Transition to Stillness: Conscious Living for Autumn in Colorado
Jeff Pufnock L.Ac. Ph.D. and Jessica Youngs L.Ac., Owners, Embodied Wholeness: Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine in Fort Collins, CO.
Living Consciously In Alignment With the Fall Season
We currently find ourselves having come through the expansive warmth and the abundant growth of summer and are entering the time when the natural world begins preparations for winter. The fruits that we dreamed of in winter, initialized in spring, and grew throughout summer have reached their ripe maturity. We have now reached the time of harvest, gathering and storage. This gathering occurs not only within our gardens, and also occurs as a larger energetic movement in the entire environment that we reside within.
In Chinese Medicine autumn is the energetic pivot into the Yin, or the descending part of the year. The initiation of this movement actually occurs at the summer solstice, when the sun begins to move lower in the sky and the days become shorter and the rest of the world responds. Plants express this gathering and storing energy with the movement of nutrients into their roots and the production of seeds. We also begin the process of gathering in ourselves as we feel our physical energy begin to slow, with more desire for cozy time spent in personal reflection. Transitioning into a more calm, subdued lifestyle is vitality important to facilitate our physical restoration and continued good health during the winter months.
Fall in Chinese medicine is a time of letting go and surrender. The trees let go of their leaves to conserve their resources and support their continued survival through the cold winter ahead. While it is tempting to try to hang onto the long summer days of outdoor play, it is important to gently let this go and honor the seasonal shift by winding the day down with the earlier setting sun. This is also an optimal time for letting go of the things that no longer serve us, to surrender the constant drive to do more and to create a calm environment in preparation for winter. The energetics of the season invite us to begin to pull back and relax into stillness and warmth, preparing for the dreamy hibernation of winter.
Tips for a Healthy Fall:
-Begin the transition to more introspective, calm activities
-As the days begin to get shorter, go to bed in accordance with the setting sun and avoid continuing the summer schedule of staying up late
-Physical exercises should be more gentle and mindful, with a focus on linking breath with movement. Yoga, Taiji and pilates are good options.
-Do a gentle detox as you transition into more warming foods.
-Start your day with warm water with lemon and drink warm miso soup before meals.
-Reduce salads, cold smoothies, icey drinks and raw foods which are harder on digestion in the colder months.
-Incorporate more introspective self-care: use meditation and breathing exercises to keep the lungs healthy and support descending energy in the body.