The Metal Element

In Autumn, season of the Metal Element, qi contracts, turning inward and downward.

Season – autumn
Colour – white
Sound – weeping
Emotion – grief
Odour – rotten (like rotting vegetation or fish & chips on a newspaper)
Taste – pungent
Yin organ – lungs
Yang organ – large intestine
Spirit – Po (corporeal body)
Rules – the skin
Sensory organ – nose
Themes – scything, pruning, loss, death, being cruel to be kind, to make way for new growth
White Tiger of the West – necessary culling, death/regrowth, being cruel to be kind
Direction – contraction inwards and downwards, tending towards yin
Themes – correctness, fairness, good judgement
Out of balance – aloofness, cut off, rigidity, valuing external things only

Leaves fall from the trees and plant life starts to wither and die, then decompose. This dying process creates room for new opportunities: to make way for something of value to be taken in. Metal energy gives us the ability to both let go of the old and take in the new.

The night of Samhain or Halloween falls in autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. The veil between life and death is considered to be at its thinnest. Traditionally, bonfires were lit to honour the ancestors and the evil spirits (old, stagnant energy) were swept from the house before they accumulated throughout the winter.

Elimination and Inspiration

Autumn is a time for letting go of what no longer serves us. It is the perfect time to clean out the closets, both materially and spiritually. The first thing we do in life is to take a breath (inspiration; “life is precious”); and the last thing we do when we expire is to expel any waste material from the intestines.

Within the human body/mind/spirit, Metal is expressed in the energies of the Colon and Lung meridians. Physiologically, the Colon (large intestine) gets rid of waste and toxins at the end of the digestive process. Energetically, a healthy Colon also allows us to let go of the mental and spiritual toxins we absorb through the stressors of daily life.

Self Worth: the Divine Heavenly Spark

In ancient times, Metal was regarded as something precious and rare. Jin (Metal) refers to gold, a colour we see in the autumn leaves. Through the Lung meridian’s ability to inspire and take in pure air, Metal connects us with the heavenly aspects of spirit, much like the Earth Element connects us to the ground below. Metal expresses the positive, paternal energy of “the good father,” just as Earth is identified with “the good mother.” Metal embodies the divine spark of higher consciousness and the qualities we associate with it: wisdom, authority and guidance. It provides us with our inner spiritual teacher.

Self-respect can be seen in how we care for our bodies and minds, and in our ability to recognize and bring quality into our lives – what we eat, how we dress, what we read and absorb from our environment. It inspires us to be our best selves and to treat others with integrity.

Grief: Letting Go

One aspect of Metal is seen in our ability to take in something of value and quality and respect the divine nature within and around us. Another aspect of Metal is our ability to let go of whatever no longer serves us. Life is a process, and everything – ideas, relationships, feelings, possessions – has its time. Nothing is permanent. Everything must be let go at the proper time, neither too late nor too soon.

Feelings of grief and a sense of loss are a healthy response to letting go. Robust Metal energy allows us to move through and express grief without hanging on. Grief allows us to honour what we once had in its time. Connection to the Divine gives us the inspiration and respect for life that allows us to welcome the new.

Restoring our Metal and protecting ourselves from the wind

According to the classics, the climate associated with autumn is dryness. Just as the leaves lose their moisture, our lungs tend to be affected by the wind. As nature moves into a period of less activity, we too must be cautious not to overexert ourselves. Now is the time to be more contained, acting and speaking with economy and going about our business quietly and calmly.

As we come into the colder months, we need to take more care of our health and protect ourselves from the usual lurgies which may strike at this time. In ancient times, the wind was said to bring in the “evils”, later understood to be climatic factors. Wind-Cold manifests as a head cold with chills and wind-heat manifests as sore throat/fever/flu.

The chief pathogenic factor in autumn is wind-dryness which injures the Yin or fluids in the body – particularly the lungs, creating symptoms like hoarse throat and dry cough. Wind can also be understood as a sudden change in climate or season – even going into a heated building from the cold weather outside. Wind symptoms tend to arise suddenly and manifest in the upper part of the body ie in the lungs or in the skin with conditions such as eczema or rashes. The best way to protect yourself against the wind is to wear a scarf around your neck. The wind points tend to be here, for example, GB20 “Wind Pond”, which are nestled into the mastoid processes at the back of the neck.

Tips for staying well in autumn

Protect your neck with a scarf to shield from the wind. Acupuncture points GB20 “Wind Pond” are nestled into the mastoid processes at the back of the neck.
Eat stewed pears which preserve the lung yin. Celery is also cooling for the digestive system.
Incorporate some spice or pungent flavours such as cardamom and cinnamon in the diet to disperse and circulate qi and invigorate blood. However, avoid eating overly spicy, greasy or hot foods as it may injure the yin and disturb the moistening function of the intestines.
Incorporate pungent foods such as garlic and onions to warm and move the digestion. Garlic is well known for its healing properties and can be taken preventatively to guard against acute lung infections.
Clean out your cupboards and closets and get rid of anything you no longer need. Spend some time alone in contemplation and reflection