What We’re Loving Right Now: Grounding with the Earth Element in TCM
The Stress of Seasonal Transitions
Let’s be honest: this time of year can feel a little… scattered. One day it’s T-shirt weather, the next you’re digging for a sweatshirt. Closets are in limbo — is it time to swap linen for wool, or do we just live with both for a while? And can someone please remind us if we’re still allowed to wear white?
Meanwhile, modern life has already fast-forwarded. Pumpkin spice lattes hit menus in August, Halloween decorations appear before back-to-school supplies are packed away, and by the time the leaves actually change, Christmas aisles are already taking over.
Nature is gently coaxing us to slow down, savor, and root — while culture is ramping us up into the holidays of the future.
Even if we don’t notice it at first, this push-pull creates stress. If you have kids, it’s the chaos of new schedules, homework, and extracurriculars. Without kids, it’s still that collective hum of transition — the sense that we’re supposed to move faster just when our bodies are craving pause and integration.
No wonder our nervous systems feel scattered.
Finding Balance in the In-Between
So, how do we steady ourselves when the world around us is rushing ahead? This is where Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers timeless wisdom through the Earth element.
The Earth element represents grounding, nourishment, and stability. It shows up during late summer and at every seasonal transition, when nature reminds us to root down, digest, and find our center. In other words: exactly what we need when life feels scattered.
In this post, we’re diving into the Earth element in TCM, exploring how it supports digestion and the nervous system, and sharing the cozy foods, teas, circadian rhythm practices, and small shifts we’re loving right now to stay balanced in this in-between season.
What the Earth Element Represents in TCM
The Earth element is one of the five elements in TCM (alongside Wood, Fire, Metal, and Water). It’s all about nourishment and integration.
Organs: Spleen and stomach
Season: Late summer + all seasonal transitions
Flavor: Naturally sweet (root vegetables, grains, legumes)
Emotion: Worry or overthinking
Tissue: Muscles
Color: Yellow
Symbolically, Earth is the soil that sustains everything else. In our bodies, it governs digestion and how well we transform food into usable energy. In our minds, it influences how steady we feel when the world around us shifts.
When Earth is strong, we feel grounded and calm. When Earth is weak, digestion suffers, sugar cravings spike, and our thoughts spiral.
The Earth Element, the Nervous System, and Circadian Rhythm
The Earth element’s connection to digestion also links it directly to nervous system health. Today we talk about the gut-brain connection, but TCM recognized this thousands of years ago.
When digestion is out of balance, the mind races with worry or overthinking. Conversely, when meals are warm, nourishing, and grounding, the nervous system has the signal it needs to settle.
But digestion is also tied to something bigger: our circadian rhythm.
As the days shorten, many of us feel an unconscious pressure to “fit it all in” before the sun sets. Evening commutes in the dark, after-school activities crammed into tighter windows, and the sense that we’re losing hours in the day can create stress and anxiety. Pair that with screen time and late-night scrolling, and our nervous systems are flooded with mixed signals.
Modern life pulls us out of our natural rhythm — encouraging us to stay up late, work long hours, and overstimulate our brains when nature is actually signaling rest.
Supporting the Earth element during this time means aligning with circadian rhythm as best we can:
Earlier dinners (one-pan sheet meals or crockpot recipes are perfect) make it easier to wind down.
Dimming lights at night and stepping away from screens tell the body it’s time to rest.
Consistent sleep and wake times stabilize energy and digestion alike.
When we honor these rhythms, the nervous system finds calm, digestion improves, and we feel less scattered.
Consciously Reducing Social Media and Screen Time
Another Earth-supporting choice? Reducing the noise.
Seasonal transitions are already stressful, and adding constant social media scrolling only amplifies the anxiety. Our feeds are filled with reminders of what’s coming: holiday prep, lifestyle comparisons, and an endless stream of “shoulds.” No wonder our brains feel overloaded.
Consciously setting limits — especially in the evening — is one of the simplest ways to calm the nervous system. Logging off an hour before bed, replacing screen time with a book or calming tea, and giving yourself permission to not consume every update is a modern form of Earth nourishment.
