“Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies”

You can smell the crisp air and feel the excitement of shopping for back-to-school in that entire quote. I truly miss New York, especially in the fall. I have not lived there in seven years – it is where I grew up and my heart will always remain. Getting off the school bus in September and stepping on the crunchy leaves, with the brisk breeze passing overhead is embedded into my soul. So, it will not shock you, when I say, that this is the start of my favorite time of year.

✧.* The next four months always feel magical ✧.*

There is a renewed energy, an excitement of the festivities to come. The planning of all of the things to do this season, the cooler mornings and evenings, and although I know most people don’t look forward to the nights getting shorter, something about it always brings me comfort.

It is time for non-stop reruns of Gilmore Girls and Home Improvement – it was my favorite back-to-school show, so thanks to deep feelings of nostalgia must be watched – and possibly a watching or two of Stepmom or When Harry Met Sally – and toward the end of the month, my boys will have to endure the start of Hocus Pocus being played one too many times as background noise as I spend extra time in the kitchen baking all of the fall treats I can think of.

Can you guess my age, based on my entertainment preferences??

Okay… Enough of my reminiscing, I could go on and on for pages and my main goal for this article is to discuss the energetics of the autumn season and how to align yourself with them to give a boost to your physical and mental well-being.

Create a Slow & Simple Life with Seasonal Living

With each season comes a new opportunity for growth. Spring brings with it a renewing energy, filled with hope, allowing us to take action after a restorative and introspective winter. By summer, we are soaking up the warmth, growing as we seek adventure, and by fall can measure *or harvest, if you will* all of the hard work and reflect on the growth we have experienced before we get ready once again, for the slower, quieter, contemplative rest of winter.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), each season corresponds to specific elements, organs, emotions, and energetic qualities. To me, it is a beautiful *and simple* way to start to align ourselves to the seasonal shifts.

For almost 10 years, I had the privilege of working in a natural health office– this was during my college years, and now feels like a lifetime ago. I also had an incredible aunt, who was a massage therapist who studied Eastern and holistic techniques and so much more during her time on this earth. I gained so much knowledge from her, as we would engage in our deep, philosophical conversations, and in all of her books I kept after her passing. I share this little piece of myself so you can understand my love for ancient and traditional wellness. It goes far beyond a text. It comes from personal experience in the practices and seeing the results it can bring to our health and well-being first-hand.

The Energetics of Autumn

The season of autumn is a time of deep transition. As we experience a new birth in the spring, the fall brings its own transformation. Autumn whispers to us – it asks us to S L O W down after the active summer months to prepare our *cocoon of comfort* for the winter months to come. We will soon be spending more time indoors, a perfect time to get more rest and be more reflective.

But for now, we must use what fall offers us. Autumn magically dances with both summer and winter, a beautiful balance of Yin (cool, feminine) and Yang (warm, masculine) energies. We can use this to our benefit as we contemplate our own goals for the season!

The Yin & Yang of Autumn

Let’s break down the feminine and masculine energies of the autumn and see how we can use them to stay in optimal wellness!

Yin Energy = feminine – associated with stillness and receptivity as well as darkness and cool.

Cooler weather relates to the feminine nature in that it is soothing and nurturing. The darker days are a symbol of rest and introspection.

I often wonder, if that is why so many of us women are drawn to the seasonal transition of fall, as it calls to our naturally feminine strengths!

Yang Energy = MASCULINE - associated with action, light, and warmth.

Though the fall predominantly consists of Yin energy, we get the Yang (actionable) energies of strength, preparation, and harvesting to balance us, allowing us to complete our goals before year's end.

By examining the Yin and Yang, you can see how our ancestors used this energy to complete the tasks they needed for survival. Although our lives are filled with conveniences, we can attune ourselves to the seasons to benefit our *whole* health. When we push against the rhythms of nature, we can end up feeling defeated rather than if we allow ourselves to gently flow with the seasonal shifts.

