Autumn Glory

There is great power in the name “fall,” the term used for the autumnal season which commences on the equinox. This year, the equinox will occur on Friday, September 23, at 1:03 AM UTC (which is Thursday, September 22, at 9:03 PM EDT). On surface, we know the word “fall” simply refers to the process whereby nature slowly lets go and turns inward at the end of summer. Yet, it may also have a subtle less desirable connotation, in that “falling” can evoke a sense of decline, collapsing down, or losing balance.

The sap of life does indeed begin moving downward in this season, which requires attention and adjustment if we are to maintain health and balance. Attuning to the rhythms of nature and going with the flow of least resistance, we can sustain good health and create a positive sense of well-being as we adapt to seasonal change.

As the days grow shorter and the nights longer in the autumn season, the air becomes cooler and drier. During this season, all of nature is beginning to contract and move inward. We may also begin to feel a decline in our energy levels. This is an important time for us to take extra care of our health.

Fall directly connects with the element of metal, which rules this season according to the five-element theory of traditional Chinese medicine. The metal element is associated with the lungs and the large intestine, which are partner organ systems. To keep the metal balanced, we need to cultivate support, structure, and routine.

Fall is the season for letting go of whatever no longer serves us. As we do this, we become more open and receptive to new visions about what is meaningful and how we want to proceed in the future. Fall is also a time to focus on creating that which provides sustenance.

Just as migratory birds set off on their southbound journey, wild animals store food in preparation for their hibernation, and trees and plants drop their leaves and become dormant, we too can benefit by storing up what we need for the colder, darker months ahead. Self-nurturing practices are a big key!

Some further suggestions for balancing the energies of metal in the autumn season include the following:

1. The metal element relates to the lungs in the body. We can benefit at this time from balancing our lung energy system in order to counter any emotions of grief and sadness while building the energy of courage and inner strength. Make sure to hydrate and nourish yourself well to support your lungs which may be vulnerable at this time. Additionally, it helps to drink warm wholesome teas like Breathe Easy, Tulsi, Ginger, Chai, and so on.

2. The metal element also relates to the colon in the body. Be aware that most seasonal allergies that arise in the fall are related to a toxic colon. It may be an important time for a gentle colon cleanse.

3.   Visit your acupuncturist for a tune-up.

4.   Take long walks or hikes in nature in order to stimulate the breath and open the heart. The crisp and invigorating autumn air is so conducive to breathing out the old and breathing in the new!

5.   Do pranayama or other conscious breath practices.

6.   Eat spicy foods if they agree with you.

7. Clear clutter in your living environment, your car, and workspace.

9.   Examine your attitudes and clear up any hurtful and negative issues, including grudges from the past, resentments, self-deprecation, guilt, envy, and so on. Fall is a wonderful time for letting go rituals too, like writing down your feelings, thoughts, and intentions around letting go, and then burning them.

According to the Science of Life known as Ayurveda, the vata season commences toward the last part of summer season when the mornings begin to grow much cooler, usually by the second week of September in many areas. Vata season lasts through the first half of winter season. This means that the vata dosha predominates in this season.

Vata is the bodily humor (energy) composed of the air and ether elements. The air element predominates in the beginning part of the vata season, followed by the profoundly peaceful spiritual season of the ether element which sets in after the leaves fall and the earth becomes barren.

The qualities of the vata dosha are cold, dry, rough, light, windy, changeable, irregular, and moving. Because vata is associated with the nervous system, its state is often reflected in our mental health. We can become restless, anxious, and ungrounded in the vata season if we aren’t mindful. Our joints can become painful, or we can experience constipation, if this is warranted by our own constitutional nature.

During autumn, it can be very helpful to build regular routines that calm the potentially chaotic vata energy. If you are doing yoga or a martial art, focus on calming, grounding, balancing, and heart opening practices. Vata season is also supported by gaining strength and building mass, so some of us may want to hit the gym.

As I sat down to write this article, my friend and colleague Wahneta Trotter of Satmya Ayurveda kindly offered some insight and advice for the fall season. Her knowledge is based on decades of deep study along with a dedicated personal and professional practice in Ayurveda:

Ayurveda teaches that we are made of the five elements of nature: ether, air, fire, water, and earth. Each element has specific qualities, a corresponding season, and even a special time of day during which it ebbs and flows. Summer is the season of the fire element. As summer ebbs, it gives way to the elements of ether and air. The air element cools down and becomes mobile, i.e., windy. It is extremely dry. Look at the trees recoiling and letting go of their leaves in this season. Watch the leaves dispersed through wind. This is vata flowing.

As the relentless and drying heat of summer gives way to a cooler and drying type of weather, our bodies are also drying out, similar to the trees. During vata season, it is therefore very important to slow down, eat cooked foods, and lubricate your body.

Ayurveda actually advocates doing the opposite of what the cosmic forces are up to, in order to maintain balance in the body and mind. As the winds rage, slow down, and avoid becoming windy. As you dry out, engage warm oiling practices of self-massage to stay rejuvenated. As you cool down, cook your food with yummy spices, and by all means, leave the raw foods and juices behind until late spring. Try it! You’ll see that seasonal balancing according to Ayurveda can be very simple and effective. (If you’d like to reach out to Wahneta Trotter for her Ayurvedic services, you can reach her through her website at https://www.satmyaayurveda.com/.

The autumn season has long been celebrated as an annual revival by many of the world’s spiritual traditions. As the natural world begins to let go and draw within, we also benefit from inner reflection and healing in order to restore a sense of deeper stability to our lives. As an example, the Sharad Maha Navaratri (Nine Nights of Divine Mother) will be observed around the world from September 26 to October 4, 2022. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Devi Durga are worshiped.

Maha Navaratri provides an opportunity to give thanks and receive the blessings of Divine Mother. It is said that she comes down and walks among her devotees during this period, and the entire planet is bathed in a glorious glow of divine nurturing energy that can purify and uplift us in extraordinary ways. Healing light is magnified so that we can rise above weaknesses and manifest a higher potential.

This year, Maha Navaratri coincides with the Jewish high holy days, from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, ten days later. This year they begin on September 25 and end on October 5.

Fall is the season of harvest heralding nature’s fertile bounty. It’s an important time to rest and take stock, enjoy the fruits of your efforts during the past spring and summer, and examine and readjust anything that may be out of balance. May you enjoy this beautiful season, be grateful for your attainments and all the important lessons learned, and make sure to offer the seeds of your achievements toward your dreams for the future.

May you know that absence is alive with hidden presence,
that nothing is ever lost or forgotten.
May the absences in your life grow full of eternal echo.
May you sense around you the secret Elsewhere,
where the presences that have left you dwell.
May you be generous in your embrace of loss.
May the sore well of grief turn into a seamless flow of presence.
May your compassion reach out to the ones we never hear from.
May you have the courage to speak for the excluded ones.
May you become the gracious and passionate subject of your own life.
May you not disrespect your mystery through brittle words or false belonging.
May you be embraced by God in whom dawn and twilight are one.
May your longing inhabit it’s dreams within the Great Belonging.

From To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings by John O’Donohue