Autumn: when letting-go is letting-in

Some of you might have heard, or can imagine why, Autumn is considered the season of letting go. Nature transforms its vibrant green hues into rusty and golden tones before eventually shedding the leaves one by one. This occurs due to the gradual cooling of the air and the shortening of days. Nature turns inward in preparation for even colder days and the winter rest.

However, fewer people consider Autumn as a time of letting in as well. Consider trees and plants that draw their sap, rich in nutrients, from their branches into their trunks and roots. Think about the Earth's soil that absorbs the lifeless leaves that have fallen to the ground, enriching it with minerals.

How does it work in our bodies? Autumn resonates energetically with two organs: Colon and Lungs. During this season these two organs are most active. Our bodies will expel the old acumulations through the Large Intestine and take in the new through the breaths of the Lungs. There is a specific relationship between these two organs. As one lets go, the other lets in, but most interestingly this process functions both ways, like a see-saw: the Colon impacting the function of the Lungs and the Lungs having an effect on the Colon.

How can we maximise the activity of these organs during Autumn months?

Physically, for the Colon, we can make some dietary adjustments, adding more fibre from vegetables and fruits, especially cooked ones to avoid cooling off the body too much. Fruits and veg include natural prebiotics, nutrients for the good bacteria present in the gut. And if you have never tried supplementing with good microbes, probiotics such as Bifidobacterium or Lactobacillus, this is definitely the time to give it a go. They naturally occur in yoghurt, kefir, or fermented vegetables. You can also supplement them with a good product. The good bacteria balance off the bad ones, the illness provoking ones. So, this preparation is essential for our seasonal immunity as well.

Emotionally and mentally, when our Large Intestine functions smoothly (ideally emptying after each meal as per ancient standards), we have more mental clarity and can better process our thoughts and emotions. Being clear and conscious of our thoughts and emotions makes it much easier to release them. This refers to the immediate or distant events in our lives. Autumn is an ideal moment to clear the past, and, most importantly, open ourselves to embrace the new.

For that matter there are Lungs, responsible for taking in air, providing us with the essential life-sustaining oxygen. For the Lungs, "letting go" actually means "letting in". Because on one hand, regularly and thoroughly emptying the bowels allows breaths to travel deeper into our abdomen. But on the other hand, the breath itself supplies the energy needed for inner downward movement to happen. Pushing down the clear breath will eventually push out the impurities. Have you observed that your elimination improves after a brisk walk? This is due to both the physical activity and the increased oxygen intake.

Autumn is an ideal season for taking walks, to invigorate your lungs and body with oxygen and to contemplate what you want to permanently let go of as you move forward with each step. The remaining leaves on the trees are a golden yellow, symbolizing the importance of holding onto only the "gold standards" in our lives: the people, events, things, and activities that are most precious to you. So simultaneously with each step and each inbreath, spread your arms wide and take in deeply the new and pure energy.

In fact, you may notice that your Lung capacity is greater or is demanding expansion these days. In Classical Chinese Medicine, there are three forms of "renewable" energy in our body: breath, food and rest. The breath is the most active form (Yang) which makes things move, making us feel instantaneously invigorated. Hence, there is such a long and rich tradition of breathing techniques within medical Qi Gong practices.

Therefore, this season in particular, I encourage you to engage in practising breathing techniques and/or Qi Gong. It is beyond healthy emptying. It is about a special autumnal alchemy that occurs when the air, in Classial Chinese Medicine called Tian Qi, "Heavenly breaths", diffuse inside our bodies. Tian Qi brings into our being a connection with that which is beyond physical and mortal, that which is divine and eternal. With each "letting in" of the "Heavenly breaths" we connect to the divine that surrounds us and the divine inside of us. There won't be a better time to do that than in Autumn.

If you desire to learn three simple breathing techniques to let in the "Heavenly breaths", I encourage you to connect to this YouTube channel for registered and live meditation sessions:

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Letting in the "Heavenly breaths" - Tian Qi

November - last orders for letting go

The 7th of November will mark the beginning of Winter according to the classic Su Wen text. Depending on where you live in the northern hemisphere you may feel it more or less wintery around you. Here in the central Italy it definitely does not feel wintery yet; feeling yet that autumnal stillness, the leaves have just began to turn yellow and the air is still smelling of fungus. All that seems like a little extension to Autumn energy as in reality, the beginnings and endings of seasons are never clear cut.

If you remember my October update, Autumn is related to Lungs and Large Intestine. Being at the far end of the Autumn there is more emphasis on Colon and clearing out activity. Think about your garden or a park near you or a tree growing near your house. It is at the end of Autumn that we need to clear out lots of dead leaves fallen to the ground.

Analogically, the end side of Autumn season is the best time to consider what we still want, or better, need to let go of before the Wintery withdrawal and accumulation season initiates. At least here in Italy we seem to have those last chances to clear out things or energy from our homes, bodies, minds and emotions.

So let's start with your body. Is your body moving smoothly or have you had your rheumatisms, headaches, constipations, extra-weight, swellings, candida in your body recently? If those symptoms have come up in the Autumn months that is clearly an indication that cleansing is necessary. It is the best time to help your Colon in clearing out by cutting down or cutting out the foods that slow down your peristalsis: glutinous grains and meat in particular. Adding, however, extra fibre from fruits, veggies and pulses. It is ideal time to help your Colon with probiotics too, remembering that you can get it from fermented foods too!

