Learn how Traditional Chinese Medicine uses inspiration from nature to view grief as a step towards transformation.
Autumn, The Metal Element, and Grief
Fall is an important season of transition; summer molts into winter, fiery yang turns into cooling yin. As the days get shorter and cooler, we start to take stock of what we grew and harvested over the last year and slough off the excess accumulations in both our mental and physical spaces. You may feel the urge to purge your belongings or clear your calendar these days, opting for less clutter and more reflection time. We've all heard of spring-cleaning, but a good Autumn cleansing is quite appropriate, too!
It makes sense that the organs responsible for "letting go" of our digestive and respiratory wastes are highlighted this time of year. Fall is the season of the Lung and Large Intestine, the organs belonging to the Metal Element. Diseases of these organs tend to flare up this season as well, including constipation, IBS, cough, shortness of breath, lower immunity, and dermatological flares (because of the skin's connection with the Lung system in Chinese Medicine).
Each of the 5 elements has its own season, organs, tastes, colors, sounds, and emotions. The emotion of Autumn and the Metal Element is GRIEF. Let's explore this emotion and how we might be able to support our mind, body, and spirit this season with the lessons that grief can teach us.
How Grief Looks and Feels
Ancient texts view the embodiment of grief as a descending of energy. As we experience grief, tears may fall, our gaze might point downward, we may fall to our knees. Energy wanes and depression sets in. Nature embodies its own grief as the days get darker and shorter, cooler and dryer. Leaves fall down, unpicked fruit falls, shrivels up, and decomposes on the ground. Summer's bright colors fade into browns, deep yellows, and grays and the sun's arch appears closer to the horizon this time of year.
Grief As Compost for Transformation
Grief can be felt as an emptiness where something ought to be; a palpable "lacking of". It is a hollowness that we can fall into, a surprisingly heavy weight of nothingness. It's striking to think that this season's organs, the Lung and Large Intestine, are indeed hollow, too; they must be in order to function properly.
In order to heal, it's healthy to first embody the complete empty, dark abyss of grief. Before we can start to imagine what might one day fill in the emptiness, we must let go, just as nature does. This experience can act as a nourishing compost, ensuring the soil is fertile by the time we're able and ready to envision what new seeds might spring from these dark depths. Loss and transformation are just a whisper away from each other.
“[Realize] that it takes death for there to be birth...”
- Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart
Grief and Chinese Medicine: Acupressure Points
Acupressure can be helpful in allowing the body to release and let go of heavy emotions associated with grief. Find a quiet, private place where you can also breathe deeply, supporting your Lungs and helping your emotions move and flow.
At each acupressure point location, find a tender area and then use your finger to apply pressure there for 3-5 minutes. Close your eyes, practice deep breaths, and notice how your thoughts and body awareness might shift. Don't worry about getting the location just right-- your finger is much larger than an acupuncture needle, so rest-assured, you are on the right spot!
Lung 1 (LU1 on diagram)
Helps to revive the breath and lungs, move through grief, revive a sense of self-worth and inspiration.
Ren17 (CV17 on diagram)
Called The Sea of Qi, this point can help relieve a heavy heart, deepen the breath, regulate emotions and calm the mind.
Yin Tang (GV 24.5 on diagram)
Often referred to as the "third eye", this point can help to quiet cycling thoughts and a busy mind, reduce stress, and help us tap into our intuition.
Grief and Chinese Medicine: Qi Gong
Mimi Kuo-Deemer's Qi Gong videos are calming, informative, and effective. Here is a wonderful 15 minute Qigong for the Metal Element: Nourishing Practices for Body, Mind and Spirit that can support the body through grief or help the body find general balance during the Fall season.
Remember: Everything is Part of a Cycle
Nature exists in cycles. Each day, season, and year has a beginning, a peak, and an end. The life of each plant, animal, human, and spirit does, too. It helps to remember that experiencing loss and feeling grief represent just one point in time along this cycle. The intensity of feelings and symptoms will change with time. This time will always exist as another chapter in your story, but there will be "an after".
A very wise patient once said, "the body grips at its tightest just before it's about to let go". These words ring especially true this season. Feeling a peak of the pain and emotion often means relief, transformation, and rebirth are just on the other side.
Grief and Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture and Herbs
If you find yourself struggling, remember that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be gentle, supportive, and effective allies in your process.
NADA Acudetox Ear Acupuncture can be especially helpful in the processing of grief and trauma. Jackie has been a part of the Nada Nola collective since 2012, a group that offers this treatment for free every week in the Bywater, New Orleans. You can find more information at the NADA NOLA website here.
You can always talk to Jackie about adding these points during your private acupuncture treatment as well.
We're here to support you in this seasonal transition time, whatever it might be bringing up for you. Be in touch, or make an appointment today and let's see how we might help.
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