In the Chinese calendar, October 9, 2023, is the first day of Yang Water Dog Month. The Chinese calendar assigns one of the twelve animals, five elements, and the polarity of yin or yang to each year, month, day, and hour. The Yang Water Dog month extends till November 7, 2023.
The Yang Water Dog refers to the 39th hexagram described in the I Ching and used in Feng Shui. Its image is Water over Mountain. The Yang Water Dog represents "Obstruction ". It is an image of weakness and stagnation, with an undertone of dampness and heat.
The Yang Water Dog hexagram:
From the body and health perspective, the Yang Water Dog hexagram continues to shift away from summer's energetic high nature. The environmental influences are moving to a more subtle activity state. Last month a weakness in the Wei or Defensive Qi developed and continues this month. This is the Qi that acts as a barrier to environmental pathogenic influences.
The Yang Water Dog introduces different pathogenic influences. This month there is a combination of Damp Heat along with metabolic sluggishness. Both conditions are characterized by an underlying presence of dampness and stagnation. Residual dryness from the previous month impacts the Lungs first and then cascades inward to other regions: Large Intestine, Liver, Stomach, Spleen, Bladder, and nervous system. The dominant pathological influences began with heat and inflammation in the previous months and the body now over-responds with dampness, mucous, and phlegm.
The Water trigram originates in the Water element and is related to damp conditions. During the Yand Water Dog month, the Water trigram affects the yang aspects of the body, weakening the defensive Qi or Wei Qi, stagnating the lymphatic system, and destabilizing the endocrine system.
The Mountain trigram originates in the Earth element. It is related to damp heat conditions and affects the yin aspects of the body, leading to inhibited blood flow, and preventing proper removal of turbid fluids from the body.
Each season consists of various energetic states, often in conflict. These conditions will be reflected in nature and, more importantly, our bodies. As mentioned before, the Yang Water Dog represents a generalized pattern of dampness that affects various organs, tissues, and body regions. Each of these patterns has its own set of signs and symptoms.
Common problems during the Yang Water Dog Month are:
Upper Jiao (above the diaphragm)
Headache, dizziness, epistaxis, Acute hemoptysis, blurred vision, tinnitus, deafness, redness, swelling and pain of the eye, shoulder pain, elbow and arm pain, acute mastitis, upper back pain, facial paralysis, swelling of face, cough and asthma, sore throat, cardiac pain, palpitation
Middle Jiao (between the diaphragm and umbilicus)
Acute gastric pain, acute abdominal pain, borborygmus
Lower Jiao (below the umbilicus)
Pain and weakness of the lumbar and leg (sciatica), hemorrhoids, acute lumbar pain, swelling and pain of the knee joint, paralysis or weakness of the lower extremities, diarrhea, dysuria, edema, irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, spermatorrhea, impotence, lumbar pain
Internal organ damp heat patterns are aggravated by:
- excess consumption of alcohol, spicy, and sweet foods, rich foods, creamy sauces and foods, dairy foods, fried foods, greasy foods
- long-term emotional upset or anger
- exterior dampness invading the body
- long-term physical, mental, or emotional stress
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