For a limited time, a one-and-a-half-hour first appointment can be booked with acupuncturist Kate Mansfield, LAc, at Relax, in the West Village, for the same price as a regular, one-hour treatment. This special will run from August 18 to 26 to align with nature’s late summer season.\

In the five element acupuncture system that Mansfield practices, the elements in nature’s seasonal cycle are observed (fall = metal, winter = water, spring = wood, summer = fire). “In the same way that nature supports balance through the cycle of the seasons, it can support our own health and wellness when we pay attention,” says Mansfield. 

Late Summer is an extra season and corresponds with the earth element that is also present between each season because it represents a period of transition. People often come for acupuncture to help adjust during the transition between seasons.

Late summer represents a longer transition period between the fire element of summer and the metal element of fall. This is a time to address and take care of our needs, a time to receive and reestablish balance within ourselves. If we feel depleted, we will need to restock our personal cupboard so that we have enough reserves to sustain us through fall and winter, much like the way a farmer gathers the harvest from his crops.

Ideally, we feel nourished by the ‘fruits’ of our summer and able to digest and transform our experiences in a healthy way. Come fall, the metal element takes over, and, like nature, we get to let go of anything that is no longer serves us, retaining only the essence or gems. Letting go enables us to feel inspired again.

Cost: $120. Location: 716 Greenwich St. (between Charles St. and W 11th St.), the West Village, NY. For more information, call 929-277-0760, email [email protected] or visit KateMansfieldAcupuncture.com.