This is the season of letting go of what you do not need, and receiving what you need

Autumn in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the season of letting go of what you do not need, and receiving what you need. This season is associated with the Metal element and the color white. The organs associated with the Metal element are the lungs and the large intestine. Exhale, letting go of carbon dioxide and toxins that you do not need. Naturally fresh breath then enters. Naturally the large intestine (colon) takes the nutrients that we need from our food and passes on what we do not need through the bowels. On occasion, we need help for these systems to function optimally, however for the most part, the organ systems function effortlessly.

 We say in Chinese medicine “the lungs are the skin”. Outbreaks on the skin is the most expedient way for the body to send out impurities. We also see an extension an inch  or two beyond the skin which we call “wei qi”. Wei qi, a name for immune system protects us from becoming ill from toxins, bacteria and viruses around us.

  There is a maxim in Vedantic (yoga) philosophy “if you control the breath you control the mind”. Breathing out is a simple yet powerful tool to clear the mind. Franci Prowse once said to me “you can let go of all thoughts in one breath”. Speaking of breathing and letting go, Autumn is a brilliant time of year to let go of smoking. Nature supports the release and the lungs. Clean the closets and cabinets. Clear up resentments. I find that a daily practice using a yoga posture, breathing (agni prana mala) and intention is needed to keep resentments clear. Experimenting with inhaling and exhaling through the mouth can encourage the clearing.

  Harvest your garden. Turn it over, bringing in oxygen. Make space for what is coming.

Happy Autumn,

Lakshmi Lambert L.Ac.Dipl.Ac.Dipl.C.H.D.Hom