The Lunar Review

Season of the Metal Element

The Metal Element season begins when autumn is in full swing. The calendar may show that fall began at the end of September, but the weather is often warm and balmy then, as it hosts the fruitful Harvest Time. In many Northern Hemisphere countries, it is sometime in October that autumn starts showing its true colors, ushering in the Metal Season.

Metal is one of the key components in the Five Elements Theory. This theory rests upon a solid foundation of ancient Taoist wisdom, and is the basis for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It groups natural phenomena into five categories- Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Every element is completely unique in character. Each relates to specific traits from different categories such as internal organs, emotion, sound, color, taste, meteorological factor, sense organ, and much more. For example, the color associated with Metal is white, and red for Fire.

Everything in the same group, or pattern, shares common traits. Through these connections we can accurately observe the ways in which our internal bodily systems relate to one another, how we connect with our immediate outside environment, and even the significance of our world in the context of the cosmos.

The underlying premise is that nature unfolds in elegant, predictable patterns. There is a natural order present in every aspect of our bodies, the Earth, and the Heavens. There is an invisible thread that links it all, the intricate web that has no weaver. This viewpoint provides comfort and succor for the soul, as well as the basis for practical advice and instruction on how to live a balanced, healthy life.

Metal Season puts us right in the middle of autumn, when death has never looked so beautiful. Red, orange and bright yellow colors blaze in a dazzling display of foliage before falling to the ground. This process of releasing dead leaves redirects energy to the root system of a tree. This allows the tree to conserve and protect its vitality as colder, harsher conditions whip through the environment.

Thus autumnal weather demonstrates the wisdom of turning loose and releasing what no longer retains value. The internal organs associated with Metal are the lungs and large intestine. Both of these expunge toxic, old and useless material from the body. Letting go, ending something, sets the stage for a fresh cycle to begin. 

The lungs draw in air through inspiration, and exhale old, stale air through expiration. With every single cycle of breath, the process of life and death plays over again and again. The large intestine makes the final decision in regards to nutrition, is the material nutritious enough to integrate into the body, or must it be expelled as a waste product? Both the lungs and large intestine invest their energy in letting go of what no longer serves a purpose.

Metal personality types are known for their self-discipline, organizational skills, resilience, hard work and the ability to control their thoughts and behaviors. They understand the value of production and won’t hesitate to roll up their sleeves to accomplish their goals. Their archetype is The Judge. They perceive the world in a binary way- actions are right or wrong, thoughts are correct or incorrect, their world is black and white.

The shadow side creeps in when The Judge becomes rigid and overly judgemental. Depression lurks and weighs them down when they remain glued to the past. The emotion related to Metal is grief and its complimentary sound is crying. What better way to liberate feelings of sadness than through weeping! The lightness experienced in the body is palpable and the mind is free after a good cry.

Their lesson is to transform sadness into wisdom. When they isolate themselves for too long, they lose the warmth generated from being in contact with their fellow man. Sharing themselves with others helps soften the harder, tough qualities of metal. Life is more than just a job well done, and Metal can benefit from engaging with the joy and community that is the hallmark of the Fire Element. 

The Metal Season is a yin time of the year. The Taoist Principle of Yin and Yang states that these two forces compose everything in the Universe. They are opposite yet complementary forces that depend on each other for their existence. Yin is feminine, quiet, cold and passive while yang is masculine, loud, hot and active.

In autumn we kiss the yang season of summer goodbye. This can be bittersweet, and sad to leave behind the days of such a warm, active and optimistic season. The Metal season asks us to consolidate our energy, turn inward and become more introspective. The time to prepare for winter is now so there is a smooth transition from the Season of Dying (autumn) to the Season of Death (winter).

In the Metal Season, the balance of yin and yang conspires to give us the best opportunity to reflect on the most meaningful things in our life. The process of reflection is one that takes time and a lot of careful, serious thought. As temperatures drop, the daylight hours shrink, nature shows signs of contracting and slowing down. Our internal environment mirrors the external one.

