Greetings and Happy half-way through this
fascinating season called Autumn. There is a transitional period of about three
weeks between every season. That means we actually got into the Fall season
around mid-October.
Our discussion speaks to our relationship with the
Fall Season, Metal Element and the characteristics of the organs govern this
season.
As one of the 4,650 bay area’s Critical Mass Health Conductors, #134, to be
exact, I am reminded of these words of our patron saint, Mother Harriet Tubman,
Health Conductor #1. She said: “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always
remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to
reach for the stars to change the world.”
However, don’t be fooled! This changing of the
world that we all dream of, begins with changing our own world. The season,
Fall, is just about that, change! At
this time of year when leaves fall, weather cools and the days turn dark
sooner, the Earth is turning inward, so-to-speak, and so are we. The gaiety and
brightness of Summer has given way to a more subtle and reflective time. This
is the season for the shedding of old skin and a deepening of perspective.
In the Chinese medicine system that I have studied
for many years now, the Autumn season occurs within the Metal element, what the
western world would refer to as the air element. This element governs communication, the
releasing of old ways of seeing things, and in so doing, it gives us the
opportunity to activate a new life presence within our present lives. As the gems of the Earth are either crude,
dense, impure or clear and shiny, so too are our minds either hazy, muddled or
definitive in purpose and direction. The metal element creats structure and
communication on various levels.
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION IN THE METAL ELEMENT
To illustrate what is meant by this, communication
achieved through the use of the telephone, television or radio, etc. is
connected to the metal element. The same for our brains; the impulses sent
throughout the body depend on the metal element’s commmunication and
transportation system. For astrologists, this probably sounds like I’m talking
about the planet, Mercury, which governs communication and transportation, and
had been retrograde up until the 1st day of November. When Mercury is retrograde, communication can
seem a bit off, with folks wondering why it seems their words are being
misunderstood. Retrograde turns things backward. A gift of this retrograde is
that we can take the time to go back and
clear whatever needs clearing, like old closets, old thoughts, or old issues.
Communication has really been challenging for the
world of late. We are seeing the abortion of relationships the world over, in
Venezuela between Chavez and a former top general who aided him in his rise to
power, in Darfur, where talks have been delayed between factions and where
suffering is unimaginable, in Pakistan,
where over 1500 lawyers were arrested protesting that governments’ ideologies,
and even in Hollywood where there is now a writer’s strike, and particularly
with the US government and its countless innumerable citizens who want the
immediate end of the immoral Iraqi War. Unfortunately, miscommunication has
been leading to death and destruction in US schools, particularly, but not
exclusively. Communication is our vital tool for understanding. It’s what we
use to convey our messages, our needs, our desires and it’s how we express who
we are in the world.
The lungs and large intestines are the organs that
are associated with the autumn season and metal element. They represent the
breath, its inhalation and exhalation. The lungs draw the air into our bodies
and distributes fresh H2O throughout our blood and then into our cells. We take
somewhere around 23,000 breaths daily. After our twenties, the lungs’ functions
decrease about 1% a year, and twice that or more if we smoke. That’s why it’s
not really wise to smoke cigarettes or anything, definitely not daily. Strong
lungs increase the probability of one’s having a strong heart.
We can go a good amount of time without food, a
little less time without water and hardly any time at all without air. Few
people can hold their breath more than a minute. Proper breathing opens our channels and
meridians, and aids in circulation and how the body communicates within itself.
It awakens energy and consciousness with us. When we breathe deeper
consistently, we improve our mental acuity, strenghten our immune system and
allow ourselves a deeper connection to life. When we honor our breath, we honor
our lives and connect with our dance.
CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH METAL/AUTUMN
The emotions associated with the lungs are worry,
grief and sorrow. Though these are unavoidable emotions, when they become
imbalanced, we will find that our breathing changes. Often we hold our breath
because we fear the worse in situations. We may even sigh a lot. Sighing is
associated with the Wood element, relating to the yin organ, Liver. Because no
element operates independent of the other elements, each is intricately
connected to the other. (I elaborate on this train of thought in other articles
I’ve written relating to the Five
Elements theory.)
The sound associated with this element is crying.
Crying is very healthy, for both sexes and very necessary.
Again, too much weeping and shedding of tears leads to imbalance in the lungs
that will eventually affect other organs. What’s too much? Not finding
resolution with the emotions experienced. Grief, sorrow and worry have their
own lifetime, depending on what is causing the emotion. Though imbalanced emotions
can also impede the function of the lungs and its coupled organ, the large
intestines, repressing these emotions can be even more damaging. Physical
maladies can develop. For example, shortness of breath and even wheezing can
develop in the lungs. Constipation may result in the intestines. One may
develop a dry outlook on life.
