LaPlata Acupuncture and Healing Arts
203 Centennial Street
107
La Plata, MD 20677
More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles
Autumn Season Of Letting Go
As autumn is upon us we may notice the energy in nature coming down. Nature is saying we are going down, preparing to slow down for winter. As the leaves fall we are reminded of letting go and the ultimate letting go, death. The emotion in autumn is grief and the virtue is acknowledgement and acceptance. Yes we must eventually let go of everything in the natural world, and we can acknowledge the beauty and grace these things have given us.
It is not unusual for people to remember past losses in autumn. Grief can be a healthy emotion. The question is “Have we grieved enough or are we stuck in grief?” Sometimes we move between the two.
Twenty-three years ago, my 21-year old nephew passed away after being hit by a drunk driver. It was an unexpected loss that truly cut deep (as metal often does). Still, when I think of him, tears come to my eyes. The virtue though is to remember his gifts to all of us and the beauty he leaves behind.
If metal is a predominant energy in a person, loss will become a main theme in a person's life. One loss reminds us of another and we can go deeper into the grief. The strengths of metal energy are the ability to perceive the awesomeness in life, to take in the deep breath of inspiration in the face of it all.
Metal energy was so present at a funeral I attended for a former pastor of our church. There must have been 15 members of the clergy, most dressed in regal attire. When I saw them in a procession toward the altar, it took my breath away. This reverence we find in spiritual places is also in nature. Take a look around. Breathe in the preciousness and awesomeness of the autumn. At no other time of year will you find such crispness and brightness.
Sometimes when we become stuck, acceptance is what we must strive for. Yes the acceptance of life as it is. This does not mean never growing or changing (what we associate with springtime), but life is just how it is in this moment. It is that acceptance that we strive for.
With acupuncture we strive to balance this energy. This season let go of the rubbish (things we don't need) and take in the beauty, crispness, and awesome inspiration of the autumn. Breathe!
