Menopause as Second Spring: A Chinese Medicine Perspective on Transformation
In much of the modern world, menopause is often spoken of in hushed tones, framed as decline, loss, or a problem to be managed. It is reduced to a cluster of symptoms — hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, sleep disturbance — something to endure until it passes. But this perspective is not only limiting; it obscures the profound depth of what menopause truly represents.
In the tradition of Chinese Medicine, menopause is known as “Second Spring.” Far from an ending, it is understood as a new beginning — a renewal of energy, a redirection of life force, and an initiation into a new season of being. This reframe is not poetic idealism; it is rooted in both the physiology of the body and the philosophy of Daoism, where cycles of birth, growth, decline, and renewal mirror the eternal rhythms of nature.
The Chinese Medicine View: Kidneys, Jing, and Balance
In Chinese Medicine, the Kidneys are seen as the root of life. They store Jing — Essence — the most precious substance in the body, which governs fertility, development, aging, and vitality. Each stage of a woman’s reproductive life reflects the waxing and waning of Kidney Jing.
At puberty, Jing flourishes → menstruation begins.
In the fertile years, Jing sustains ovulation, cycles, pregnancy.
At menopause, the natural decline of Jing signals the end of fertility.
This decline, however, is not pathology. It is the rhythm of nature — the body redirecting its resources from reproduction toward other dimensions of life. The blood that once nourished the womb each month is now conserved, and its energy can be transformed inwardly into wisdom, spirit, and creativity.
Symptoms of menopause, from a Chinese Medicine perspective, often reflect imbalances of Yin and Yang within the Kidneys:
Kidney Yin deficiency → heat rising unchecked, leading to hot flashes, night sweats, dryness, irritability, insomnia.
Kidney Yang deficiency → cold, fatigue, low libido, depression, weakness in the lower back and knees.
Disharmony between Heart and Kidneys → when Fire (Heart/Shen) and Water (Kidney/Jing) fail to communicate, the result is anxiety, restlessness, emotional instability.
These patterns are not “malfunctions” but reflections of how the body is navigating transition. By recognizing them, we can guide the system back toward balance.
Blood as Transformation
One of the most profound shifts of menopause is the cessation of menstruation. From a biomedical view, this reflects the ovaries ceasing ovulation, the end of the menstrual cycle. But in Chinese Medicine, it carries symbolic and energetic meaning.
Menstrual Blood is sacred. It is not mere waste, but the manifestation of Essence and Qi, the fertile ground of life itself. Throughout the reproductive years, Blood flows outward, creating the possibility of conception and sustaining fertility. At menopause, this outward flow ends — but it does not vanish. Instead, it is transformed.
Blood that once nourished potential new life now nourishes the woman herself. It supports the Heart and Shen (Spirit), deepening wisdom, intuition, and creativity. Menopause is therefore not depletion, but redirection — the energy of creation turned inward, supporting self-cultivation and spiritual flowering.
Modern Knowledge: Hormones and Neurobiology
Western medicine describes menopause as the permanent cessation of menstrual cycles due to the natural decline of ovarian function. Estrogen and progesterone levels decrease, while FSH and LH rise. This hormonal shift explains many symptoms: vasomotor changes (hot flashes), altered sleep, mood swings, and metabolic changes.
Yet even within modern physiology, we find resonance with Chinese Medicine’s view:
Estrogen is protective, nourishing — much like Yin. Its decline explains heat and dryness symptoms.
Progesterone stabilizes mood and calms the nervous system, echoing Yang’s role in containing and supporting Yin.
Adrenal glands play a crucial role post-menopause, taking on part of hormonal regulation — mirroring the idea of Kidney reserves supporting vitality.
Nervous system dysregulation (fight-flight responses, anxiety, insomnia) parallels Heart–Kidney disharmony.
Understanding both views allows us to see menopause not as failure, but as a shift in balance, requiring conscious support.
The Spiritual Dimension: Menopause as Initiation
In Daoist thought, each stage of life is a mirror of natural cycles. Menopause is the autumnal harvest, when the outward expression of fertility gives way to inward cultivation. This is why it is called Second Spring: the body, no longer tied to reproduction, can redirect its energy toward growth of another kind — wisdom, creativity, spiritual practice, leadership.
Psychologically and archetypally, menopause is an initiation into elderhood. It is the passage from Mother to Wise Woman, from nurturer of others to keeper of wisdom for the community. In cultures that honor this transition, menopausal women are revered, not diminished.
This perspective shifts the narrative from loss to empowerment. The end of cycles is also the beginning of a new one. It is not the closing of life, but the opening of depth.
How Healing Happens: Harmonizing Yin and Yang
Healing in menopause does not mean reversing the process — it means supporting the body in finding its new balance.
Replenish Yin: nourish fluids, rest, cool the body, moisten dryness.
Support Yang: strengthen warmth, vitality, movement, digestion.
Harmonize Heart and Kidneys: restore the dialogue between Fire and Water, so the Shen rests and the body feels safe.
Regulate the nervous system: through ritual, breath, movement, and safety practices.
Healing is not about fixing a “broken” system — it is about honoring the transition, creating safety, and supporting the body to adapt with grace.
Practical Guidance: Supporting the Second Spring
Chinese Medicine offers a wealth of support for this passage:
Acupuncture: regulates Yin–Yang balance, calms Shen, nourishes Kidneys.
Herbs:
He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum): nourishes Blood and Kidney Jing.
Bai Shao (White Peony) + Dang Gui: soothe Liver, nourish Blood, calm mood.
Gou Qi Zi (Goji berry): replenishes Yin, brightens the eyes.
Shan Yao (Chinese Yam): strengthens Spleen, stabilizes Qi.
Diet: yin-nourishing and grounding foods — sesame seeds, black beans, bone broth, dark leafy greens, tofu, soy, flax. Warm, cooked meals support digestion.
Lifestyle rituals: protect warmth (avoid cold exposure, raw foods), maintain deep sleep, practice gentle qigong, walking, yoga.
Modern support: therapy, community circles, strength training for bone health, mindfulness for nervous system repair.
These practices are not only symptom relief — they help the body reorient itself in its new rhythm.
Closing: Embracing the Second Spring
Menopause is not an end. It is a beginning — a Second Spring. It is the flowering of a new life stage where energy, once directed outward toward fertility, turns inward toward wisdom, presence, and spirit.
To move through this transition with support, reverence, and care is to reclaim menopause as what it truly is: a sacred initiation into depth, power, and renewal.
Feeling called to book an acupuncture session at my practice? I would love to welcome you. Book your appointment here.
With gratitude,
Juliette Eleonora Zoë Weersink