Think of it as digestion for the mind: less input, more space to integrate.
Grounding Foods for Earth Season
One of the simplest ways to support the Earth element is through food. Think warm, cooked meals that are naturally sweet, simple, and easy to digest.
Here’s what we’ve been loving:
Sweet Potato Curry (Half Baked Harvest): Spiced, cozy, and grounding.
Beet Recipes (Love and Lemons): Beets nourish the blood and balance digestion — plus, they’re versatile and colorful.
Simple Baked Sweet Potato + Lentils: Our weekday hero. Split open a sweet potato, stuff it with precooked lentils, and top with butter or chimichurri. Quick, grounding, and satisfying.
Other staples: Squash, carrots, millet, rice, dates, and oats — all classic Earth foods that stabilize digestion and energy.
We’ve also been leaning on ethical meat and seafood delivery services to keep protein-rich, nutrient-dense options on hand without the overwhelm of weekly shopping. It makes nourishing meals so much easier to pull together.
Herbal Allies for the Earth Element and Nervous System
Herbs and teas add another layer of calm and grounding to Earth season. These rituals have become our favorite way to signal to the nervous system: we’re safe, we can slow down.
Roots & Bones Rose Reishi Cocoa: Grounding, heart-opening, and perfect for winding down in the evening.
Tulsi + Milky Oats Teas: Tulsi helps the body adapt to stress, while milky oats nourish frazzled nerves. Together, they’re like a restorative exhale.
If you’re curious about other herbal allies, check out our post on herbal wellness favorites, where we explore teas and adaptogens for everyday calm.
Everyday Practices That Strengthen the Earth Element
Beyond food and herbs, the Earth element thrives on steadiness and rhythm. A few practices we’ve found especially grounding during seasonal transitions:
Eating meals at consistent times
Sitting down to eat without multitasking
Evening walks to aid digestion and signal rest
Journaling to “digest” thoughts and quiet overthinking
Gentle movement like yoga, stretching, or tai chi when energy dips
Honoring circadian rhythm with earlier dinners, dimming lights, and consistent sleep
These small shifts don’t have to be perfect. They’re simply ways to remind your body: here’s our center, here’s our rhythm, even when the world feels scattered.
Why We’re Loving Earth Season Right Now
After a season of exploring ways to support the nervous system, it feels fitting to land here — with Earth, the element of nourishment.
Earth season reminds us that wellness doesn’t have to mean adding more. Often, it’s about returning to center with small grounding choices: cozy bowls of curry, simple baked sweet potatoes, a social media break, or laughing at the absurdity of pumpkin spice season arriving in August.
It also ties together so many of the themes we’ve shared recently:
Cycle-smart nutrition for balanced hormones
Herbal teas and adaptogens that soothe stress
Sustainable product choices that simplify life
Ethical food sourcing that keeps nourishing staples on hand
Earth season is what holds it all together.
FAQ: The Earth Element in TCM
Is the Earth element only relevant in late summer?
While late summer is its peak, Earth is also the “transition” element. You can lean on Earth practices anytime you’re moving between seasons or navigating big life changes.
What’s the easiest way to support the Earth element daily?
Stick to warm, cooked meals, create simple routines, limit social media, and add grounding herbs like tulsi or reishi.
How do I know if my Earth element is out of balance?
Signs include bloating, sugar cravings, fatigue, or looping worry. Supporting digestion, honoring circadian rhythm, and calming the nervous system often help restore balance.
Final Thoughts
The truth is, we can’t control cultural timelines or the speed of seasonal transitions. But we can root ourselves in the wisdom of the Earth element: slowing down, nourishing well, and creating rhythms that honor both body and season.
This time of year, that means earlier dinners, screen-free evenings, simple sheet pan meals, cozy teas, and practices that bring us back to our natural circadian rhythm.
When we follow Earth’s lead, scattered transitions become an invitation to ground, digest, and return to center.
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