with the Season in Mind (coming soon)


In Chinese Medicine, summer is governed by the Heart organ system, which is paired with the element of Fire. This is the season of warmth, brightness, and expansive growth—the very qualities of fire itself. It is the time of passion, creativity, and deep, meaningful connection. When you feel “fire in the belly” or your heart is stirred by love or beauty—this is Heart energy rising.

Abstract orange and yellow fire illustration symbolizing the Fire element and Heart energy in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Summer Is More Than Sunshine and Long Days

We don’t just live in seasons—we are seasonal. Summer doesn’t simply arrive outside our doors. It rises within us, in the blood, in the mood, in the way we long to move and connect.

In Chinese Medicine, summer is governed by the Heart organ system, which is paired with the element of Fire. This is the season of warmth, brightness, and expansive growth—the very qualities of fire itself. It is the time of passion, creativity, and deep, meaningful connection. When you feel “fire in the belly” or your heart is stirred by love or beauty—this is Heart energy rising.


The Heart in Traditional Chinese Medicine

The Heart is known as the “Emperor” in TCM—the ruler of all organ systems, responsible for housing the Shen, or spirit. When the Heart is in balance, the Shen is bright, clear, and grounded. You might notice it in someone’s eyes—a sparkle, a presence, a sense that they are truly here.

The Heart governs:

  • Shen (Spirit) and emotions—particularly joy

  • Blood circulation and the vessels

  • Speech and expression

  • Laughter and connection

  • The tongue (yes, really)

  • The quality of sleep

  • The ability to love and be loved


Summer: The Most Yang of the Seasons

Summer is the peak of yang:

  • Longer days and shorter nights

  • Heat and brightness

  • Upward and outward energy

  • Growth, activity, and outward expression

It’s no coincidence that trees seem to stretch taller in July, that we crave outdoor gatherings and joyful movement. Summer gives us permission to be fully present, fully ourselves.


When Heart Energy Is in Harmony

We feel warm—not just physically, but emotionally. We laugh easily. We speak our truths with kindness. We feel connected to others and to the moment.

When the Heart is out of balance, we may experience:

  • Anxiety or overexcitement

  • Insomnia

  • Difficulty connecting to others or feeling emotionally present

  • Restlessness, racing thoughts

  • A sense of emptiness, or conversely, emotional overwhelm

In TCM, even joy—when excessive—can be harmful, tipping into mania or burnout. The Heart thrives on authentic joy, not overstimulation.


Practical Summer Heart Care Tips

  • Allow yourself moments of real connection—laughter, eye contact, heartfelt conversations.

  • Spend time in the sun, but balance it with rest and hydration (more in part 2)

  • Avoid overbooking your summer with non-stop activity; the Heart needs calm, too. (More in part 2)

  • If swimming in cool water, warm up as soon as possible afterward—fire and water need careful balance (more in part 2 & 3)

  • Choose foods that support Heart and Fire (more in Part 5).

Let this be the season where your Heart expands with ease.
Not through pushing or perfection, but through presence—through the art of being warmly and wildly yourself.


Coming Up in the Summer Series:

  • How to Live Summer Like Summer — seasonal rhythms & lifestyle

  • Summer & Menstrual Health — what ovulation and joy have in common

  • TCM-Inspired Summer Fashion — dressing for your organ systems

  • Summer Food & Preparation — eating in tune with the Fire element


Next
Next

Water Element in Chinese Medicine: The Stillness That Moves Mountains