Today I would like to talk about autumn and winter health and how we can best attune emotionally and physically to the season using traditional Chinese medicine and Taoist principles.
We need to understand that we are part of nature and we are not apart from nature, and sometimes living in cities we can get disconnected from nature.
We are now moving into the yin energy. Summer and spring are more yang trusting forward, yin is more reserve, so at the end of the year this is the time for harvest, it is time for collecting things and storing things away, getting the tune for the darker nights and the colder. This is the time of changing your clothes, the way you eat, the sleeping patterns.
This is the first of a series of newsletters, where we will talk about all the things you can do in terms of lifestyle, your diet, your emotional health, your physical health during the autumn and winter season.
In Chinese medicine, autumn is related to the metal element, and metal is related to lungs and large intestines, so especially this time of the year October and November, is the time to be thinking more about those organs.
If we think about what these two organs do: lungs are breathing, bringing things in, large intestines are letting things go. So this is the time to think about bringing IN positive things, good chi energy for you, and not bringing negative stuff and letting GO negative stuff.
For instance, this is a good time for cleaning the house, clear the clutter, get rid of stuff. This is the time of the year of letting go.
CREATING SPACE FOR CHI TO FLOW
You can't force or push chi. Before to bring good chi to our body, we need to create space for chi to flow into. So letting go things, in your house, in yourself, all those things you have been holding, negative memories, things that you just have been unwilling to let go, allow the space to be created for the Chi to be brought in.
You don't get benefit from holding on to emotions, let it in, let it out, yin yang flow it in, flow it out, like a wave coming in and out, don't create stagnation.
Autumn is the metal season to let go.
INVASION OF COLD DAMP INTO YOUR BODY
If you have a tendency to suffer from asthma, breathing, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) you have to be careful this time of the year. If your intestines are inbalance you are going to be more susceptible to suffering from IBS.
Also, is the lungs get inbalance you are more susceptible to bronchitis, breathing difficulties, asthma will be exacerbated.
This is the time of the year where you need to wear scarfs, keeping your neck and shoulders warm because definitely you will have an invasion of cold damp into your body.
Is the lungs get inbalance you are more susceptible to bronchitis, breathing difficulties, asthma.
As we move more into the winter months we will send newsletters where we'll offer practical tips and advice on how to harmonize your mind, body, and spirit to the ‘Yin’ energy of the winter season.
Winter is thought to be water, and water is related to kidneys and bladder. You will learn why it’s vital to support the energy of your Kidneys and Bladder in winter.
See you in our next post!
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Love & Qi Healing!!!
Master Shifu Orlando Schiaffino &
Simo Ana M. Tosta