Fall- A welcomed shedding for the Artist (Metal element)
Autumn bringing release
When the end of August rolls around with a few months of constant heat and summer activity, the fall season is a welcomed shift. I hear the statement, "it is my favorite," from many. As the weather cools, it provides the world with the invitation to slow down and receive the summer's labor with a bounty of fruit and vegetables. There is a sensation of "shedding" in autumn, a shedding of the summer clothes from the season before, reorganizing unused spaces in the home, and a need for a detox from the summer parties, drinking, and BBQ's. Summer brings out the extrovert in us: the planning, traveling, and social gatherings. When the leaves on the trees begin to change, it asks us to "let go and indulge in the beauty." Fall inspires the senses, the crisp air on our skin, the smell of burning wood in the evening, the taste of cinnamon and pumpkin, and the sight of brilliant colors gold, orange, and reds.
Autumn and Chinese Medicine
The fall energy allows the Earth and all its inhabitants to exhale a sigh of relief, a big Ahhhhh. The cooling, cozy nourishment is what all plants, animals, and human spirits need. In Chinese Medicine, fall represents the metal element. The metal element is our belief structures and issues. The way we orient to order, morals, ethics, and life principles. Metal people will gather admiring art, beauty, precision, philosophy, and discussing the "bigger" questions of life. Metal element people in balance are strong-willed, disciplined, refined, and love attention to the details. I envision metal folks setting their minds to climb a mountain, planning every aspect of the trip in detail, arriving on the top, and established in reverence for the awe of life, they sit in a meditative position emitting an elegance as they reach their spine to the sky. Their inner sight is searching beyond the clouds, being patient enough for the clouds to dissolve and sitting with the expanse of the vast sky. Metal loves inspiration, and clarity like gazing into a quartz crystal.
Organs of Autumn
The large intestine and the lungs are the officials that govern metal. The large intestine is the organ of elimination, that allows the body to release what it cannot digest and assimilate. The colon purges or sheds what could be harmful to the body if not eliminated. "In Chinese Medicine, the Large Intestine (the dust bin collector) is responsible for making distinctions between the harmless and harmful elements. The ability to discriminate between substances the body can use and cannot use is extremely important in creating an uncluttered environment in which the organs can work efficiently" (Elias and Ketcham 1998). The lungs move oxygen through the blood, respiration, and release the waste of carbon dioxide through the exhale.
"In Chinese Medicine, the Lung (the official of rhythmic order) rules the ongoing interaction between the interior and exterior world. Expanding to inhale and contracting to exhale, the Lung joins the energy of Heaven (air) with the energy of Earth (essential nutrients), instilling the body, mind, and spirit with a sense of rhythm and order based on the understanding that for every ending, there is a new beginning" (Elias and Ketcham 1998). Both of these organs have to do with shedding, letting go, releasing, and dying to the old, the past, the last moment much like the fall season.
What we can expect with our emotions (and how to manage them)
The emotion that metal deals with is grief. When humans, lose something, we grieve. When we have to let go and don't want to (attachment), we hold that energy in our lungs and heart for a long time. Imagine trying to be like the trees in the fall time. They let go of their leaves effortlessly, with grace, there is no resistance.
Since the season has shifted, I found myself being extra critical about the results of my actions. I can become so disciplined with my self-care practices and routine that I put immense pressure on myself to “get it all done.” When I don’t I become sad and depressed, these are signs of metal element out of balance. The advice I gave to myself is what I present to you- permit yourself to have more downtime, give yourself more space. If you are generally disorganized, this is a great time to get things in order. Admire the moonlight and contemplative practices—breath deeper with eucalyptus oil. This month, I focused on pranayama practices (breathing techniques), and it was incredibly helpful.
References
Elias, Jason, and Katherine Ketcham. (1998). The five elements of self-healing. Harmony Books
