August 6th was the first official day of the Fall Season.  Most calendars show the first day of Fall on the Fall Equinox, but the shift into Fall actually starts weeks earlier, as the days continue to get shorter.  I find that many people notice this shift, even if they are not aware of what exactly is changing.

This seasonal configuration is mirrored in our physical body our emotions and mental bodies, and our spiritual bodies, as well. Understanding how the language of nature can help us find balance by guiding us to food, to herbs, to meditation, and to lifestyle choices.

So, what can we learn from Fall?

In Chinese medicine, Fall corresponds with the Metal element, the lung/large intestine organ systems, and the descent to the resting phase of Winter.  The metal element in balance is moment of awareness when we can see our past, appreciate the beauty we have gained,  and discern the parts that no longer serve us.  In balance it manifests as inspiration and appreciation of feeling the perfection of the present moment and how we got there. In balance it embodies embracing the certainty that everything is changing and nothing will remain in its present form. In balance, it is the ability to discern what needs to be released to allow growth and transformation to occur and to enable us to enter into a new cycle of creation (the water element of Winter).

The moment we sense the beauty of what is passing is a very pivotal moment because we have two choices. We can hold onto to something and let it rot and stagnate or we can choose to willingly move into the unknown and release what no longer serves us.  On the purely physical, we engage in this process when we breath air through our lungs and eliminate waste through our large intestine. The emotional expression are grief and sadness, but also appreciation, inspiration, and the courage to face the unknown with integrity (read integrity as meaning literally whole and complete without dispersing or holding onto the old).

When we do not release the old and we hang on to things, this creates imbalance.  It can express itself as rigidity and a sharp critical nature that holds on to  old traditions, to dogmaticism, and old ways of being.  It is an unwillingness to change and experience the unknown and move into a new cycle of creation. You may notice this in yourself as a need to overly control yourself and/or the people around you. This rigidity creates stagnation and cuts us off from growth and expansion.

When we grieve too much for what is past unable to move forward because we long for the past, this also creates imbalance. This is different from being too rigid.  In this type of imbalance, we do not have the resiliency and the firmness, and what results is a kind of inner collapse. The lungs, in Chinese medicine, represent an important aspect of our immune system.  Physically, this would look mean being sick frequently because our filtration system that helps us discern what we want to bring in and what we want to let go is not strong and robust. We start to see the expression of tis physically when we are unable to filter and process unwanted aspects (i.e. bacteria and viruses) from multiplying in our bodies.

So, how can embrace Fall through exercise and lifestyle choices?

• Breathing fresh air – be sure to get outdoors and do some relaxed breathing, or breathing exercise that consciously bring awareness into the breath
• Do stretches to open up the chest and the lungs, as well as singing and or playing wind instruments like the saxophone, trumpet, flute etc.
• Lung healing qi gong sound – Inhale and guide the color white up from your center of gravity to nourish and bathe the lungs. As you exhale, make the lungs sound “Sssss” releasing clearing out any grief sadness and depression which can clog the lungs. Then smile and embrace the lungs with unconditional love and acceptance.
• Wear comfortable clothes and natural fibers to give more freedom for the lungs to breath.
• Get moderate sun, avoiding excessive exposure
• The virtues of the lung are integrity courage and respect. Being able to appreciate and value yourself and your surroundings is an important way to satisfy and please the intelligence of the lung.
• Pay attention to the physical aesthetics both in terms of personal appearance and in terms of the home environment to support the energy of lungs
• Use the Fall to reflect and to be grateful for the harvest of your life and the year and to let go of all that is no longer serving you

So, how can we embrace the Fall through our food choices?

• Reduce the amount of raw & cold foods – incorporate more cooked foods, especially veggies and fruits
• Avoid foods that produce dampness in the body like dairy, frozen foods, raw foods, tofu and soy products
• Increase deeply nourishing foods including proteins and root vegetables

Foods that Support the Lungs

• Pungent foods are used to protect the lungs (hot peppers, chiles) and include white-colored pungent foods (onion, garlice, turnip, ginger, horseradish, cabbage)
• Mucilaginous foods used to promote renewal of lungs & colon (seaweeds and herbs & seeds like flaxseed, sesame seeds)
• Foods that protect mucous membranes and strengthen the blood and qi (dark green & orange vegetables – winter squash, pumpkin, kale, turnip & mustard greens, mushrooms)
• Fiber-rich foods cleanse the lungs & colon (bran of cereals, peeling & pulp of fruits/vegetables, oats, apples pears).  Be sure to cook any veggies or fruits.

Enjoy the Fall!

If Andres or Michele can be assistance to you in your healing journey, please contact us to schedule an individual consultation (by phone or in person) at 336-739-0317 or [email protected] or go to the 4 Branches Chinese Medicine Center website.