"Minor Heat and Great Heat, steam above and boil below."

Only now do we grasp the weight of these words.

The air hangs thick and unmoving.

Cicadas shriek with hoarse desperation.

Asphalt roads go soft underfoot.

Each breath sears the lungs.

Sun-Drying in Great Heat

In this season, people bring out old ginger,

hand it to to the fiercest sun, borrowing heaven and earth's "blazing fire",

to temper its "pungency" and "vigor",

forging an even deeper potency.

The process is slow, quiet,

yet full of power.

Much like life itself—

certain things

require the ultimate "heat" and "exposure"

to settle into their true substance,

shedding superficiality, and revealing inner strength.

Sweating in Great Heat

The cool air of an air-conditioned room is comfortable,

but the body remembers the rhythm of the seasons.

Without sweating, it slowly forgets how to breathe.

Step outside, and let sunlight "press against your spine".

Sweat emerges, then stale energy slips away.

"Exhausted, I no longer feel the heat, only treasuring summer's lingering light."

When drenched in sweat, focus brings its own coolness.

This steamer-like weather

is a sacred space the universe has set up for us.

Why not learn to move with its rhythm?

If it shines, let it shine through thoroughly.

If it's hot, let the heat be.

If sweat comes, let it flow freely.

Like the ancients sun-drying ginger or brewing summer tea,

we can harness the heat to dispel chill and dampness.

Staying calm inside the swelter

is also a form of spiritual practice.

Today, Great Heat arrives.

May you:

Bask thoroughly under the sun.

Sweat freely and fully.

And in this midsummer furnace,

forge a heart that knows when to compromise,

accept imperfection,

and move in harmony with changing seasons with a mind at ease.