by Megan McFarland, LAc., MAc. CHM
Licensed Acupuncturist and Clinical Herbalist
Last week was the Fall Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, one of two days of the year where the length of the day is equal to the length of the night. This marks the beginning of Fall. In sunny Central Texas where I live, we’ve finally made it down into the mid-90s and seen a little rain. We can expect to see a second crop of summer fruits like tomatoes and cucumbers before we get our first freeze- likely in November- and everything dies back. The acorns and pecans are ripening and Fall pollen allergies are on the rise. For most of our hemisphere, this is the time when leaves start to drop with the cooling temperatures and animals retreat to their winter homes.
In Chinese 5 Element theory, this time of year is ruled by the Metal Element. The movement of Qi- or energy- at this time is downward and inward. Another phrase for this is consolidation and release. Leaves drop, seeds drop, sap descends in the trees, and animals and agricultural peoples shore up their winter stores and prepare their homes for the coming cold season. A century ago in this country, this would’ve been the time when we took stock of what was produced by the summer harvest and made decisions about how we’d survive the winter. Necessary to this process was the cull- we may have slaughtered animals we couldn’t feed through the winter, stored the meat, and got rid of any unnecessary excess so that we could make it through the coming months.
Necessary to this process was the cull... we got rid of any unnecessary excess so that we could make it through the coming months...
This energy extends to our physical bodies as well. The Metal Element rules the Lungs and Large Intestine. The Lungs, our most outward facing Yin Organs, take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. The Large Intestine, the Yang Organ at the end of the digestive tract, mines any remaining minerals and water from our food and releases the waste product. Therefore, in Chinese Medicine, these organs correlate to the ideas of consolidation and release. The Lungs are also seen to disseminate fluids to the exterior and maintain the Wei Qi- or defensive qi/immunity to External Pathogens.
Because these Organs are most active in this season and working their hardest, they’ll be put to the test at this time of year. Any deficiencies or pathologies that have been present already in the Lung or Large Intestine are likely to show up as illness during this season. This means that if our immunity is low, we’ll get a cough at this time. Allergies can also act up now- mine certainly are with goldenrod in full bloom. Or, if the Large Intestine is dry, we might be more constipated than usual. Because the Lungs rule the skin and disseminate fluid, and the air is generally dryer in the Fall, our skin might be dryer and more sensitive than usual.
It’s important now to start taking your immune tonics before you get sick. Western Herbalists might turn to Fire Cider during this season. The acrid or “spicy” flavor relates to the Lungs, so it is not a bad time to be sipping your cider and fending off any viruses the kiddos might be bringing home from school. Chinese Herbalists might start taking Yu Ping Feng San- or Jade Windscreen Powder now. This formula shores up our defenses and regulates fluids to prevent phlegmy sinuses and coughs and the invasion of External Pathogens. It’s also an important time to eat cooked foods and include more soups and baked dishes. This will bring Yang (heat) down and in and help maintain Yin-fluids. Minerals are also more bioavailable in cooked foods which will help support the Kidneys and Water Element in the coming Winter season.
Most importantly, the energy of this season supports the action of Letting Go. The Metal Element relates to the experience of Grief. We grieve the things we’ve lost and the way we grieve is often determined by how we work through the processes of- again- consolidation and release. When we grieve a loss we feel the pain of what’s no longer there. The Heat and Joy and Blooms of Summer are gone, and it’s time to sit with that experience and sort out what aspects of it we want to keep as part of ourselves, our story, our identity… and which parts we need to let go of so that we can still have enough energy to survive without it and move forward with our lives when Spring inevitably comes again. Sometimes, this can be a harsh process. We might need to cull some experiences, memories or people that aren’t serving us. On the other hand, we might make decisions about those things or people we want to keep. Whatever decisions we make through this process of grieving, we will see the result in our lives as time moves forward and more experiences come our way and require us to react.
...it's time to sit with that experience and sort out what aspects of it we want to keep as part of ourselves... and which part we need to let go of...
Actions we can take to help process the energy of Fall include journaling, list making, charting and weighing pro’s and con’s. It’s not a time for outward action without getting your ducks in a row first. Most of us associate Fall with a time of introversion and an increasing need for solitude and contemplation. It’s best to work with that energy. Take stock of what’s working for you and what’s not. What in your life is helping you to survive harsh times, and what is holding you back? Is there a room in your house that needs some deep cleaning? Is it a room in your mind instead that might benefit from the release of thoughts or memories that cloud your ability to be in the present? Or- could it be as simple as cleaning up your diet or letting go of old habits that are stealing your vitality?
Remember that nothing is permanent and whatever it is you are cleaning up or working through, although this may not be the most fun and impulsive-action oriented-exciting time, it is necessary and it will pass. Take advantage of the season and keep your immunity up and your Lungs strong. And, of course, if you’d like a little extra fight in your corner, I’m here to help you as best I can through herbs and acupuncture.
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