Winter Self-Care Through the Lens of TCM, Nourishing Jing and Kidney Energy
Honouring the Yin of Yin
Winter is the most yin season of the year. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this is the time to nourish your kidneys, protect your Jing, and restore your energy through stillness, food, and warming rituals.
Winter descends slowly. The light changes, the earth grows still, and the invitation to slow down becomes undeniable. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), winter is considered the deepest yin time of the year, the yin within yin. It’s a season of stillness, rest, and introspection. But it’s also a season where fear can surface. When everything slows and becomes quiet, we are left to face the unknown, and that can feel unsettling.
Fear and trust share a similar energetic root. Both ask us to surrender to something we can not control. When Kidney energy is depleted, we may feel anxious, fearful, untrusting, not only of the world, but of life itself. Winter challenges us to meet these emotions and to cultivate trust in the unseen, in the process of life unfolding beneath the surface.
Daoist texts speak of winter as the season of returning to the root. ‘To be empty in appearance is to be full in potential.’ This is when we nourish the core, conserve our strength, and listen deeply. It’s a time to honour the invisible growth happening beneath the surface. In the silence, beneath the surface, life is preparing itself.
The Element of Water & The Power of Will
Winter is governed by the Water element in TCM. It is the element of deep reserves, hidden power, and adaptability. Water flows, shapes, carves through rock, but it also pools, becoming still and reflective.
Water governs the Kidneys, considered the root of life. The Kidneys store our Jing, our essence, what we inherit from our parents and the deep reservoir that fuels all other organs. It's not something we can easily replenish, so we protect it, nurture it, guard it wisely.
The emotion associated with Water is fear. When our Kidney energy is weak, we may feel anxious, fearful, or unsettled. When strong, we are grounded in a deep trust for life, ourselves and the unknown.
The Spirit of the Kidneys: Zhi, the Will
Every organ in TCM is said to house a spirit. For the Kidneys, this is the Zhi. The Zhi represents our will, our drive for life, to move forward, to choose life even in the face of adversity. It’s not about pushing or striving. It's the quiet determination to keep going, to honour life, to hold steady.
The Zhi has two aspects: the Yang Zhi, our active will and conscious intention and the Yin Zhi, the subconscious trust in destiny and the unseen flow of life. The Zhi is both the will to act and the will to endure.
The Zhi is a result of effort over time. It’s not something we see the effect of immediately. Like water shaping stone, Zhi transforms us slowly, subtly. It’s the quiet commitment to keep showing up that eventually creates profound change, often only visible in hindsight. Over time, with steady will, the impossible becomes possible.
The Flavour and Nature of Winter (TCM Winter Diet)
Each season in TCM has a flavour. Winter’s is salty, a flavour that draws energy inward, supporting the bones and nourishing the Kidneys. But in excess, salty foods can deplete and harden, so balance is key. Warm broths, mineral-rich soups, black sesame, seaweed, miso, and bone marrow nourish your root energy.
Winter is also associated with the bones, ears, and hair. If your hair feels dry, your joints ache more, or you feel deep fatigue in the lower back or knees, these may be signs that your Kidney energy needs support.
Common Winter Imbalances (Kidney Health in TCM)
Exhaustion, burnout, or adrenal fatigue
Low back pain, knee issues, or weak bones
Anxiety, fear, or restlessness at night
Frequent urination or bladder imbalances
Cold hands and feet or sensitivity to cold
These signs are invitations to slow down, honour rest, and protect your Jing, the foundation of vitality.
Restorative Practices for Winter Balance
1. Honour Rest
Rest is essential during winter. Early nights, slow mornings. Avoid burning the candle at both ends. Deep, nourishing sleep helps preserve Jing.
2. Keep Warm
Focus on warming the lower back and feet, the home of the Kidneys. Try ginger foot soaks before bed, warm socks, and hot water bottles to support your yang energy.
3. Nourish Jing
Cook long and slow: congees, soups, stews. Include black beans, walnuts, chestnuts, seaweed, and dark leafy greens. Avoid raw, cold foods to support digestion and Kidney function.
4. Gentle Movement
Restorative yoga, qigong, or walking in nature help circulate energy without depletion. Move like water, fluid, soft, and steady.
5. Connect with the Stillness
Stillness cultivates the Yin Zhi. Whether through meditation, journaling, or simply sitting quietly, this is a time to listen deeply and reconnect to your inner rhythm.
6. Warmth from Within
Herbal teas with ginger, cinnamon, and goji berries build inner warmth. Practices like castor oil packs or womb steaming are especially supportive in this season for women, particularly for those who run hot during summer but feel depleted in the cold.
In Closing
Winter is a great time to nourish the deepest organs in the body, which in turn nourish Jing, our life force energy. Throughout our life we naturally loose Jing, but with the right nourishment and care, we can preserve and protect it. It is said that we have the potential to exchange Jing for wisdom as we age. Wisdom can be cultivated in times of stillness, and this time of year is perfect for listening.
For more guidance on winter rituals, womb care, and women’s health through the seasons, explore free resources and practices at Moon School, created for woman that want to connect to ritual, learn about preventative health practices and traditional medicine.