How about your mind? Are you able to get clarity at work and in other activities? If you struggle with too many thoughts that keep you awake at night you need to sit still more often and teach your mind to let go of habitual mental unrest. In the morning, plan your day consciously according to your priorities. Focusing on what is necessary to do at hand and sweep away cluttering and unproductive thoughts. Make a conscious effort to address that which is necessary. Face head on your obligations, including bills or payments, handle and resolve difficult issues with friends and family, etc. Putting things aside will hold and block the energy so resolving them will release a lot of energy which you will notice in your affairs moving ahead.

Or perhaps you have noticed that after relaxing Summer months you got back into the stressful whirl of work and life that has by now created in you feelings of anger, frustration, withdrawal, lack of enthusiasm, even fear of not not making it. Although we all have our own dynamics to work on, this period of late Autumn is a perfect time to just let go of painful feelings irrespectively of where they originate from. The energy that is out there right now is so helpful in doing just that: detach from all those destructive emotions that only stop you from experiencing life fully.

To add to this Autumnal energy we are astrologically in between two Eclipses (the Solar and the Lunar between the 25th October and 7th November), the energy of which will continue afterwards for a while. It powers the energy of introspection and reset, which is perfect for clearing the old and setting the new, clean plate for time to come; be it in your life or in your habits that ultimately create your health and wellbeing.

To start with take one habit, physical, mental or emotional that has been around for too long or you got rather tired of. Make a conscious effort to change your attitude towards it; let go of the need to repeat it. All along remember: habits cannot make who you are, put yourself in charge of your habits!

If you don't know where to start, you can book an appointment to get some help from ancient traditional diagnosis and treatment; click on the button below to proceed.

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October - Acceptance

According to the classic Su Wen text the 8th of October marks the beginning of the third month of Autumn. We have just been through the Autumn Equinox, which is the celebration of the equality of Yin and Yang in Nature. From now on, for the next six months in the northern hemisphere, we will be surrounded by the dominance of Yin in Nature. Of course, it is progressively increasing until the Winter Solstice and will be progressively diminishing after that.

Yin is that which is passive, receiving, slow, closed in, dark and cold, etc. Hence, the Equinox is a prelude to all those qualities. What is helping in the process is the element of Metal - the Element of Autumn. Metal is associated with Lungs and Large Intestines. Metal element is introducing us into the Yin phase of the year by its Lung-related quality of acceptance. Acceptance is what keeps our Metal element in balance. If you think of the air you breathe, you take in and accept all that enters your Lungs without a filter (except some large particles filtered by nasal hair). With the very first breath, you accept coming here to Earth at birth and you continue accepting this life with each breath you take. The air that falls into your abdomen is like the leaves falling down to the ground in Autumn.

If you are in conflict with the life around you, you may develop Lung problems as your breath becomes short and shallow with habitual rejection of the present life. Many of you would have gone through major life changes in the last couple of years which have asked of you a great deal of acceptance. Big and fast changes can create resistance to accept everything, inflicting on your breath and Lungs.

Accepting is not the same as assimilating. Once the passive act of breathing is complete the Metal element inside of you judges what is valuable to hold and what is not. That which you consider unworthy, you will eliminate through Large Intestine. The Colon clears all that you subjectively consider simply "rubbish". Hence, some well placed judgement will help your guts work smoothly.

Imagine when this natural physiology and balance between the Lungs-Colon is infringed. Do you know what happens? You either feel emptiness in your life, leading to melancholy and depression, or you are full of debris held and not eliminated.

You will feel emptiness if you cannot accept things as they are, since you do not breathe with full Lungs. That habitual rejection a priori makes you disconnected from as-it-happens life. Further, it does not give you the essential material from which to extract your precious gemstones, leading to a lack of meaning in life, in what you do, at work, or perhaps in relationships, and eventually leads to a lack of meaning in your existence. That could make you feel empty inside. As a result we reach for substitutes that make us feel "alive" or "connected", such as cigarettes, alcohol, gambling, etc.

At the other end, literally, in Chinese Medicine we say that in order to take things in we must empty first. Ancients would say that we should have a bowel movement after each meal. However, our sedentary lifestyles have already changed that. It is acceptable as a healthy rhythm to empty once a day. If you consume regular meals and do not empty once a day, you mostly probably hold onto stuff you should eliminate. My master teacher would vow that if we wake up at 6am each morning we would not have emptying issues as we stimulate the Colon movement by getting up and about. The 5am to 7am correspond to Colon time in the Chinese Medical Clock.

Even my singing teacher used to say: empty completely your Lungs of all the air and then the next breath will come automatically and will be deeper. In fact, to sustain the health of Autumn related organs, we can help ourselves with breathing exercises (including singing!) and movement: stretching, yoga, Qi Gong, walking and bike-rides in the Nature, will stimulate our Lungs and Colon to extract more meaning from our existence and regularly get rid of trash.

If you nevertheless experience problems with elimination on physical, mental or emotional level, or feel depressed not finding meaning and value in life, there couldn't be a better time to get some acupuncture treatment and Chinese Medical diagnosis to help you with the process of accepting and letting go.

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