This season, a good question to ask yourself is ‘What should I hold onto and what can I let go?‘
Fall is the season of the metal element in the Five Element Tradition. The Metal Element, consists of the lungs and large intestine, and represents clarity, refinement and maturity. Just like metal itself, the metal element is both clear and cutting, allowing one to examine in detail, evaluate, and judge. Like a metal knife that cuts away the waste, you too can distill what you value most and what needs to be cut.
The lungs bring breath into the body and the large intestine let’s go of waste. There are some things that are important for us to hold onto, like nutrients the body needs or certain relationships. The flip side is knowing what things in our life need releasing and when to let go of them is important to tuning into so you aren’t keeping toxic/unnecessary energy in your body or life.
When Metal is working effectively in your body:
— you are able to let life in and detach when necessary
— have healthy attachments
When out of balance:
— you may have respiratory issues, such as certain asthmatic conditions or the tendency to frequently catch colds
— you may see bowel issues, certain skin conditions, or problems pertaining to one’s voice
— One can be too cutting, sarcastic, judgmental, or put up walls creating barriers to relationships
Ways to support your lungs + large intestine during this time:
Eat pungent foods (the flavor associated with the metal element and lungs) can help disperse the stuck, mucus laden energy of these organs, such as garlic, onion, radish, daikon radish, etc.
Conscious breathing, to help move the energy and revitalize the energy of the lungs.
Sufficient physical movement to support healthy respiration and elimination.
As metal’s cosmological associations are stones, gems, minerals (rocks, mountains)– spending time with these can be healing
Meditation while holding a stone or gem can be beneficial as it connects the breathing into the lungs and energy of the stone together — amplify with your intention of discovering what you need to let go of at this time.
