Autumn Equinox & Chinese Medicine

Autumn Equinox blessings. The seasons are shifting. Can you feel it in the air? You may notice ripe fruits dropping. Leaves are starting to change their color. Nights are cooler. And maybe your energy is slowly working itself more inward. We are moving from the yang seasons into the Yin half of the year. Autumn is known as “yang within yin” and reflects the last burst of yang energy before the full yin of winter. 

In nature, this last burst of yang shows itself in the changing colors of the leaves and plants. Bright yellows, reds, and oranges will drape the landscape just before the trees and plants shed their leaves and draw in their sap and energy to store over winter. We are also energetically bound to this cyclic rhythm. We gather our harvest and abundance, reserve our energy, draw inwards and rest more during this transition into the yin seasons of autumn and winter. 

Autumn’s theme is about reflection, taking stock, letting go of the things that don’t serve us, grieving and distilling any pearls of wisdom from our lived experiences. It’s a great opportunity to reexamine our priorities and values. 

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Autumn and The Metal Element

"The metal element, from rough ore to sparkling gemstones, symbolizes the process of refinement and its resulting products. In this season, it’s time to make sure everything pure and necessary is used and maximized, and that anything unnecessary or wasteful is eliminated." 

 - Karen Olson

Autumn corresponds to the Metal element. Imagine the alchemy that the earth undergoes to create precious stones, gems and metals like gold and silver. Metal is about quality versus quantity. This season is all about refinement and reduction in order to pursue our pure essence. Metal, like a sword cuts through, separates and helps us to eliminate what we no longer need. We dispense the impure; the waste and keep only what we hold in value where it's refined, retained and stored like reserves for later use. We mimic nature when "the life-force of every plant withdraws from its leaves and branches to collect in the roots; nutrients stored underground." Gail Reichstein, author of Wood Becomes Water

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The Metal Organs: Lungs & Large Intestine

The energy of the Metal element reflects in the function and physiology of the Lungs and Large Intestine. These organs take in, refine and then let go. The lungs are known as “the official who receives the pure qi from the heavens.” Our lungs and by extension our skin, serves as our first line of defense for our immune system. There is a protective boundary called wei qi that our lungs assist in keeping integral. With each breath, we breathe in life. Each breath is filtered. Wastes are let go and the essence is distilled and transported through the body. It’s quite magical, isn’t it?

The Large Intestine is known as the “great eliminator”. It’s main job is to absorb water, gather the last few nutrients that the small intestine missed, and then eliminate what is not usable. Eliminating wastes from the body ensures we are not recycling toxins and traumas. The Large Intestines teach us about letting go, not only physically but also emotionally and spiritually.

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Inner Autumn: Premenstrual Luteal Phase

Visit our blog Embodied Menstruation to learn how to see your menstrual cycle as inner seasons.

Your premenstrual phase, also known as the luteal phase is like your inner autumn. This is the bridge between your ovulation (inner summer) and bleeding period phase (inner winter). There’s a shift after ovulation where progesterone becomes the dominant hormone that communicates a sense of calm, inward reflection and body tending. The natural contraction of bringing that energy full circle and inward can create some tension and this can be seen or experienced as “PMS” type symptoms. This is actually an expression of heightened intuition, emotional sensitivity and recognition of your own boundaries and limitations.

We have all been accustomed to ignoring our body’s signals and so we push forward and too hard at times. We are praised for our productiveness and activity and we view rest as a luxury instead of a basic human need. What the cycles of the seasons teaches us is that all living things need a time for rest and restoration. In order to sustain life, we must be active then rest so that we can be active again. Our inner autumn/premenstrual phase can teach us to gradually slow down, return to our priorities, draw our energy inward and take care of our bodies before our bleeding phase where our hormones are at an all time low. You can learn more about your inner seasons in my self study e-course Menstrual Attunement. Click here to learn more.  

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TCM Self Care for Fall

Learning to Let Go

As nature begins to let go of the things it doesn’t need for the hibernation of winter, we should reflect and do the same. Take a look into your cabinets, closets, & rooms and start to declutter your environment. How can you simplify your days in order to reserve your energy stores for the upcoming rest of the winter season? What is consuming your energy and is that where you want your energy? What needs letting go? Ask yourself what is important to you, what “sparks joy” as Marie Kondo would say. 

Eat Seasonally 

The season of letting go can be supported by our diets to physically clear the unwanted waste in our bodies. It is the time of year when you should eat for your immune system and help support your lung function and detoxification through the large intestine. Gradually make the change and from too many cold and raw foods to more cooked, warmed foods such as soups, stews and porridges. Stock your cabinets with the warm pungent herbs and spices such as ginger, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, horseradish and cardamom. Fermented foods during the yin seasons helps to keep the body warm, strengthen digestion and boosts your immune system. 

Autumn is generally a drier season, so be sure to enjoy moist foods and herbs such as pears, squash, aloe vera, licorice, marshmallow root, slippery elm, solomon’s seal, oatstraw, seaweed, sweet potatoes, fish and oysters. 

To learn more about how to optimize your health by being in time with nature, head over to our blog post on The Art of Living Seasonally.

Practice Deeper Breathing

Who doesn’t love breathing in the crisp, cool, autumn air? Start to gradually wake earlier in the mornings. Maybe go for a walk and focus on your breath. Or, if it’s too cold outside, start your days with some intentional breathing either with a simple meditation practice or a short yoga stretching routine with a focus on circulating your breath. Taking time to practice taking deeper breaths will help strengthen your lungs and support your immune system through the yin half of the year. 

If you’d like to learn how to use your breath with sounds to help move energy, head over to our Six Healing Sounds blog post.