Personally, I find more success when I adapt myself to what the seasons are asking of me, and invite you all to reflect and see how this can also benefit you in your personal, business, and family goals.

Yin Energy:: Things to contemplate

↠ How can you use this nurturing and soothing energy to create more comfort in your home?

↠ How can you use this energy to take care of yourself, what type of care are you craving, that is nourishing to your body, mind, and soul?

↠ Do you need to spend more time in quiet prayer?

↠ Do you need to leave the social media world for the rest of the year so you can fully attend to your mental needs without the extra noise?

↠ Does your skin need more care, have you neglected caring for your physical body? This is a good time to start nurturing your body and skin a little more, before the dryness and coolness of winter.

Yang Energy:: Things to contemplate

Summer's active energy is coming to a close, but we can use Yang's offer to finish up some of our incomplete tasks and/or prepare before the winter months arrive.

↠ What outdoor activities do you want to engage in this fall?

↠ What can you start to prepare to get ahead before the rush of the holiday season?

↠ What can you start to prepare/have on hand before the cold and flu season starts?

↠ What immune-boosting foods can you start to prep and add into your diet?

For the Mompreneurs: Do you have business goals that you need to complete before the end of the year? What can you get a head start on before the festive seasons arrive so you can be sure you are spending time with your family and not distracted by other tasks and goals?

Autumn Symbols & Meanings

"The metal element, from rough ore to sparkling gemstones, symbolizes the process of refinement and its resulting products. In this season, it’s time to make sure everything pure and necessary is used and maximized, and that anything unnecessary or wasteful is eliminated."
- Karen Olson

Element: Metal

Organ: Lungs & Large Intestine

Emotion: Grief, Nostalgia, and Letting Go

Keywords of Autumn: preparation, balance, healing, sharing, death, community, grounding, grief, equilibrium, success, wisdom

When I first started to research TCM and the energetics of the seasons, I was not too surprised to see what organs and emotions were associated with each season. They make so much sense, almost like a “duh” moment. As we look at the months of autumn, we know that is the time that we tend to get more sickness within our home, so it makes perfect sense that our lungs and intestines need extra nourishment to keep us healthy during this time and to support us through the harsher winter months.

As for the mental health aspect, grief and sadness are common in people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder, which often starts when the nights get longer in November. During this time of year, we can also feel that nostalgia for the past kick in. Perhaps we are reflecting on the memories of loved ones passed (we will discuss this more in October and the beginning of November newsletters) or childhood activities that become more forefront in our minds.

JOURNAL IT OUT:: FALL EDITION

LETTING GO

Think about the past year, and what you are holding on to that is not serving you.
What do you need to let go of, so you can enjoy your holiday season?
What could be holding you back or causing stress that could prevent you from a deep restorative rest of the winter?

MEMORIES

What memories do you hold dear to you? What traditions did you enjoy or even miss from your childhood?
What memories or family traditions do you want to start (or continue) with your family?
Start to reflect but also take *intuitive* and gentle action in starting to create these new family memories.

LUNG & GUT HEALTH

When we look at the seasonal foods associated with fall, we will see that many benefit our lung and gut health **Do you think that is a coincidence!?**

Since we can experience more dryness during the fall, think of the foods that will add more nourishing moisture to our diets. Foods like comforting soups and stews, warm baked bread, and warm milk flavored with honey and cinnamon. Creating more warmth in our meals, with spices like ginger and cinnamon, are common to help boost our immunity by protecting our gut against harmful bacteria.

EATING IN AUTUMN

Eating seasonally helps us get more intimate with nature and the season we are in. It also has some benefits to our wellness!

As we discussed earlier, the foods that are popular in the fall tend to be ones that also will support our immune health. We can also get more nutrient density from the foods in season because they are being picked at peak ripeness and freshness! This means you get more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in each bite! And, although this is not a health benefit, per se, unless stressing over the cost of groceries these days is causing you mental distress – in which case, I get you … typically you are saving money when you shop in season, because there is an abundance of that produce available!