To nurture the growing yin energy, reserve more time for rest, or at least a slowdown in any rigorous activities is in order. Since yin slowly expands this season, in order to keep the balance, yang steadily declines. This means less outgoing, active, and even aggressive energy is available to us.  However, for those in the prime of their youth, or blessed with copious amounts of vitality, the slowdown will look very different compared to everyone else. It’s all relative, one person’s active, productive day can be another one’s slow, contemplative day.

Everyone can benefit from eating warmer, yang foods and less of the cooling yin kind. The flavor associated with Metal is pungent. The pungent taste is spicy, sharp and very strong. It activates the lungs and large intestine, helping to promote movement, and alleviate stagnation. This time of year try eating more garlic, chives, ginger, chili, cinnamon, and wasabi. 

The color associated with Metal is white so eating foods with a whitish color also helps boost vitality. This includes food such as daikon radish, fermented dairy products, turnips, cauliflower, mushrooms and potatoes. Avoid eating too much of anything that produces mucus, like fried food or ice cream, as this can lead to phlegm in the lungs. You can think in simple terms- more warm stews and soups, less cold salads.

White is known to be the combination of all colors. It most resembles the color of metals found in nature, and those purposely forged in fires. In our bodies it is the iron, and other essential minerals that are metallic in nature, that gives us our strength, resilience and structure. The sword is an apt representation of Metal- perfectly crafted, refined and able to cut through things with deadly precision, whether it be a physical object or metaphorically getting to the truth. 

Metal is also associated with wind, dryness and the skin. In autumn, it is usual for a dry wind to kick up. The air takes on a sharp, crisp element to it, giving a clearer vision of what’s in front of us. When ultimately the foliage falls away, it leaves a vivid, unadulterated picture of our landscape. 

Less humidity and moisture fill the air, giving way to rough, dried out skin. You can measure your internal state of hydration by observing your epidermis, the outer most layer of your skin, and your mouth and lips. The desire to drink fluids might lessen as the heat of summer subsides. Stay hydrated by drinking enough pure water, not counting coffee, tea, juice or sodas. Water at room temperature or warmed up is well received by your lungs and stomach. This way there’s less effort on the part of your stomach to warm up the fluid, and more energy for digestion.

Keeping a healthy lifestyle becomes more important under these environmental conditions. There is a TCM saying that presses this point- Wind is an evil external pathogen and brings the hundred diseases. Wind invasion causes disruptions in the body leading to cough, asthma and a difficulty for the body to protect itself. To beat the wind, in addition to wearing a hat, also cover up the nape and front portion of your neck. This is a vulnerable part of the body as the skin is very thin here.

The lungs aid in dispersing fluid to the surface of the body to nurture and hydrate the skin. They also communicate with the outermost surface layer of the skin by controlling the opening and closing of the pores. In this way the boundary between the body and the external environment remains under the jurisdiction and regulation of the lungs.

The spiritual aspect of Metal is called the Po, also known as the corporeal soul or the animal soul. It integrates with us at our first breath, and leaves us at our last. It is the personality of the body, responsible for our primal instincts, physiological processes and the autonomic functions. Autonomic functions occur automatically such as respiration, cardiac and reflexes.    

The Po relates to our five senses, and its journey lasts only as long as we are alive. It originates  from the Earth and goes back to the Earth. This is in contrast to another aspect of the soul called the Hun. The Hun originates in Heaven, so upon physical death, this subtle, ethereal soul remains with us as the journey from dense matter enters into the realm of the numinous.

Evidence of a healthy Po exists in a person who is self-assertive, independent, fair and involved with the present moment. Such a person can feel things, but not dwell on them. This allows for the timely release of negative or extreme emotions (in TCM prolonged, excess joy denotes a pathological state of being). They do not fall into the trap of clinging to the past, as the shadow side of Metal is prone to do.

As the days shorten and our energy turns inward, the time and space for reflection presents itself. There is still time to change direction before winter arrives. Once the still and silent Season of Death is upon us, there is little left to do but engage in quiet contemplation. To prepare for this, honor the past- by taking only what is valuable, and letting the rest lie in the burial ground.

Vanessa Vogel
Vanessa Vogel
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