About The Series

This two-hour workshop is part of a five-session series marking the turning of each season through the lens of Chinese medicine and Daoist philosophy. Each gathering weaves together teaching, qigong movement, journaling, and guided meditation.

Summer belongs to the Fire element — the season of the Heart, of connection, joy, and the quality of presence we bring to our relationships. In Chinese medicine, summer is when yang energy peaks. The Heart is considered the sovereign organ, the seat of consciousness and spirit (shen). When Fire is balanced, we experience genuine warmth, clarity, and the capacity for intimacy. When it's dysregulated — in excess or deficiency — we see anxiety, disconnection, or the compulsive pursuit of stimulation.

Session

In this session, participants will explore:

• The Five Element framework and summer's place within it
• Heart and shen: what it means to live from the Heart-mind
• The relationship between joy and sorrow in the Fire tradition
• Qigong movement practices for the Heart meridian
• Guided reflection and journaling on inner narrative and presence
• Seasonal recommendations for food, sleep, and daily rhythm

This workshop is accessible to anyone curious about their own nature and the rhythms of the natural world. No background in Chinese medicine required.

Cost

$40

About Your Facilitator

Christopher Miller, L.Ac. has practiced acupuncture and Daoist medicine in Portland since 2012, with a focus on Alchemical Acupuncture. He practices at in Portland's Pearl District, integrating Medical Qigong, bodywork, and rites of passage work into his clinical and teaching practice. He holds a Master's in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches University with additional clinical training in Canada and China, and has been teaching Daoist wisdom workshops since 2018.

About The Lantern

The Lantern is a new nonprofit organization born from the belief that no one should have to grieve alone. We are on a mission to embrace and illuminate the full human experience by holding supportive space for life's joys and sorrows, nourishing deep connections, expanding access to grief and healing, advancing grief literacy across sectors, and reawakening our capacity to grieve and love. You can find us here: www.thelanternpdx.org