Springtime is a time of restoration and renewal. Nature’s impulse rises within and you naturally begin to experience an increase in the flow of chi (life energy) in your body and life.

Everywhere you can see signs of Nature coming to life with fresh new green shoots on trees and the first flower blossoms. I love seeing the yellow daffodils opening up and bowing their heads in greeting and seeing the fruiting trees blossom.

This rise in your life force energy acts to increase your body’s natural forces always at work to cleanse and detoxify all of your body’s organs and systems.

In Chinese medicine springtime is ruled by the wood element. The wood element rules the gall bladder and liver organ meridians, as well as the eyes and tendons function.

The power of the wood element is to regulate and restore which, of course, fits perfectly with the theme of cleansing and renewal prevalent in the springtime.

Certain essential oils are especially good for enhancing the flow of chi and restoring your health. We’ll take a look at those in just a moment (see below).

When working harmoniously, your gall bladder and liver organ meridians work in concert with one another to maintain balance. The gall bladder meridian is considered yang (masculine) and liver is considered yin (feminine).

So, you see, these energies are polar opposites, and when working in harmony bring about a balanced state of health for your body, mind, spirit and emotions.

However, when out of balance chaos ensues and imbalance results in dis-eases that can manifest at all levels of your being.

Yin is the soft and internal energy of natural forces at work while yang is the hard, forceful and extroverted energy of nature. Yin is cold and dark. While, in contrast, yang energy is hot and bright.

The Sun and Moon are perfect examples of yang and yin energy at play in nature.

Spring Energy Characteristics

Sour is the taste associated with the spring. Sour tastes activate the rise of chi and life force energy. Sour tastes promote a cooling action while stimulating digestion, enzyme secretion and liver function. Citrus oils are characterized as sour and frequently used for cleansing and detoxification.

Anger is the emotion associated with the springtime as it is forceful and breaks through stagnation. Interestingly, some energy medicine practitioners have correlated people who are chronically angry with symptoms of stagnant energy such as congested liver, poor metabolism and clogged arteries. According to exponents of energy medicine chronic anger acts to bring balance to a patient’s congested condition.

When your wood element is balanced you feel trustful of the life process. You take responsibility for your life and can lean into life events. You are courageous and expect to be supported through life’s trials. You feel strong, stable, motivated, and disciplined. You feel able to easily fuel yourself with inspiration.

A person with balanced wood element feels a strong sense of purpose and the necessary autonomy to set and accomplish their goals. Despite external circumstances, you can maintain control over your creative life force energy. Consequently, you experience and easily sustain all that you desire in the physical world. You feel robust energy, physical power, stamina and aliveness.

Most importantly, a balanced wood element support a strong and resilient immune system.

When you are out of balance with life you are less trusting and able to stay heart centered. You become more centered in your head and resort to manipulation and control of people and events. This leads to a repettive cycle of unhappiness with yourself and life, as well as the repression of your own needs and healthy self-expression.

When you are out of sync with life you lack motivation, resourcefulness, lose self control and can become extremely critical of yourself and others.

If you suffer from any of these conditions of imbalance then it’s time for you to embark on a tonifying and balancing springtime ritual to cleanse and detoxify your body and mind. You can perform your spring detox throughout the spring on a daily or weekly basis. Whatever works best for you!

Physical Symptoms

Abdominal bloating
Digestive upsets
Breast tenderness
Cellulite
Coated tongue
Constipation
Excessive bleeding
Gout
Irregular and painful menses
Fatigue
Flatulence
Gall Stones
Halitosis (bad breath)
Headaches
Hemorrhoids
Hepatitis
Leg Edema
Nausea
Soft nails
Stiff neck and shoulders
Skin conditions
Varicose veins
Uterine fibroids

Emotional Symptoms

Feelings of guilt or shame
Abandonment
Rejection issues
Anxiety
Fear and worry
Extreme self criticism
Unrealistic expectations of yourself and others

Spring Tonic Essential Oils

Green Oils

Any of the following green oils are helpful for promoting and restoring balance, cleansing and detoxification.

