An Alternative View of Harvest Time

It is Harvest Time, the time of the Metal element of Autumn that corresponds to the organ systems of the Lung and Large Intestine in Traditional Chinese medicine. These organs govern our skin, nose, water passages, mucous membranes, respiration and the strength of our voice in addition to their roles in elimination, detoxification and immunity. These organ systems represent what comes into our lives and what needs to be eliminated.

The Lung rules respiration and the wei qi, the defensive energy that protects us at the skin level. In the same way people with a predominantly Metal archetype, protect us, watch over us and keep us on the straight and narrow path. They like order, rules, simplicity and find inspiration in what is right. The colour of this element is white, representing purity, self-worth and is apropos for these folks guided by courage and the conviction of their principles.

The Large Intestine rules elimination, both physically and emotionally, detoxification, purification and adds to immune function of the Lung. The emotion of this element is grief, the sound is weeping and this season can bring imbalances in the form of increased feelings of regret, worry, sadness, pensiveness, tension and ridged thinking, as well as lung issues, skin disorders, indigestion, bowel disorders like constipation and the inability to let go of the past.

A well balanced Autumn element is all about value, respect, self-worth, honour and inspiration. Metal adds value with clarity, a strong voice and the flexibility to navigate life with less constraint. To achieve this it is important to be introspective, reap the harvest of lessons learned and shed the mental/spiritual foliage that obstructs the mind. Just as the trees shed their leaves it is time to strip away the clutter that no longer serves us so we can find the confidence in our true self and see a clearer vision for the next chapter of our lives.