By Samuel R. Steward V
Autumn is the season of falling apart and letting go. Mother Nature has provided an abundance of food and green beauty in summer season and then she begins to go bare as she move’s into fall. Summer is the season of fire, growth, excitement, and fun. Autumn is quite the opposite. In the transition between the two seasons there is an energetic stimulation to turn inward almost immediately. The outer-directed energy and enthusiasm of summer’s fire power sharply falls away. Temperatures drop, winds accelerate, leaves change color and bid farewell as everything in Mother Nature’s kingdom returns to the soil, enriching it to prepare the grounds for a new harvest.
The process of nature reflects the cycles of the spirit to create and let go. It is important to be careful during autumn not to hold on to useless thoughts and patterns. As the the nights grow cooler there will be a tendency to hold on to what the summer has produced and by doing so one defies their own inner nature. Pressing down on the process of spiritual maturity, creates an indent in the soul, which is better known as depression. Mild depression is very common this time of year and is the divine spark for letting go and falling apart. The inward pull of fall offers an opportunity to divide what is still fresh and useful from that which is decaying like the fallen leaves of the autumn trees.
Autumn is the strongest time of the year “to take out the garbage”, cleaning out the old and useless patterns in life, and if moving harmoniously with the process, the season will leave one feeling fresh and pure like a fall breeze in the early morning. Autumn delivers one back to the state of original nature, stimulating the removal of that which is no longer needed, and reveals what is most precious in life.
Autumn is the season of the element Metal (or air). To feel grief and separation is a natural symptom of the “letting go” of summer which is a time of increased pride and ego. Sadness is purifying, cleansing, and completely natural as one transitions into the colder less active months of the year. When the energy of air is blocked and unable to flow freely within the body anxiety may develop and to be active or outgoing can feel impossible.
The colon and the lung are the two main organs responsible for the flow of metal/air element within the body. The colon helps in eliminating toxic matter from the body, and offers the opportunity to remove mental negativity that may be clogging one’s mind. The lung works to refresh and pull in the purifying energy of fall. A deep breath of crisp morning air offers the inspiration needed to flush away “the garbage” that is constipating the mind and delaying progress on the path of spirituality. The lung in classical Chinese medicine is known as the receiver of the pure Chi from the Heavens.
The lung and the colon work together to take in the medicine of peacefulness and eliminate the poisons of pride and ego. Without their hard work there is an increased potential for bronchitis, shortness of breath, cough, allergies, nasal congestion, emphysema, colds, sore throats, constipation, diarrhea, spastic colon, and abdominal pain. If mental stability is not utilized during this physical process an accumulation of impurities can build up and eventually generate a blockage disabling the ability to eliminate waste physically and mentally. This type of blockage leads to depression, stubbornness, isolation, negativity, but most of all , the inability to “let go.”
Metals such as gold and silver give value to earth and when metal element is balanced and flows freely within the body one enjoys the same feeling of increased self- worth. Every sentient being is unique and beautiful and has a special gift to offer the world. When metal energy is low it becomes difficult to see value in life. This can lead to “chasing” external objects that may temporarily offer happiness. These “things” only offer temporary satisfaction and again the thoughts and feelings of sadness will reoccupy the space where air element should be balanced and contained. People that have the most difficulty in adjusting to the modes of fall are usually the same people who have trouble letting go because they falsely identify themselves with their possessions and achievements in life.
The summer has passed and so has the time for power, fire, and “giving it all you’ve got.” Use this time wisely and move freely like Autumn wind into the season of rest. This is a time to be contained, speak less, act less, and become completely absorbed in the calm and peace that only fall offers.
About the author
Samuel lives in Princeton and spends his days spreading the Yoga and works full time as a massage therapist incorporating sound, mantra, and shamanic therapy into his practice.
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