Autumn and the Metal Element

By Margaret Olmsted, TCF Legacy Holder

Having provided the harvest in late summer, nature now makes everything bare. In autumn, nature lets go of the past year’s abundant creation in a grand, final, beautiful display. Autumn marks the end of the growing season—a turning inward, a falling away of outer-directed energy. Leaves change colors and drop. The old leaves return to the earth, enriching it to promote the coming of new growth in the spring.

Metal is the element of fall. It is about letting go of the old. We must let go of the past in order to move forward. The leaves must die and fall off the tree to make room for new growth in the spring. When we let go, we create space in our lives for something new.

Just as the earth contains metal, and it’s the precious metals within the soil that give it its value, so too are we valuable. When the trees lose their leaves, they are reduced to their bare essence, and when we let go, we discover our own beautiful bare essence.

And at our essence is our connection to the Divine, that which is of the highest value. Metal gives us the ability to perceive what is special and valuable both around us and within us—that divine spark. Metal goes with the father, who represents authority and wisdom, a guide that we trust. We give our respect to and acknowledge that which is valuable in the father and in ourselves. Metal helps us see our higher purpose, gives us self-esteem. And part of our work is to let go of what gets in the way of that connection.

Because when we let go, we can take in. After we exhale, we inhale. Metal helps us take in the new. We take in inspiration. Those light bulb moments. Aha! Eureka! And those moments of meditation bliss when we feel connected to the divinity of life.

The emotion of grief goes with Metal—grief over the loss of someone or something, and also grief over the loss of one’s essential self, that perfect being within. At times, it is natural to grieve. Grief cleanses us of what is no longer needed in our lives. By letting go, we can take in the new again.

The colon goes with Metal. It lets go of the waste on all levels: old food, old ideas, old beliefs. And when it doesn’t work, we become full of crap and crappy ideas and old beliefs that suffocate us. But we all know how satisfying it is to have a good bowel movement. Letting go feels good.

The lungs also go with metal. We breathe in cool, clean air in the fall. We breathe in inspiration all the time. And when our lung system isn’t working well, we may feel a lack of inspiration. Life becomes mundane, lacking in spark. When this occurs, the best way to reconnect is to breathe. All spiritual practices recognize breathing as a way of getting in touch with our spirits, our essential selves.

In tai chi, we align ourselves with heaven. The breath is long, slow, fine and deep, and without effort. We let go of any tensions that are getting in our way and relax deeply. The last section of the form, from the last single whip, goes with the metal element. Seven Stars of the Big Dipper, Astride the Tiger, the Lotus Spin and Kick, Bend Bow Shoot Tiger. These moves require a relaxed alignment with heaven and bring the qi of heaven into us.

So, as we enter autumn, relax and let go of anything that is getting in your way of aligning with heaven and with your own innate uniqueness. Breathe deeply and find the beauty within yourself and in the world around you.

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