Living with the Seasons

Adjusting rest by the season is best stated by Hexagram 17 of the Yi Jing (I Ching). 

Hexagram 17 - Following

Thunder below the surface ot the Lake. 
Thus the Superior Person at nightfall goes indoors and rests.

Additionally, Hexagram 24 of the Yi Jing (I Ching) talks about the winter solstice and what activities should be done then.

Hexegram 24 - Return

Thunder inside Earth symbolizes return.
Thus did ancient kings shut the gates on the winter solstice; caravans did not travel, and the ruler did not inspect the provinces. 

Lunar Calendar

I highly recommend that one either create and use a lunar calendar or use a calendar that have more specific lunar days than just the notation of the full and new moons..  The moon plays a large part in the biology of the living species on earth.  While women have known of this influence due to their menstrual cycle, men are influenced as well.   I spent two years living by a lunar calendar alone and noticed that there was a relationship to how I felt and the phases of the moon.  The  period three days after the moon was always a day of changes.  I found that heatlh and the days of the week and week of the month had a greater relationship. 

The Daoists use the lunar calendar for marking Fasting days.  In Daoism, Fasting is not the complete abstinence of food as this would violate a tenet of Chinese Medicine.  Instead they avoided meat and animal products on those days.  The best diet for a time like this is the Late Summer season diet.  A better description of the Daoist Diet is descrived in A Taoist Cookbook by Michael Saso  
 

1   -  New Moon

8   - Second Quarter

14 - Full Moon

15 

18 - Three Days after Full Moon

23 - Third Quarter

24 

28 - Approach of New Moon 

29

30 - Every other Lunar Month

 

Seasons

The seasons in Chinese culture and medicine are dated differently from the Western use of the Solstices and Equinoxes.  These dates better describe the major change that occurs in the weather. 
 

Spring    - Feb. 3 to May 5

Summer - May 6 to Aug. 7

Autumn  - Aug. 8 to Nov. 7

Winter   - Nov. 8 to Feb. 2 

Solar Fortnights - 24 Seasons

The Solar Fortnights are two week intervals which describe the type of season or activity occurring during that time of year. 
 

Beginning of Spring	Feb. 3
Constant Rain	Feb. 19
Awakening the Insects	Mar. 6
Spring Equinox	Mar. 21
Tomb Sweeping	Apr. 5
Rain Shower	Apr. 20
Beginning of Summer	May 6
Small Harvest	May 21
Sowing of Seed	Jun. 6
Summer Solstice	Jun. 22
Minor Heat	Jul. 7
Great Heat	Jul. 23
Beginning of Autumn	Aug. 8
End of Heat	Aug. 23
White Dew	Sept. 8
Autumn Equinox	Sept. 23
Cold Dew	Oct. 9
First Frost	Oct. 24
Beginning of Winter	Nov. 8
Minor Snow	Nov. 23
Great Snow	Dec. 7
Winter Solstice	Dec. 22
Minor Cold	Jan. 6
Great Cold	Jan .21

 
 

Reading List In Association with Amazom.Com

 

A Taoist Cookbook by Michael Saso		Straightforward recipes.  The stories and Daoist information is really what makes this book special.
Practical Use of the Chinese Almanac by Edgar Sung		This book is a simple collection of many of the time related systems in Chinese culture.  In addition to the 24 seasons, it has information on the lunar calendar, the Stems and Branches, the Chinese Zodiac and many other systems of time.  Additionally, each year, the company publishes an almanac based on the current Year.  For example, 1999 is the Year of the Rabbit.  Get this guide and the yearly book.  Published by MJE Publishing, 25788 Noriega St. #203, San Francisco, CA 94122 - (415) 681-1182.