​Element - Air/Metal
Autumn 
Emotions related - Hopelessness, sadness and grief or Happiness and Hope, the ability to let go
Organs working strongest in this season - Lungs, Colon, Skin and Nerves
Their time -  Lungs 3-5am, Colon - 5-7am
Visualisation - White Circle
Sound - Ssss

The Autumn winds creates drying conditions; leaves fall from trees dissolving into the earth, nourishing the roots so once again the tree will blossom.  Our skin dries, ready to peel yet another layer, allowing this massive organ to breathe more deeply.   This season/element is a time to  'let go' of all that disempowers us, creating space for renewed energy so that you create your seed ready to be watered through winter.
 
The autumn/air organs are excretory  - lungs, colon, skin and nerves.  
In the autumn season there may be times of sadness, grief and hopelessness, sometimes of desperation and an effort to grab hold of the past and stop the passage of time.
This is due to a deficiency in the air organs.  When they are in a state of health we feel joy, elation and hope, we want to LET GO of all that no longer serves, so we can make that new beginning in winter.
 
 "Just as the weather in autumn turns harsh, so does the emotional climate.  It is therefore important to remain calm and peaceful, refraining from depression so that one can make the transition to winter smoothly.  This is the time to gather one’s spirit and energy, be more focused, and not allow desires to run wild.  One must keep the lung energy free, full, clean, and quiet.  This means practicing breathing exercises to enhance lung Qi.  Also, one should refrain from smoking and grief, the emotion of lung.  This will prevent kidney or digestive problems in the winter.  If this natural order is violated, damage will occur to the lungs, resulting in diarrhea with undigested food in the winter.  This compromises the body’s ability to store in winter.”
~ Huangdi Neijing Suwen
 
Practice breathing exercises; make sure the breath moves deeply into the whole soft part of the belly giving the colon and all digestive organs a dip massage.  On the in-breathe the lungs expand, shoulders remain down and relaxed and the entire soft part of the belly expands as the diaphragm presses onto colon and all of the digestive organs.  

Deep breathing not only strengthens the lungs and the diaphragm (the lungs' muscle), it soothes the nervous system, especially the celiac nerves, which lie in the solar plexus located, between the apex of the lower ribs and navel, closer to the spine.  The celiac nerves control a lot of our digestion and adrenal function; rest/digest & fight/flight. 

Our emotions are first felt in the organs, when we breathe correctly the organs remain healthy and emotions become more balanced.  We have now discovered there are more nerves in the gut than the brain and that there is a great relationship between gut and brain.  So the health of the gut is an important area to look at for stress related issues, nervous tension and other mental health issues. 
 
My advice here is the importance of sitting up straight!!!!!  'Get off your organs' so the diaphragm can open to its fullest capacity enabling a deep massage the organs and free the celiac nerves.   See diagram below
 
The large intestine is an upside u shape, when we sit for too long, hunch our backs and lean into our organs we close off the ends and corners of the colon.  When we create blockages in the beginning and end of the colon we end up with hip problems as well as digestion, absorption and excretion problems.  The colon begins to sag and compresses the small intestine.
 
Drink plenty of water to keep the colon moving and prevent the skin from drying – along with ingesting good oils.
 
 Try This.  As you inhale through the nose the lungs, ribs and abdomen should be expanding, while the shoulders stay down and relaxed,  now exhale, the lungs, ribs and abdomen should be contracting.  Often in life the breath changes and does the opposite and ends up feeling 'normal'.  Practice this until you can train the breath to move correctly again, you will notice your stress levels will reduce quite rapidly This correct breathing  is essential if you have ANY kind of breathing or stress problems.

On the exhale we release stagnant energy (prana) as well as carbon dioxide, feel this as “giving” on the inhale  feel yourself “receiving” fresh Prana and oxygen.  'Giving' and 'Receiving' creates a sense of Connection.
 
 Autumn Yoga
 
All arm stretches will open the lungs and raising arms above the head will open the lower lung region, removing stagnant prana from the depths of the belly.
 
Postures such as cobra, camel, wheel will open the diaphragm and stimulate the spinal and celiac nerves, greatly bringing confidence and hope back into your life.  It will also help rid toxins and rectify breathing problems such as asthma and bronchitis. 
 
To massage the colon (large intestine); side bends, twists, one-legged forward bends, Nauli. 
 
For calming the nervous system; pranayama (breathing), nadhi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), Brahmari (humming bee) - this one is great for the calming the heart and reducing anxiety and keeping the brain strong.  With all breathing exercises exhale a little longer than the inhale, this will help to relax and reduce stress.
 
Eat foods in season
 
Pungent foods such as radish, liquorice root will strengthen the lungs and clean the lymphatic system.  Famous oats help to clean the colon and calm nervous system, bathing in them will soothe the skin.  Fermented foods or a good pre and pro biotic will feed the intestinal tract good bacteria, boosting the immune. 
 
In autumn we eat fewer cold, uncooked foods, and more warm, cooked foods.  Less salads and more soups and steamed vegetables such as winter squash, winter peas, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and yams, all the foods that grow in autumn.  Incorporate white, yellow and red foods into your meals.  
 
