leaning into fall
Late summer marks a subtle transition from the extroverted spring/summer months to a more quiet, internal, contemplative energy that characterizes the colder seasons. As we enter the fall, we acknowledge the work we’ve put in during the active seasons, and slow down to take stock and harvest the fruits of our labour. As light hours diminish, we find ourselves seeking the warmth and comfort of our homes and families once again to regroup, recalibrate, and replenish.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the 15 days surrounding each equinox and solstice (7 1/2 days before and after seasonal transitions) also belong to the element of Earth - especially the transition into fall. Earth is the pivot point between Yin and Yang around which the elements circulate. Graphically, if you were to look at the Chinese Five Element cycle, you would see Wood, Fire, Metal, and Water progressing in a circle with Earth in the centre, connecting them all. Without Earth, there would be neither elements nor seasons, and there would be no life.
Within our bodies, the Earth Element represents the digestive organs, and speaks to the need to nurture ourselves for the healthy continuation of life. Individuals with strong, balanced Earth in their constitutions have strong digestion, good stamina, and clear thinking, and are hard-working, practical, responsible, organized, active, stable, and are able to care for themselves and others. They are creative, have fertile imaginations, and work steadily to manifest their dreams.
If you’re experiencing poor digestion, loose stools, nausea, poor appetite, bloating, fatigue, blood sugar imbalances, or physical and mental stagnation, consider meditating on your Earth element. Other indications of a weak Earth include feeling “stuck”, living in disorder, hoarding, experiencing creative blockages, and having difficulties doing the work to transform ideas into reality.
Earth inspires us to do the daily labour of maintenance to keep our bodies healthy and our dreams thriving. At every seasonal interchange, we get 15 magical days to take stock of our internal garden and do additional watering, weeding, pruning, and seeding to ensure success in the seasons to come.
late summer journal prompts:
What fruit are you harvesting from your hard work this year?
What aspects of your physical and creative life need watering, weeding, and/or pruning?
What new seeds are you sowing for the following seasons?
How can you nurture your soil so your seeds will grow?
Attune to the late summer and ease your way into autumn with these 5 tips to nourish your Earth element:
1. Choose grounding foods. Foods that nourish Earth and support the digestive system are golden or yellow in colour and mildly sweet like sweet potatoes, yams, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, squash, beans, soy beans, tofu, rice, corn, millet, amaranth, apricots and cantaloupe. Prepare foods simply with a minimum of seasonings and a mild taste, and eat moderately-sized portions.
2. Eat mindfully. Take the time to sit with your food and be grateful for the nourishment it is offering you. Acknowledge all the work that’s gone into growing, transporting, and preparing your food so that it’s set in front of you, ready to eat. Chew each mouthful thoroughly, putting your fork down often to savour each bite. Know that this meal and this moment support your life completely.
3. Be demure. Seasonal shifts often bring drastic changes in temperature that leave us vulnerable to colds and flus, so cover your neck, shoulders, ankles, and feet to keep your body warm and protected.
Location of Spleen 3 from Peter Deadman’s Manual of Acupuncture
4. Mind your instep. The arch of the foot, specifically the lower border of the metatarsal bone (see photo below), is the location of Spleen 3 - the Earth point on the Earth meridian, a major point used in supporting the digestive system. Massage or moxa this point during the seasonal transition from summer to fall, or at any point during the year to support digestive health, ease abdominal discomforts, and maintain balanced energy levels.
5. Try acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas offer effective, nourishing support in all states of transition, including seasonal shifts. In relation to nourishing the Earth element, Chinese medicine excels at weak digestion, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, chronic fatigue and systemic weakness. In addition, acupuncture and herbs increase immunity to prevent catching colds and flus, which are prevalent in the transition between the summer and fall.
