Dong Cang : L'art de préserver son énergie en hiver

What if winter was not a season to endure... but one to embrace?

Fatigue, dryness, imbalance… Autumn puts the body to the test: Drier and more irritating air, unstable temperatures, an increased need for hydration and drainage, less energy and greater emotional fluctuations. So many reasons to adopt simple rituals to preserve vitality, comfort and balance throughout the season.

Discover the winter rituals

You may still be living “as if it were summer”: late nights, constant stimulation, stress, overheating. Yet your body is clearly signaling the need to slow down.

Signs that your body is calling for Dong Cang

Stronger fatigue as soon as the cold arrives
Less restorative sleep despite longer nights
Increased sensitivity to cold, especially the back and feet
Lower mood due to lack of light
Weaker immunity during winter
Sensation of constantly drawing on your reserves

These signals are not a fatality. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, your body is simply asking you to enter a state of preservation.

The Kidney: guardian of deep vitality in winter

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, winter is associated with the Kidney, the organ that safeguards our deepest vitality. It protects the Jing (精): a reserve of essential energy that helps us remain strong, balanced, and resilient when temperatures drop.

When Kidney energy is weakened in winter:

The body draws from its deep reserves
Resistance to cold decreases
Vital energy becomes depleted more quickly

Practicing Dong Cang helps support the Kidney, preserve this essential energy, and move through winter with balance.

5 winter rituals to practice Dong Cang

1. Sleep with the natural light

Go to bed early, wake up gently. In winter, the body tires more easily and needs deeper rest. Allowing yourself to wake with the returning light helps the body regenerate without draining its reserves.

Recommended ritual:

A cup of warming herbal tea before bed: gentle heat, reactivated circulation, restful sleep.

2. Create a warm cocoon

Protect sensitive areas from the cold: lower back, abdomen, feet. A warm layer, a hot-water bottle… or a revitalizing herbal foot bath invites relaxation and awakens internal warmth.

A simple ritual combining warmth, circulation, and recentring — the essence of Dong Cang.

Learn more ›

3. Nourish through warmth

Winter is the season of slow cooking: soups, broths, winter vegetables, warm grains. In contrast, raw foods and iced drinks disperse the warmth we rely on.

Winter allies in TCM:

Mushroom Trio Porridge: warming and supporting natural defenses
Ginseng (Ren Shen): strengthens Qi and reduces fatigue
Astragalus (Huang Qi): tonifies energy and supports immunity
Jujube and Goji berries: nourishing and comforting

Et si la douceur hivernale se trouvait dans un bol de gruau ?

Santé et bien être - 12/2/2025

En Chine, il y a un geste presque instinctif lorsque les températures chutent : se préparer un bol de gruau chaud (粥, zhōu). Un bol fumant, presque blanc, d’une douceur incroyable. Pas épicé, pas lourd, juste… réconfortant. Pour beaucoup de familles chinoises, ce n’est pas qu’un repas : c’est un rituel d’hiver, un réflexe de soin, un moment de calme avant de commencer la journée. Et derrière ce geste tout simple se cache une idée précieuse : quand il fait froid, le corps a besoin de chaleur douce, de simplicité et de nourriture qui apaise plutôt qu’elle ne surcharge.

4. Move less, move better

Winter doesn’t call for performance, but for movements that warm without exhausting. Gentle walking, light stretching, soft yoga — movements that warm, soothe, and nourish.

The idea is not to go farther, but to go slower.

5. Lighten the mind

In winter, the mind tires more quickly. Reducing stimulation, slowing digital flow, giving yourself true pauses — soft light, calm breath, warm infusion — helps the mind turn inward.

A clear mind consumes less energy, but above all: it creates space for what winter does best — recentring, gathering, clarifying.