Yesterday I was sitting out in the grass with my son as the sun set. At this time of year the sun set is so dramatic because we’ve had these beautiful , warm, late summer days. But when the sun goes down in Autumn it gets cold fast. Many people love this time of year because of exactly this. We can FEEL a change happening. The signs of autumn are all around us. In the vitality fading from the leaves, canning fruits and vegetables, and harvesting animals. This is the change from yang to yin. Many people have seen the yin yang symbol and this is the basis of it. Hot and Cold. Summer and Winter. Male and Female. The beauty of this season, just like spring, is you can feel the dramatic changes occurring in our environment. This yin yang theory is the first and oldest medical theory in Chinese medicine. Balancing the yin and yang in the body is the subtlest and oldest techniques of our medicine. It seems simple minded but reflect in yourself. Do you feel cold when everyone else is comfortable or do you feel too hot when everyone else is too cold? Are you sleepy during the day and wide awake at night? These are some of the most apparent signs that there is an imbalance in the yin and yang of your body. Yin yang theory extends to every facet of life. We see this play out in relationships all the time. All too often, woman is too “cold” and man is too “hot” or vice versus. One of my favorite ways to help people is in their relationships, bearing in mind that their first relationship is always to oneself. Oriental medicine can help harmonize you to your environment. That is the key to a graceful life. Don’t try and go fast when everyone is going slow. Don’t be pokey when things need to be done. Now in this season of Autumn it’s a time of letting go and refining yourself to the things that matter most. The sun has been beaming down intensely on us all summer. It’s been supplementing our daily energy. But now the sun is waning. We have to rely on our own internal reserves. So it’s a time of letting go of the excess because there is only enough energy to do so much and there isn’t as much time in the day.
Take a moment today and check in with yourself. Do you have your cupboards filled? Are you ready for a long cold winter? Do you have enough energy stocked away that you’ll be able to share with those in need?
If you do we applaud you! If you need a boost to prepare you for winter we are here to help.