Autumn and supporting our Lung energy
image credit: Annie Sprat
Traditional Chinese Medicine is rooted in living harmoniously with the seasons.
This is something that is often forgotten in our modern times, where we can access all types of fruits and vegetables all year round and our careers dictate that we stay busy most of the year, with the same hours every week and only small increments of rest.
Our ancestors, and more recently, our Grandparents/Great Grandparents, would have eaten only what was growing at the time. If they had worked on the land, they would have risen with the dawn light and gone to bed shortly after it got dark.
You may be wondering how you can possibly live more seasonally in our ‘open all hours’ world, but there are indeed ways we can seek to live in a more balanced, harmonious way with nature, which ultimately keeps our bodies strong and resilient. After all, this Eastern medicine has kept people well for at least 3,000 years.
Chinese Medicine’s central concept is based on Yin and Yang. This balance (or lack of) exists internally, within our bodies, as much as in our external world.
As The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine, the original Chinese Medicine text states:
“The change of Yin and Yang through the four seasons is the root of life, growth, reproduction, ageing and destruction. By respecting this natural law, it is possible to be free from illness.”
““The change of Yin and Yang through the four seasons is the root of life, growth, reproduction, ageing and destruction. By respecting this natural law, it is possible to be free from illness.””
This brings me to where we currently are in the year: Autumn.
Summer is considered the most Yang of the seasons – where all energies are expansive. This translates into hot weather and the time when animals, flowers and plants are abundant. You are likely to have done more socialising, such as going to festivals, on holiday and staying up later in the evening whilst it was light.
In comparison, the energies of Autumn move more to Yin, turning inward. Observe how nature’s growth slows down, the leaves begin to fall, animals start to hibernate and the night closes in.
This translates to spending more time at home, going to bed earlier and eating warmer foods.
Animals follow the rhythm of nature, hibernating from the Autumn to restore their energy and when food is less plentiful. Image credit: Alamy, Country Life
How to live harmoniously throughout the Autumn and prepare for Winter
Autumn is represented by the Lungs in Chinese Medicine. This is the time for the conservation of our energy in preparation for Winter. The Lungs are our defence line against external pathogens such as colds and flu. A sedentary lifestyle and certain foods make our Lungs more susceptible to illness.
Here are a number of ways you can stay resilient:
*The majority of our diet should be in the form of soups and warm drinks as hydration of the Lungs is very important.
*Integrate warming and moving herbs and spices such as onions, garlic, ginger, fresh horseradish, fenugreek.
*Avoid mucus-forming foods such as dairy, raw/uncooked food like salad, bananas, cold or frozen foods (e.g. ice cream).
*Be aware of excessive central heating that will dry out the Lungs.
*Keep your neck and chest warm with a scarf to protect key meridians.
*Keep your feet warm.
*Move every day: Gentle movement with deep breathing such as walking, yoga or tai chi expands the Lungs
*Align your night-time sleep with the lengthening hours of darkness – go to bed earlier when you can.
*Rest in the daytime when you can. 15-20 mins of shut-eye after lunch, even if you don’t sleep, is incredibly restorative to our nervous systems.
*Acupuncture alongside positive lifestyle habits is the best way to ensure you are balanced internally; and that your Lung energy (Qi) is strengthened, particularly if you are prone to colds, flu or Covid. Acupuncture levels out your nervous system and is a form of deep rest, particularly if you are stressed or suffer from anxiety or insomnia.
So, I encourage you to lean into your intuition and seek more rest, recuperation and warmth in the coming months.
Finally, I’d like to share this wonderful Yoga Nidra that can be used at any time of the day, it is just over 20 minutes long. It will also ensure you have a deep and restful sleep at bedtime.
Yoga Nidra for Deep Rest with Ally Boothroyd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZh3YjbseCc
