The Essence of Autumn & Your Menstrual Cycle
Welcome to Autumn
Autumn reminds us that rest is sacred in order to reorganize, integrate, and harvest what is essential. It is a time of slowing down and processing all the events from the Yang seasons of Spring and Summer. As the leaves begin to fall, nature teaches us how to release what no longer serves. The fallen leaves create a fertile ground for growth. They are composted and integrated back into the earth to enrich the soil. Cleansing what no longer serves us is a way to embrace Fall’s energy and teachings. A moment for our bodies to harvest and gather energy for the upcoming months of deep Yin hibernation and reservation. The autumn season is a time to clear excess yang from the body through rest and silence, and as the temperatures drop, the body starts to warm against the cold.
This season makes us think about squirrels when the attention that previously flowed outward turns inward in preparation for winter. Squirrels, just like us, plan, forage and gather resources for Winter.
Seasonal Harmonization for Autumn
It is said that Autumn is the "time of the setting sun". In Chinese Medicine, the west is associated with the Metal phase and the Autumn season. We celebrated the apex of Yang during Summer Solstice. But after that, the earth begins the slow transition towards the cold of Winter. Therefore, Autumn is the first season that is designated Yin as it's just the beginning of Yin movement in the natural world and not quite yet the culmination.
“Spring gives birth, Summer grows, Autumn harvests, and Winter stores.”
- Huang Di Nei Jing
Transitioning to the yin seasons requires some lifestyle changes. Shifting natural light patterns can be an opportunity to restore your circadian rhythms. To reserve energy, your body requires more rest than during the Yang seasons of Spring and Summer. It's desirable to sleep early and get up early. Since Autumn brings colder and drier weather, one of the basic methods of staying healthy during Autumn is to gently moisten the Lungs and the body surface, including the sinuses and throat mucous membranes.
Autumn is the season when everything is in a state of inward contraction and compression. There’s a gentle letting go and pruning back so that we can nourish our root systems. Some plants hibernate and some die off. The weather becomes cooler and drier. Metal represents dryness and the color white. In the body, the Metal organs are the Lung and Large Intestines. By extension, Metal also represents the skin and hair, the nose, and the sense of smell. Tonics and body care preparations with Aloe or Coconut oil are great for moisturizing the skin. Remember to drink plenty of water to keep your whole body hydrated.
Autumn is also a great season for letting go by donating things you no longer use. Declutter, clean spaces, and get rid of all the unnecessary things you have in your life. Metal craves quality over quantity. It loves clarity. Metal urges us to examine and prioritize what truly brings us joy. Beyond our physical spaces, this season also reminds us to clear ourselves mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.
Qualities of the Metal Element
Strength, Independence, Focus & Clarity
Metal is all about organization and order. It teaches us how to communicate better by setting limits and protecting our boundaries. Metal is also an element that can guide us in the journey of letting go of our attachments. We start to eliminate all that is unnecessary and extraneous. It gives us an invitation to be more deliberate and intentional with our words, thoughts, and actions.
Our spiritual growth depends on the inner concentration and mental clarity that the Metal element provides. Through careful contemplation and reflection, our composure and integrity build a backbone. We are more sure of ourselves and embody clarity within.
We are powerfully drawn to the emotion of grief and sadness during this season. With our adaptive and clear insight, we can hold space for the grief and allow it to flow and process.
Pre-menstruation & Perimenopause
Did you know that we can map the Menstrual cycle and Life cycles along the 5 Phases - Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal & Water? This is one of many ways to feel how intimately connected you are to the world around you. This same cosmological sequence catalogs all the stages of growth and waning inherent in all life & creative processes. The Metal element and the Autumn season represent the Pre-menstruation phase of your Menstrual Cycle and also your Perimenopausal years.
Premenstrual Phase
After ovulation and before menstruation we experience our Premenstrual Phase. This is a time of inner autumn and alchemy, we go inward just like the waning moon and setting of the sun. We slow down and embody the Artist archetype. We can more easily connect to our bodies and intuition, we feel more deeply, and we are more honest with where we are. Pre-menstruation is a powerful phase of self-observation that shapes the wisdom to come during our inner winter, death, and bleeding Period phase. During our menstruating years, pre-menstruation prepares us for our perimenopausal years.
Perimenopause: Our Metal Years
Perimenopause is a highly misunderstood life cycle that's actually full of treasures. As we move from our earthy reproductive years onto the path of eldership, we harness the Metal energy accorded to this phase. Metal asks many things of us. It seeks clarity. So, we must embark on the journey within ourselves where the treasures reside.
In Chinese Medicine, we cycle in years of seven. This means that there is a great shift in the wheel of our development about every seven years. Each shift is a gateway where we have the opportunity to enhance or harm our health. At our 5th cycle (5x7), around age 35, the allocation of our qi + blood (hormones) changes. We go into our Autumn years where we take the lessons from nature in order to nurture longevity. We draw more inward, get clear on what brings us joy and prioritize them. We ask ourselves what needs letting go. We lighten our load and only bring forward the things that truly nourish us.
You can check our E-Course Alchemy of Perimenopause to deeply explore this rite of passage and embody the magical aspects of this time of your life.
Allowing Ourselves to Grieve
As mentioned above, the Lungs are the organs associated with sadness and grief. A sudden change in our lives can cause stagnant emotions when we fight against or repress them. On the same note, reflecting on the passing of time can also bring feelings of anguish. When we look at nature in Autumn, we see the trees shed their leaves, honoring the death and rebirth cycle. This is the way of the womb and cyclical beings. The process of letting go naturally leads to grief. Aligning with the energy of Autumn, we can learn and practice the art of letting go of what is no longer needed in our life. Set aside sometime during this season, your pre-menstruation phase, and during your Metal perimenopausal years to reflect on what needs to be released and laid to rest. Forage the tools you need to help yourself and when the winter season comes, you can honor their deaths.
Grief is an emotion that we experience both individually and collectively. Engaging with it and allowing it to teach us will give us a beautiful understanding of acceptance and resilience. In order to be healthy, we need a healthy flow of our qi, bodily fluids, and emotions. Unprocessed emotions can lead to stagnation. Processing grief is a way of digesting and metabolizing our emotions. Grief and sadness are often felt in the chest, specifically in the Lungs, Heart, and Liver organs. Breathwork is a really great resource we can use in moments of intensity or emotional fog.
The emotions can also manifest as menstrual symptoms. Stagnant qi can lead to pre-menstrual tension. Intense and unprocessed emotions can also consume our energy which will affect the flow of our blood. Sometimes it can stop completely and other times the flow is heavier. We are more stress sensitive during our pre-menstruation phase and perimenopausal years. This is due to the relative ratio between estrogen and progesterone. You can learn more about this Yin and Yang of Hormones in our free webinar.
Grief is also a teacher of compassion. This is an important reminder to be kind to ourselves and to allow our emotions to be known and experienced. Tending to the parts of us that are hurt is very important. We can also look for healthy ways of expressing and coping with grief like through art, physical activity, journaling, going out for walks, traveling, or eating our favorite foods.
Sleep is such an important aspect of managing Grief. Autumn brings changes in natural light patterns which can be an opportunity to restore our circadian rhythms. When we are well rested, our body functions are optimized. Yin yoga is recommended to find calmness during restless nights. If you find yourself struggling to sleep, you can also try stretching and meditating to promote relaxation. We have a Free E-Course on Heart Health and Emotional Alchemy that can help you understand your emotional health.
Love,
Sam and Kris ~ The Way of Yin Team
