Energy of Autumn
By Jennifer Kelleher
Happy Autumn! A change in season brings a whole new set of energetics that are reflected in the natural world, of which we are part. Closely connected to nature, ancient civilizations across the globe were well aware of the movement of energy. They were one with the energetic ebbs and flows and innately responded to them. Over time, they studied the energy patterns they were living and created systems to help us stay conscious, organized, and balanced throughout.
Today, we have so many common comforts that separate us from our natural environment. This can cause us to become desensitized and disconnected from our roots. Yet, one of the best ways to be truly well is to live in cadence with nature. Today,
I will briefly discuss the energy of Autumn, pulling from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda to guide my explanations.
“As above, so below; as within, so without.” Go outside, what do you notice? The ground is drying, leaves will soon start to fall from the trees, the air is cool and dry, and the winds are starting to swirl. The same energetics that are causing these shifts in the earth are present within each and every one of us. We all have different constitutions, so how Autumn energy affects you may be slightly or largely different from how it affects me. Awareness around Autumn energy paired with tuning into your own bio-individuality can help you to make guided choices that support wellness and balance.
Autumn is a time of pulling in, eliminating what is unnecessary, and keeping only what is pure and true. This time of year gifts us a beautiful opportunity to grow through reduction. TCM associates Autumn with the metal element. We are being called to be the alchemist and refine ourselves through independence, focus, determination, and ingenuity.
TCM also relates Autumn with the lungs, large intestine, skin, and nose. Tapping along corresponding meridian lines along with targeted acupressure can be helpful during this time of year (join us at Ocean Bliss Yoga to learn more). Skin forms the boundary of our physical body. It can be beneficial to reflect on your ability to set healthy boundaries and remember that sometimes it is necessary to say “no” to someone else so that you can say “yes” to yourself. Setting healthy boundaries helps you to eliminate what is unnecessary.
The emotion associated with Autumn and the lungs is grief. You may be grieving the end of summer, or grief may arise for reasons you are conscious of or not. The important thing is to let this emotion flow through you. Keep your lungs healthy and elastic with certain types of breathwork, yoga, and moderate cardio. Keep your digestion in check by staying properly hydrated and eating a whole foods, high fiber diet.
According to Ayurveda, Autumn is Vata (air and ether). It is important to bring in the right amounts of fire, water, and earth so that we can stay grounded, have the flow and heat to let go of what needs to be released, and tap into our innate creativity and intuition. Warming foods, pungent spices, and root vegetables are all good supports for this time of year. Create a routine to help you stay grounded and structured, while remaining flexible in your body and mind (yoga is great for this) and elastic in your skin (self-massage with warm oils) for when things don’t go as planned.
The healing color of Autumn is white. Dress in, adorn your home in, and visualize white to bring healing to your body, mind, heart, and life during this time of year.
I hope you enjoyed these starting points for creating an intentional and healing Autumn lifestyle. Have fun, and remember that you are not the body or the mind, but Loving Presence, creating a body and life with the help of the mind. As always, I invite you to make Ocean Bliss Yoga part of your wellness ritual. Sign up for classes and special events at oceanblissyoga.net.
