Before the hustle and bustle of fall arrives, nature offers us a quiet pause. Discover the wisdom of the 5th Season and learn how to replenish your reserves through seasonal foods, simple rituals, and the gentle rhythms of late summer.
In one of my favorite books, Healing with Whole Foods, Paul Pitchford has a concept called 'the 5th season.' It is described as the still point between the "expansive growth phases of spring and summer and the inward, cooler, more mysterious fall and winter seasons."
I see it as having January vibes, (but in the summer). A time of quietness and stillness before the busyness of fall, and marathon of the holidays. It is a season of pause before a significant transition.
It is a time when you see less berries and more melons at the farmers markets. Right now you are seeing things that are juicy, like peaches, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
The heat of the summer is shifting from intense humidity to progressively more dry, as seen by the grass getting crunchier, and the ground getting harder. Not long ago it looked foggy here in Maryland from the smoke of the Canadian wildfires. Hot and dry. Blow a little smoke on them and watch them roar and spread. Impacting hundreds of miles.
Some indicators of this would be extra redness or cracking in the tongue (tho cracking can also be dehydration), irritation like heartburn, burning diarrhea, or temper flairs. Compound this with an irregular schedule of meals and activities, and you just might be feeling like tinder ready to ignite.
Have you ever heard the saying? "The ground freezes twice a year, once in the winter and once in the summer."
This is a time to drink some coconut water or a comforting peach tea and replenish ourselves. This is how nature bring us into balance. The atmosphere has been hot and you've been perspiring. It provides the foods that rebuild just what you need at the right times.
And so if your personal constitution is similar to the weather conditions, then you might have more symptoms, but if you lean towards the opposite side of the scale then that season might bring you relief.
If you want to find our which season you are most closely resemble, take my quiz.
I'm curious to know your thoughts on "the 5th Season." Is this something you can relate to?
Soon enough, Autumn will ask us to become more intentional with our time, our routines, and our energy. But before that season arrives, we're given this quiet window to refill what the past few months have been asking us to spend.
Putting it into practice
If this idea of Late Summer resonates with you, I'd love to help you experience it, not just read about it.
✨ Join me for Replenish, this month's Community Reiki Circle, where we'll explore the gentle practice of Whole Body Breathing, receive Reiki, and move through a seasonal ritual designed to help restore your reserves before the rhythm of fall begins.
Can't make it live?
The meditation and ritual will become part of the Reiki Meditation Library, where you can choose from a growing collection of seasonal experiences like Cleanse & Clear, Nourish, Illuminate, Soothe, and now Replenish. Whether it's August or the middle of winter, you'll have a supportive practice waiting for you whenever you need it.
You can also explore the Replenish Ritual Collection, which pairs beautifully with this month's meditation and is designed to bring a little more harmony to this seasonal transition.