Fall & the Metal Element

Fall woods in Northern Wisconsin.

Fall marks the transition into a more yin time of year. In Chinese medicine, one core principle is that everything (and I mean everything!) has both yin and yang in different proportions. Seasonally, yin and yang wax and wane depending on the time of year:

• The summer solstice is peak yang energy.

• The winter solstice is peak yin energy.

• Between those two poles, we have different amounts of yin and yang;

• As Summer transitions to Winter, we have declining yang and increasing yin.

• As we transition from Winter to Summer, we have decreasing yin and increasing yang.

If you have seen the black and white yin and yang symbol, this is what it depicts! It is important to remember that, of course, this is a constantly moving cycle; there is never a moment when this cycle stops, just like the seasons always continue to change.

In Fall, we tend to feel more of a shift towards predominantly yin instead of yang. The days get shorter, and the plants start to retreat underground to prepare for next year's growth. Many of us feel pulled to slow down and gather our energy as well! Often, we're drawn to slower, quieter activity and getting more rest. Embracing this yin energy is one way to take care of ourselves in this season.

Yin 阴 is said to be "the shadow of the mountain," or encompass things that are darker, slower, heavier. If you think of a temperate forest with lots of ferns and moss and damp earth, where the temperature is a bit cool and you have mostly filtered sunlight - that is yin! These woods often feel a bit dark and mysterious, and so much of the plant life is connected underground through mycelium and roots - alive, but only partially visible. I always imagine the woods in the Pacific Northwest or northern Minnesota and Wisconsin as this type of yin energy!

Many of us - myself included - really struggle with prioritizing and dedicating time to more slow, introspective activity. When life gets busy, things like journaling, meditating, prioritizing extra rest, and just slowing down a bit are the first things that get put on the back burner. But, ironically, these things are more important than ever whenever we are feeling run down and burnt out. The transition to fall can be a good reminder to us that, just like we observe in plant life, we also need time to slow down, gather our energy, and restore our yin.

Metal Season

In Chinese medicine, the element associated with Fall is Metal, and the organs associated are the Lung and Large Intestine. Here is a brief overview of a few of the aspects of the season:

• The Lung has an expansive function in Chinese medicine; it is responsible for our breath, of course, but also is involved in our defensive systems of the body, such as the skin and immune system (referred to as Wei Qi). Our Wei Qi also helps us sort through what is “self” and what is “not self,” and so it can be involved in boundary setting.

• The Large Intestine is responsible for transporting waste out of the body - both literally, in the form of a bowel movement, and figuratively, in helping us let go of the past or things (material or otherwise) that no longer serve us.

• Some of the emotions associated with fall are grief and a sense of melancholy, especially for things passing away.

• Other themes are processing the past, acceptance, self-worth, letting go, and spaciousness.

Practices for Metal Season

Here are a few practices you can experiment with to help with slowing down and sinking more into yin energy:

• Journaling is a great practice that helps us slow down, reflect, and process. I have a few blog entries on getting started with journaling. Suleika Jaouad has a Substack about journaling called The Isolation Journals, and recently published a book, The Book of Alchemy. She also talks about Journaling Clubs, which is a lovely way to combine journaling with community!

• Breathwork is a natural pair with the Metal season! If you’re interested in learning more about the practice, Jennifer Patterson wrote the book, The Power of Breathwork (I have a copy in the clinic library!), and she has lots of information and links to free videos on her website. You can also book private sliding-scale breathwork sessions with her! Amy Kuretsky, LAc, also offers virtual sessions (more info here).

• Meditation and Qi Gong are both great this time of year as well. Qi Gong slow, intentional movement paired with breathing practices - I have links to free videos on my Qi Gong page. My Meditation page has more information on starting a meditation practice, walking meditation, mindfulness for people who hate it, local/virtual meditation groups, and more!

• Rest. This is a challenging suggestion for so many of us! Choosing to do less - whether it’s fewer social events, work commitments, or even less wellness practices - and taking time to rest is so important. Go to bed early!

• A few herbal allies to help us in moving through grief are hawthorn berries, rose, tulsi, motherwort, and reishi. Tulsi and rose are lovely in teas, and it is easy to blend your own! Ms Tea Botanica and Corpus Ritual also have lovely tinctures that incorporate many of these herbs. Rowan and Sage have a lovely Reishi tincture; you can also experiment with scent, and her Tulsi Rose hydrosol is incredible.

Fall, Metal, and Letting Go

We often talk about the theme of "letting go" in association with the Metal element. Fall can be a time for us to reflect on what we hold on to and what we let go of. For example:

• Are we someone who tends to compulsively hold on to things, or do we impulsively discard things before their time is up?

• Do we continue projects, jobs, or maintain relationships after they have run their course or no longer suit us? Or, do we leave jobs or situations too soon, never putting down roots or building a foundation?

• Do we stay stuck in "how things used to be," or are we constantly reinventing things?

These are examples of the ends of a continuum - often, we're a bit of both! These are all themes to explore related to this season. A lot of these questions can feel really heavy and bring a lot of emotions to the surface; taking time to slowly examine how we react in different situations, taking the time to pause between the event and our reaction, and reflecting on how that reaction is serving us is a lifelong practice, not something to solve in one season.

Here are a few journal prompts you can consider if you’d like to dive a bit deeper into this aspect of Metal season:

• What are you holding on to that is no longer serving you or no longer has value to you?

• Conversely, do you find it difficult to hold on to things, even if they are of value?

• What stories do you tell yourself that it is time to release? This could be about a past event, person, part of yourself, health circumstance, or more. How can you rewrite this story to serve you better?

• How do you experience grief? How do you express grief?

• What would it look like for you to “make time” for grief?

Chinese medicine recognizes that we embody the patterns we observe in nature. Just as plants gather energy underground in fall, we can honor our body's rhythms by slowing down to restore through introspection and rest.