Grieve, Let Go, Inspire, Aspire
Did you know that we actually began autumn on August 7th? The seasons happen about a month earlier on the Chinese lunasolar calender than we mark them with the Gregorian calendar. If you know the dates when the seasons shift and can observe nature around you, you’ll likely understand why the dates mark the seasons as they do.
I’m always watching the meadow out my clinic window, observing the changes throughout the year, and this summer was a particularly abundant year for flowers. Over the last few weeks, though, I watched the palette go from pinks, purples, yellows, and whites to now, almost exclusively, the deep yellow hue of goldenrod.
When we know the correlating energetic shifts that happen with each season, we can also observe them in our lives, and have a foundation for working with them.
Autumn correlates with the metal element and the operative organs are the lung and large intestine. The emotion of the season is grief and we are in an exercise of letting go. In that process of letting go, we understand the inherent preciousness of life. What is actually valuable to us becomes clear, and with that clarity we prioritize.
The lungs connect us to the present moment through breath, and through the breath we connect to our aspirations and inspirations. Where late summer had us rooted in the earthly realm, engaged in the sensorial pleasures of the plants, food, and our bodies, autumn directs us toward the ethereal. The large intestine asks us to let go of anything extraneous, to move out the solid matter so that we are only left with the essence, the most valuable part.
Following are some things that you may be experiencing and ways to work with the energetics of the season.
We’ve entered the dry season. The lung needs moisture to function optimally. The lung governs the upper orifices as well as the skin so you may have a dry nose, throat, or eyes. Hydrate through your foods with soups, stews, broths, and porridges. Apples and pears have a special resonance with the lung, so incorporate those.
Nature is dropping leaves and paring back to focus energy in order to get through the colder months. We can do the same by decluttering and getting rid of things we aren’t using. This time of year is perfect for getting organized around a clear intention. That intention can be as basic as streamlining your morning routine to feel less chaotic or as big as restructuring your business to reflect the kind of culture you want to create.
Feeling less social? We are moving into a more yin time of year so it’s natural to want to spend more time in quiet reflection. We have access to our deeper aspirations now, so use the time to connect to that and begin to prioritize what inspires you. It’s also a fertile time for processing loss and grief. Just make space for it.