In the Chinese 5 element system Autumn corresponds to the metal element and to the organs Lungs and Large intestine. The emotion associated with this season is grief.
From the yin yoga newsletter by Cathy Keenan:
Metal is heavy, condensed, downward drawing and projects a stillness and slowness not found anywhere else in nature. Like in the Autumn where the trees begin to draw their energy back to their center, and the leaves do a brilliant dance of color before their final goodbye, metal is associated with the coming and going of life, the end of cycles, the rhythms of the breath and the excretory functions.
The Metal Element, the Lungs and Autumn are all about transformation. Life is always changing and we must be willing to work with its natural flow. Metal is the most malleable substance because it can be transformed and re-transformed many times over without ever losing its integrity.
We all experience grief and it is important to give our body, mind and emotions time to fully experience and feel the grief in the body. A yoga practice helps us be with uncomfortable feelings without running away but to surround the challenge with a deep breath. In this way the grief can be transformed into wisdom and sweet connected memories; just like the dead leaves are transformed into next season’s soil.
Our class practice this week will be focusing on a reminder to breathe slowly and deeply as we do the back care sequence. An affirmation to go along with the class is that even when family and friends die or move away or circumstances change, we are still surrounded by help and support. Someone always has my back.
