Spring, the Wood Element, and the Wisdom of the Tree
Spring has arrived here in Australia. The mornings are brighter, the days feel a little lighter, and blossoms are starting to appear. After the stillness of winter, it feels like everything around us is slowly waking up again.
In Chinese Medicine, spring is connected to the Wood element. Wood carries the energy of vision, purpose, growth, flexibility, resilience, and creativity. After a season of rest and storing energy, Wood rises upward and outward, like fresh shoots breaking through the soil or trees stretching toward the sun. It’s a season that calls us to stretch, to imagine what’s possible, and to begin again with fresh energy.
Spring invites us to think about new beginnings, to set intentions, and to take those first steps forward. It’s not about having the whole plan figured out — it’s about noticing where you feel ready to grow and giving yourself permission to begin again.
Why the Tree is the Perfect Symbol
A tree carries the essence of the Wood element in every part of its being. The tree is the perfect mirror for the Wood element because it embodies growth, adaptability, purpose, and resilience. It reminds us that to truly expand outward, we must first be rooted within.
Roots reach deep into the earth, holding the tree steady through storms and quietly storing the nourishment it needs to thrive. The roots remind us that growth requires a solid foundation — we bend without breaking when we are grounded.
The trunk rises strong and steady, yet it is not rigid. It sways with the wind, showing us that strength and flexibility can coexist. Each ring in its trunk is a reminder of living intentionally and with purpose, of moving through life’s seasons with clarity even when the path ahead is uncertain.
Branches and canopy stretch upward and outward, always reaching for the light. They embody diversity and creativity — growing in many directions, always adapting. A tree does not hold back; it expands toward its highest potential, and in doing so, it shares generously. Blossoms, fruits, oxygen, shade — the canopy is its offering to the world. In the same way, Wood energy inspires us to be visionary and creative, to follow our natural direction, and to share what we’ve cultivated within.
Seasonal renewal is perhaps its greatest teaching. Each year, it moves through cycles of growth, letting go, rest, and renewal. After letting go of what it no longer needs in autumn and resting through winter, the tree blooms again in spring. The tree shows us that beginnings are never separate from endings. Growth requires release.
When we look at the tree as a symbol, we see the heart of the Wood element:
Vision — growing upward and outward toward the light
Purpose — following its natural direction
Resilience — standing strong through storms
Flexibility — swaying without breaking
Creativity — blossoming into new forms each spring
My Own New Beginning
This spring feels especially alive for me because I’m stepping more fully into a new chapter of my life. After years of working in the corporate world, I’ve made the decision to let that part of my journey go. It wasn’t an easy choice. My corporate job gave me stability, almost like the roots that anchored me. It gave me experiences I’ll always be grateful for, and it helped me build a solid foundation here in Australia.
But just like a tree, there comes a time when the energy shifts upward and outward. My branches were ready to reach further into the work that has been unfolding for me over the past year — guiding others through breathwork, embodiment, and practices that reconnect us back to the body and to nature.
Over winter, I also began training in Zenthai Shiatsu, which opened me to the wisdom of Chinese Medicine and the Five Elements — a whole new way of seeing the body, emotions, and nature as deeply connected. By the end of spring I’ll complete my formal training, and in many ways it feels like its own seasonal cycle: beginning in winter’s stillness, growing with spring’s energy, and now gradually coming to life. I’m already weaving these teachings into my practice, and I can’t wait to continue sharing them more fully as they unfold.
This journey has given me a new perspective that feels so aligned with the work I love. It’s where my creativity, vision, and sense of purpose come alive. So just like the trees blossoming into spring, I’m continuing to grow — tender, fresh, and still finding my rhythm, but rooted enough to trust this next stage and resilient enough to keep reaching toward the light.
The Invitation of Spring
Spring carries an invitation for all of us.
To root ourselves deeply, while staying flexible with life’s winds.
To trust in our resilience, knowing we can weather storms and still keep growing.
To follow our vision and grow upward and outward with intention.
To honor that every ending makes space for a beginning.
The Wood element reminds us that growth is not about forcing or striving — it’s about following the same natural rhythm we see in the trees.
This season, I’m asking myself: What new seeds am I planting? How can I stay rooted while reaching for the light?
And maybe these questions are here for you too. If you’d like to reflect, here are a few gentle prompts:
✨ What new beginning is calling me this spring?
✨ Where do I feel most rooted right now, and where am I being invited to grow?
✨ How can I bring more flexibility and creativity into the way I move through change?
Spring reminds us that we don’t have to have it all figured out. We just need to notice where we’re ready to take that first step, trust our resilience, and allow ourselves to grow.