Transitioning from Summer into Fall — Through the Lens of TCM
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), each season is seen as an opportunity to reset your body, mind and lifestyle. To shake out the cobwebs and focus on a particular aspect of your wellbeing in order to thrive. Just as nature bends and flows with the seasonal shifts, so too should we. Living in harmony with the natural rhythms of the seasons is one of the most healing practices we can follow, helping to keep us grounded, healthy and emotionally balanced.
As summer draws to an end, it is an ideal time to declutter, and let go of those things which no longer serve us. We can do this physically, mentally and emotionally. Just as the trees shed their leaves, we can lighten our own load by freeing up space within our heads and our homes to prevent stagnation and foster the free flow of new energy.
In TCM, each season has a corresponding organ pair within the body. Focussing on these organs not only makes seasonal shifts easier to navigate, but it can also help us heal more efficiently. Fall is the season of the lungs and large intestine. The lungs in particular are deeply impacted by clutter. On a practical level, clutter creates more dust and allergens that directly impact the health of the lungs, while emotionally, clutter corresponds to a difficulty in letting things go.
Both the lungs and large intestine are part of our body’s waste disposal system, carrying away toxins so that we can live vibrantly. When our bodies are stressed or imbalanced, and our organ systems are suffering, our ability to detox is hindered, and our bodies become “cluttered”. In this way, issues like constipation (where we are literally unable to let go of waste matter) can be seen as a mental / emotional block around letting go - we hold onto the things we no longer need, perhaps due to unresolved stress, trauma, grief or anxiety.
One way we can learn to let go both emotionally and physically, is through the simple practice of breathwork. When we inhale deeply, we are inviting fresh air into our lungs, expanding our diaphragm to create more space within our bodies. In TCM, the lungs are seen as having a very close affinity with space and nature, which they need to remain healthy. There are various studies which support this idea, showing that children who grow up in proximity to nature and open, green spaces have better lung health.
The lungs facilitate the intake of fresh air 24 hours a day, and are key to this concept of letting go that we want to embody as we move into the quieter, more yin time of year. When the lungs are taxed, we can find ourselves becoming overly rigid and inflexible - attached to our routines and unwilling to go with the flow of everyday life.
Breathwork, where we take in and expel air, is a practice that allows us to learn to notice the benefits of letting go, as well as receiving, encouraging constant movement, so that we don’t become too stuck in our ways. When we are able to embrace change or the unexpected, we are able to become more at ease with life in general, to open up in our relationships with others, and show up for ourselves with greater integrity and peace of mind.
If we do not act accordingly each season, it is thought that we will carry the baggage of this inaction with us into the next season.
HOW TO EMBRACE FALL WITH EASE
In TCM, the respiratory system is connected to the immune system, our lungs circulating our life force around the body, bringing vital energy to all our organs and systems. As we move from one season to the next, it is important to care for ourselves so that we don’t suffer from colds, and excess phlegm. Protecting our bodies from the wind, cold and dryness is especially important during this time.
Focus on strengthening your digestion. Think wholesome, warming meals like hearty soups and stews, porridges, bone broth, stocks, medicinal mushroom broths and steamed vegetables. Mild, warming spices that stimulate digestion will help you process and eliminate food more efficiently too.
Practice seasonal eating. The foods that are naturally available in your local environment are the ones that will best support you at any time of year. The farmers’ market is a great place to source fresh, seasonally appropriate produce and chat to the sellers about their growing processes so you can better understand what you are eating.
We can also support our digestive system by simplifying our lives. When we feel overwhelmed, we are less able to digest our day-to-day experiences and life lessons. As such, our digestive health can be seen as a reflection of our state of mind.
Nourish your lungs with regular breathwork. Our lungs receive pure energy from our environment which we take into our bodies with every breath. Breathing mindfully throughout the day can help us find internal balance as well as regulating our immune system. Pay special attention to the way in which you are breathing. Try to notice any instances where you are holding your breath or breathing in a shallow manner. Are you experiencing any resistance (unconscious breath holding, for example) and under what circumstances is this arising?
Take the time to reflect on your accomplishments from the summer months. Celebrate the abundance in your life and try to focus on what you have, and are grateful for, rather than what you feel might be lacking. Acknowledging abundance is especially healing during fall.
Take inventory of the habits and routines which no longer support you in achieving the lifestyle you strive for. Consider those things that are holding you back or weighing you down. We often associate clearing out our spaces with spring, but fall is also a potent time to reset and reevaluate. Say goodbye to destructive relationships, or objects you no longer need, and work to process stuck emotions.
Learn to say no to anything that doesn’t feel good or which drains your energy reserves. Here, it’s important not to suppress any feelings of grief that might arise. In TCM, the feeling of grief is intimately associated with fall, and should be given space and expression wherever possible. Show yourself compassion in order to fully heal and move forward.
Work on building adaptability and transitional awareness as you move through fall into winter. We need a level of resilience to face the colder months, and any rigidity will only hinder our ability to flourish. Fluidity is key.
Create healthy boundaries around your time, energy and space. The lungs are reflective of boundaries, protecting us from external influences and filtering out pathogens. This is the time to take stock of the people in our lives and those things which demand a lot of our energy in order to create stronger boundaries.
Look to nature for support and encouragement during this transition. What can you learn from the natural world around you? Spend time outside as often as you can, observing the changes in nature which show us that nothing in life is permanent, and that it is possible to let things go without resistance or fear.
Fall equinox is a potent time to center and ground ourselves with practices like breathwork and meditation that help us to take inventory of all that is showing up in our lives and in our bodies. Are you feeling overwhelmed after the intensity of summer? Is your body congested or your mind busy and overly alert? Fall marks the beginning of the yin season, where we naturally move inwards, taking time to rest and reflect after the energetic activity of the yang summer months. This is the time to honor darkness and what it can teach us - showing us the importance of slowing down and letting our bodies rest, recover and repair themselves.
Beccy Candice Clarke is a writer, editor and holistic health coach. She endeavours to expand her knowledge of physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing with continuous and dedicated study; aiming to break down, into a more straightforward approach, the multilayered, and often conflicting tenants of health as presented by the modern wellness industry, the Western medical system and the more intuitive, holistic philosophies of the East. Hers is an integrative, individualised approach that seeks to make health simple, fun and accessible to all.
Through her website, earthconnection.co.uk, she celebrates the great healing potential of nature, seeking to create a space for the exchange of ideas, resources & practices that will spark a greater understanding of what it is to live with reverence for our Earth.