Galbanum (Ferula galbaniflua)

One of the most intensely green scents in aromatherapy, appreciated by perfumers

• Referred to as the sacred "mother resin"
• One of the oldest herbs
• Psycho-emotionally calming, grounding and balancing
• Contains cleansing, rejuvenating, calming and balancing properties
  

Cypress (Cupressus sempevirens)

• Contains powerful astringent properties
• Used since ancient times for ritual cleansing and purification
• Reputation for strengthening the heart's energies
• It's said to have been the wood of a cypress tree that was used to fashion Jesus' cross
• Can be useful during times of great transition and confusion, i.e. puberty, marriage, menopause, change of home, loss of love

Black Spruce (Picea mariana)

• May help restore your sense of passion for life
• Promotes mental clarity
• Energizing and stimulating effect
  
• Supports you to relax and let go
• Helps renew the heart, mind and soul
• The scent is reminiscent of high pristine mountain tops
• Wonderful addition to a wealth attraction blend
• May help enliven your sense of purpose, motivation and inspiration

Juniper berry (Juniperus communis)

• Excellent reputation as a powerful detoxifier and blood cleanser
• Balancing properties promote harmony for issues of excess
• Skin tonic, may be useful as a beauty treatment
• Natural diuretic, promotes relief of fluid retention
• Psycho-emotionally promotes purification of negative habits

Citrus Aromas

All citrus aromas are helpful for promoting detox. They can be especially useful for releasing mental and emotional tension. Each of these citrus oils help promote more openness. If you’re needing a boost for having a more resilient and playful attitude, then these oils can help.

Lemon (Citrus limon)

• Excellent cleanser and detoxifier
• Purifying and invigorating properties 
• Refreshing and stimulating effect
• A supportive and potent body mind tonic

Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)

• Cleansing
• Uplifting
• Energizing
• Useful as a rejuvenating body and mind tonic
• Helps to ease tension and stress

Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)

• Supports healthy metabolism
• Reputation for curbing sweet tooth
• Promotes detoxification
• Contains cleansing and purifying properties
• May be useful as a body cleanser and toner
• Energizing and uplifting effect
• May stimulate feelings of euphoria
• Use for beauty and skin care
• Promotes appearance of clear, healthy skin 

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)

• Promotes calm and relaxation
• May help lift the mood
• Has a calming and balancing effect on the mind and emotions
• Highly valued in the perfume industry
  

Tangerine (Citrus reticulata)

• Promotes fresh and peaceful state of mind
• Psycho-emotionally freeing to the senses
• Potent antidote for an overly serious state of mind
• Cleansing properties support a healthy immune system
  

Red Mandarin (Citrus deliciosa)

• Acts to soothe and balance the heart energies
• Peaceful, loving and calming oil
• Gentle action, may be used with young children and during pregnancy
• Often used by midwives in the birthing room
• May help alleviate stomach upsets
• Useful as a soothing room spray

Spring Tonic EO Recipe

To a 5ml (100 drops) euro-dropper bottle add your drops of essential oils.

Cypress - 20 drops
Lemon - 20 drops
Tangerine (or sweet orange) - 20
Bergamot - 20 drops
Grapefruit - 10 drops
Juniper berry - 10 drops
Galbanum - 1-3 drops

Cap bottle tightly and shake vigorously to blend your oils thoroughly together. Allow to synergize for 12 hours, or longer before using.

Methods of Application

Direct inhalation - The simplest way to administer your oils is to simply dispense 1-3 drops of your blend onto a cotton ball, or smell strip, and inhale the scent. You can inhale the scent of your oils throughout the day to promote cleansing and detoxification, as well as tonic action.

Aroma diffuser - Try dispensing oils in your home to promote cleansing and detoxification.

Dilution - Use a dilution and anoint the area of your heart, liver, kidney, or other area where you are carrying any noticeable tension. General guide for diluting your oils is 15 drops of your EO recipe to one ounce carrier oil like fractionated light coconut oil.

Aromatic Sea Salt Bath - One of the most helpful therapies for detoxifying the emotional body.

Juice - Add one drop of your chosen pure essential or blend (that has been mixed into 1 Tablespoon of olive oil) to your glass of juice, stir well and drink.

Learn more about fresh juicing and the best veggies, fruits and nutritional supplements to use for detoxifying your body safely from heavy metals and toxins HERE. 

CLICK HERE for a list of GRAS essential oils that have been approved by the FDA to use as food flavors.

READ Related Article, Emotional Detox Ritual with Essential Oils