Foods that nourish the Metal/Air Element 

Foods such as wild rice, raw onions, garlic, radish, turnip, kohlrabi, cinnamon, mint, rosemary, scallions, cloves, fennel, anise, dill, mustard greens, horseradish, mustard, basil, nutmeg are considered metal foods.  These foods have a dispersing effect and promote energy circulation.  They mostly benefit sluggish, damp, lethargic, and cold people.  The taste associated with metal is pungent or spicy.
Some more warm and nourishing foods and herbs to add to your autumn diet are: Apple, Banana, Beets, Bell pepper, Bok choy, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Cranberry, Figs, Ginger, Grapes, Leeks, Pears, Persimmons, Plums, Pomegranate, Pumpkin, Red cabbage, Sage, Spinach, Thyme, Whole grains, Winter squash and Yam.
 
Very importantly
​
Cooler seasons are not a time for fasting, wait for the hotter months when the vessels are expanding ready to push toxins out.  In the cooler months our body is contracting pulling energy in, fasting now will draw toxins deeper into the system, especially toward the kidneys.

​The Earth Element – Work It Now!!!!

• Element - Earth – Adapting To Change
• Yellow Square
• Change of season, especially between summer and autumn 
• Organs working the strongest in this season - Spleen, Stomach and Pancreas and Muscles, especially between 7-11am.
• Emotions related with organs - Panic, Anxiety, Worry, Overthinking OR Confidence, Strength and Stability
• Feeling grounded, connected to earth mother, feeling nurtured.

 
 
The Earth element kicks in at times of change whether it be in between seasons, especially the hot months into the cooler months and in life in general.  
 
There is a heck of a lot that going on at the moment for us and earth mother, not that we are separate, we are one entity!!  At this moment there is a lot of fear and instability, which can lead to strong feelings of anxiety, which creates confusion.  
 
Even more so as the stomach, spleen and pancreas can make these feelings emerge quite strongly if the organs are out of balance and at the change of season these organs stand at the forefront.  Now more than ever is the time to balance these organs, allowing them to benefit us rather than be ruled by unwanted emotions and events.  Let’s embrace confidence and stability allowing us to adapt to and create change to our advantage.
 
The spleen is a fist-sized organ that sits just under the diaphragm at the back of the left rib cage, behind the stomach.  If you make a fist with your left hand, (this is the size of the spleen) and touch it to the back of the lower left ribs you are probably on the spleen.   This organ releases b-lymphocytes that target virus and bacteria and mark them for destruction, it often does this before we even realise we have symptoms.  The spleen also controls our mucous (and to a great extent our blood) as we move through change, such as in-between seasons or changes in life, this change often involves a cold.
 
Our body induces fever, which encourages lymphocytes to release, killing off virus and bacteria.  The fever burns out our old mucosa lining and pulls a fresh new adapted lining through, especially when we are going through big change in life not just the seasons.  It is important not to lower your temperature at these times unless you are in a danger zone, as we need to keep our natural heating/cooling system working. This system is known as the hara/dantien/tanden, which is approximately 3 fingers below the navel and three fingers inward.  This is where we should put our focus in every yoga/tai chi/chi kung practice as it is where we build our prana/energy/qi/chi/life force.  
 
This energy centre is connected with the tiny lymph in the small intestine called the peyers patches, which heat the body to create fevers and release lymphocytes to kill bacteria and virus that enter the gut.  The hara/dantian build energy/qi in the body that helps heat the body and fight infection.  This area heats, cools, thickens and thins our blood at the most appropriate times for our actions and reactions, allowing us to respond in the way we wish to, so long as we are not always pulling on our adrenals above the navel, giving us the same old responses.  
 
Seeing’s as there is such a strong flu going around it really is important to focus on the hara and work the spleen, giving it strength to bring through anti-bodies.  It is also a time to keep the muscles strong giving you the stability and confidence you need in all aspects of life!  Focus on what you are feeding into your stomach and that you are chewing your food properly to avoid the stomach having to make excess acid, as this also creates anxiety as well as digestive problems.  
 
Do this and you will have lots of calm energy.  You will feel strong and confident, you will move through change much more easily and create change to your advantage.
 
The spleen loves the flavours of bitter sweet, foods such as a salad of bitter green leaves with some grapes.  Drink Swedish bitters as it has massive immune and healing properties and chase that down with a teaspoonful of the golden elixir, honey!! Mmmmm 
 
The spleen also needs earthy, yellow foods such as pumpkin, which is delicious when cooked with aduki beans that help to strengthen and balance the kidneys, mix that with a little kelp as well, and you help to strengthen and balance the thyroid.  Sounds like a couple of good remedies to me.  Eating yellow fruits and vegetables is the key, all the foods that are growing in your season in your place.
 
Foods to eat for spleen qi include:
·      lentils

• quinoa

·      oats
·      malted grain beverages
·      root vegetables including sweet potato and taro
·      pumpkin and other squash
·      miso soup
·      orange peels
·      mustard leaf
Foods to avoidFoods to avoid for spleen qi include:
·      refined sugar
·      refined grains
·      fried or salty foods
·      iced or refrigerated foods or drinks
·      dairy products
·      citrus fruits
·      pork
·      yeasty foods, such as beer or dough

• banana

 
Read more about spleen energy   https://www.acupuncturepathways.com/news/2017/7/27/the-earth-element-spleen-and-stomach

If you wish to join my February retreat which begins on the 25th to create peace and stability book in now, only one room left Twin or Single
 
I have put together a little spleen yoga class for you to practice at home as there are now many that understandably don’t want to share space at the moment.  See home page
 
 I have a private Facebook page now where I am offering 4 classes per month at a fee of $28.   At the moment the classes are focused on the chakra system, there are many more classes up.   If you wish to join the monthly classes please click the link below.