Fall into Wellness: Healing in Autumn

What an amazing time of year for healing. We move from the expansive nature of summer to the more internal, contractive nature of Autumn.

In many healing and spiritual traditions, Autumn is a time of letting go and of new opportunities.  This season shows us how beautiful it is to slow down, relax and release. In Chinese Medicine, Autumn is associated with the Metal Element and the Lungs. This season is all about protecting boundaries, setting limits, and organizing around our priorities.

This is a time to ask ourselves what we are holding onto that may not be serving our highest good.  This is a time to forgive and move forward. This process of letting go is deeply connected to grief, the emotion of the lungs.  When we let go, we create space for new opportunities, deeper healing, and more connected relationships.  We may feel a sense of loss, grief, and opening.  For some of us, grief and trauma have become stuck in our bodies and are holding us back from our healing potential.  If you are suffering from grief, sadness, or chronic lung or digestive symptoms, this is your season to let it all go!

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Our bodies know that we are opening and that this is the time to purge any old or stagnant energy.  Our lungs bring in fresh clean air, and our large intestine, partner to the lung, is there to let go of waste.

During this time, people often experience physical symptoms of respiratory congestion, digestive distress, or increased skin issues.  Other symptoms of being out of balance in Autumn include grief, sadness, and feeling unmotivated or unclear. Allow all of these to rise up to the surface and move through you.  Remember that these symptoms are our allies.  They tell us what is happening in our bodies. 

A reminder about eating in the Fall.  We are slowing down and contracting, putting energy into our roots, and resting more.  Follow the lead of nature with your food choices and you will notice a difference in how you feel.  Be gentle with yourself.  Begin to add more warming, well-cooked foods such as soups and stews.  Enjoy fewer cooling and raw foods.  Most of all, listen to your body.

Sending you abundant wellness- Mitten