The color associated with the metal element and
Autumn season, also reflecting the health of the lungs and large intestines, is
white. White can remind one of mental clarity or illness. Someone having white
stools could be close to death. People turn white, pale or even ashen when they
have been shocked by tragedy, especially the death of a loved one, or when one
is gravely ill.
The sense organ of this element and season is the
nose, and the associated sense is that of smell, the olfactory sense. Smelling
is one of our most memorable senses. A smell can unlock old memories, joyful or
sorrowful. A number of years ago, I began making aromatherapy products for my
patients and friends. I became so good at it that I started making formulas.
One of the things I noticed was how people responded to different scents.
Someone told me how the smell reminded her of her grandmother’s home, always so
fragrant and welcoming. For me, the scent of a pipe takes me back to my Papa’s
lap and his funny ways.
The proper functioning of the lungs is crucial to
keep the nose clear as the lungs control the opening and closing of passages
ways. They also control the production of mucus. Mucous is the body fluid associated with this
season, element and organ. There are two type of mucous membranes: serous, a
thin, clear secretion and mucus, a thicker secretion that lines the mucous
linings. Too much mucous in the body can cause stagnation and the development
of phlegm occurs. You’ll notice the phlegm in the morning upon awakening,
especially if you’ve eaten a heavy meal late at night. If you are not
exercising sufficiently, you may also notice a build-up of phlegm. There are many
behaviors that can cause phlegm to develop.
Our skin is considered our third lung. The metal
element fortifies the body hair and the skin. It has immediate contact with
air. Every thing has qi, or life force. The qi associated with the lung and
metal is called, wei qi. It is a defensive qi that sits right underneath the skin
and combats any pathologenic factors from entering the body, when the immune
system is healthy. Wei qi is most active in the day and retreats to deeper
aspects of the body to warm and protect the organs at night.
METAL'S METAPHORS
How fascinating that when we are stagnant in our
personal communication, an invisible thickness also occurs between us and those
with whom we are or are not communicating. Things get thick, gooey and
convoluted. Feelings get hurt. Assumptions are made. Fights happen, and
sometimes, death occurs, just because we are not clear in our communication or
because we are not wise in our communication. Clarity without compassion is not
the fashion.
They say the lungs are “the minister from whom
policies are issued.” That means that how we breathe, how we posit ourselves
determines how we live our lives. When we are shallow in our breathing, we are
assuming a fearful stance in life. We are not taking it in fully, for whatever
reason. Our posture is very important for us to take full, deep breaths. When
we remain in worried states, feeling stressed over financial matters and
fearing that we woun’t be able to adequately provide for ourselves or our
family, our breathing suffers. We lose our inner sense of comfort and our sense
of self-worth plummets. When we use our breath properly, it can give us our
confidence that we can move through all that challenges us. When we follow the
fear, the years of tapes that speak to whatever has pained us, we usually keep
our breath shallow and find ourselves wondering if we actually can overcome our
obstacles. And, they say the eyes are the mirror of the soul. So, too, is the
breath.
What is beautiful about Chinese medicine is that
all the organs have both physical and spiritual aspects. The lungs in Chinese
medicine are said to house the ethereal or yang aspect, that is nonmaterial, and
the corporeal or yin aspect of the soul, that is material. Proper breathing
calms the soul, and the emotions may affect it.
Since the lungs dominate qi (our life force) and
control respiration, the rest of the body’s health is dependent on that
distribution of air and energy. The entire body’s blood and qi circulation are
the function of healthy lungs. The lungs aid the heart in circulating the blood
throughout the body. If the lungs are weak, generaly circulation will also
suffer. Poor circulation can be reflected in cold hands. Warm hands may be a
sign of good circulation..
The lungs also control the voice. A weeping voice
may indicate a lung or metal imbalance.
A LITTLE 'BOUT THE LARGE INTESTINE
The large intestine is the Metal yang organ that is
coupled with the yin organ of the lungs. It is considered, “the fountain of
youth.” As Albert Einstein once said, “Nothing happens until something moves.”
This is particularly true for the large intestine. Its most important function
is movement. The deep breath of the lungs causes peristalsis (movement) to
occur in the large intestines. When they get bogged down, the body’s ability to
function is grossly altered. The large intestine moves the turbid parts of the
food and fluids downward for evacuation. Some of the fluids are reabsorbed. Some
of the signs and symptoms associated with an imbalance in the large intestine are
runny nose, constantly catching colds, allergies, sinus congestion, acne,
eczema, and skin rashes; breathing problems, i.e., asthma and bronchitis, edema
, especially in the upper body, constipation, diarrhea and borborygmus.
Breathing meditations, qi gong, tai chi, yoga,
brisk walking, jogging, stretching, swimming, staying active are a few gems for
keeping your lungs and intestines healthy.
MORE TO COME SOON...
