Winter Solstice

In the northern hemisphere, September 23rd marked the 2023 autumnal equinox, which a month later was followed by a first snow fall on Halloween.  While it felt like the return of winter was a bit early, the rise and falls of temperatures over the next month allowed for a more gradual transition into the season.  As we inch our way closer to the winter solstice on Thursday, December 21st , we have collectively been experiencing decreased hours of light with increased hours of dark.  The winter solstice, also known as Midwinter, occurs when the earth’s poles are furthest from the sun, gifting us with the shortest day and the longest night or period of darkness for any given year.  Over time and in various cultures, this day has often been marked with winter festivals of light and reflection to prepare for a gradual returning of the light. 

The “Lucky Holiday” Mushroom

If you have been in clinic lately, you will find the seasonal programs committee adding light in the form of tiny fairy lights to little mushroom clad scenes.  While many have seemed delighted by the mushroom décor as we prepare for the winter season, others might be asking: why mushrooms?  Fair question.  For the mycological enthusiasts among us, we are making models of the Amanita muscaria, the mushrooms who don red caps with white speckles.  In Germany, this mushroom is often referred to as Gluckspilz, or the lucky holiday mushroom because these are the fungi that readily grow next to pine trees.

The Doctrine of Signatures

Admittedly, we do not readily use the Amanita muscaria in our everyday East Asian herbal medicine.  That said, we do often use mushrooms in formulas to treat myriad conditions, from gynecological issues to hypertension.  Moreover, understanding a bit more about our ‘fungi friends,’ if you will, has the potential to give us further insight and broader understanding of how we are connecting with herbs in a general sense.  One guiding principle in East Asian herbal medicine practice is called Doctrine of Signatures.  This principle, also referred to as Systematic Correspondence or Sympathetic Magic, simply means that the herbs themselves are giving us clues as to what their therapeutic effects might be by simply being who they are.  In short, noticing where and how the herbs grow in the natural world, noticing the herb’s color, and distilling down what part of the plant substance we are using often gives us insight in what that herb might be doing when consumed medicinally.  

Mushrooms as Medicine

Poria cocos (Fu Ling) is a mushroom that we readily use in East Asian herbal formulas.  When thinking about where mushrooms grow from a Doctrine of Signatures perspective, we can all imagine the mushrooms coming into being in moist woodlands or the innards of a decaying tree that many of us have encountered on hikes in forested areas.  Even within the city limits, I have encountered mushroom clusters seemingly popping up at the base of boulevard trees overnight after a rain.  You can imagine by virtue of the damp environment in which mushrooms grow, that they may have a therapeutic action focused on managing dampness.  Not surprisingly, Pori cocos (Fu Ling) is the representative herb of the herbal medicine category, Herbs that Drain Dampness. 

Calming the Spirit 

Four layers of the Poria fungus are used in East Asian herbal medicine, with slightly different actions dependent on the layer used.  The innermost layer of the mushroom, which also includes part of the root of the pine it grows near, is called Fu Shen.  From a clinical perspective, this fungus helps to drain dampness but also has a particular affinity for calming the spirit—calming the shen in East Asian medicine terms—and helping to regulate the nervous system.  From a Doctrine of Signatures perspective, having the pine root integrated into the herb may represent the calming rootedness this herb is helping to provide our bodies when consumed.  While mushrooms can be lovely to consume as food, should you be interested in learning more about whether a formula containing mushrooms may be the right fit for your clinical presentation, it is always recommended to meet with one of Five Point’s herbalists who is formally trained in how to diagnose and treat specific health conditions.    

Connected Community   

In the clinic, we have been reflecting on how to best connect with community while continuing to move through these often turbulent, heartbreaking, and all too often troubling times.  We have been busy curating a Five Point Winter Open House and mini–Holistic Market to be held this upcoming Sunday, December 10th from 1:00 – 3:00 PM, trying to balance reflective practices with time to connect directly or indirectly in community. We will be sipping tea, practicing solitude together through an East Asian- and nature-inspired crafts for children and adults, and sharing our updated Five Point Apothecary with items to accompany you through the winter months ahead.  Patty Sugrue, LCPC will help us respond to winter’s invitation to rest with a Cozy Story Time for Grown-Ups, giving your busy mind a gentle place to explore, with cozy details and no drama. In addition, Hope, one of our psychotherapists, has been beautifully holding space to connect through art and embodied practices to come together in community throughout their Hope and Grief series, the last one which will be held this upcoming Saturday from 1:30 – 3:30 PM.  

Looking forward to connecting with you all when the time is right – be it at our Winter Open House or in clinic soon! 

-Ashley 

Acupuncturist, herbalist, and public health-informed nature enthusiast 

Sources:

• Bensky, D., Gamble, A., and Kaptchuk, T. Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica Revised Edition, Eastland Press, Seattle, 1993. 

• Why Mushrooms are a popular Holiday Decoration Little Pine Learners.  Accessed December 6th, 2023.