Fall - The Season of Transition
In our January blog of this year, we discussed Chinese Five Element Medicine and how learning about the Water element associated with Winter can be very beneficial and supportive to one's well-being. In this month's blog, we would like to revisit Chinese Five Element Medicine and introduce you to the Metal element which is associated with the Fall season in which we now find ourselves.
As was stated in the January blog, Winter is the time for rest, restoration and building up reserves. What happens in Autumn is the preparation for this deep reflective time. We can take our cues from the trees as they shed their leaves to prepare for Winter. We too must do our preparation work, that of letting go.
The organ systems associated with the Metal element are the lungs and the large intestine. The job of the large intestine is to remove toxins and that which is no longer needed from our bodies. On the physical level, this means Fall is a good time to do a gentle cleanse or detox to support his system before the cold sets in. It is also a good time to examine what else is not needed in your life anymore. That can mean cleaning out your closets, re-evaluating relationships that are not mutually supportive or eliminating an unhealthy habit. While letting go can feel difficult and bittersweet, it is important to remember that this work is done in order to be able to create the new.
On the physical level, the job of the lungs is to bring in vital oxygen to our bodies. Yet, the lungs and our breathing are also connected to letting go. For instance, Transformational Breathwork is all about moving stuck energy and emotions. Grief, which is the emotion associated with the Metal element is denoted as being held in the lungs. Being outside in the fresh, crisp Autumn air is a wonderful opportunity to spend some time taking a few deep breaths while you also rejoice in the beauty of the Fall leaves. Appreciating beauty is a Metal quality and Nature offers up a beautiful show for this season.
As we transition from the warmth of long Summer days to the cold of Winter, it is important to transition our diets as well. Move to eating more warm food to help keep the body warmer. Autumn is the time for pungent foods, meaning aromatic and spicy.
So feel free to indulge some in those pumpkin spice lattes or fresh from the oven pumpkin pie; as cinnamon, ginger and clove are wonderful spices to support your body while you celebrate the season!
"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the Autumn tree." - Emily Bronte
"Autumn. . . the year's last, loveliest smile." - William Cullen Bryant
"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go." - Unknown
"Autumn passes and one remembers one's reverence." - Yoko Ono
"It is the first day of Autumn. A time of hot chocolatey mornings, and toasty marshmallow evenings, and best of all LEAPING INTO LEAVES!" - Winnie the Pooh