metal elements

Welcome!

In todays post I will be sharing my insight into Yin Yoga and how it can help you transition from the long and warm summer days, to the unpredictable and ever-changing colder days of Autumn. This Autumn Yin Yoga blog post was the theme of my in person classes this week which you are more than welcome to join here. We delve into the Traditional Chinese Medicine side of the practice to give you a greater understanding of the reason we sit in particular postures and how they can help bring balance.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses various elements to describe the essence of everything in life, including ourselves and our bodies. The properties of the elements help us in understanding our own mental and emotional patterns or habits.

Each element has connections with an individual meridian system, and its health is determined by the element’s balance or imbalance.

The METAL element is associated with the meridian system of the lungs and large intestine. These meridians are located in our arms. When practicing Yin Yoga, we may opt for postures which generate tension in the outer arm to target the large intestine or the inner arm to target the lungs.

Autumn Yin Yoga

Chinese medicine defines this meridian system by finding similarities with the Autumn season. Autumn is a period of decline, a shift from Yang (active season) to Yin (still season). The moment has arrived to start recognising what’s significant from what’s not. This transition can be observed in nature when the withered leaves fall throughout this season. They don’t, however, entirely die; rather, they become fertiliser, nourishing the land for the following season. It is an entire season of metamorphosis, so accepting changes and saying goodbye to the old will be needed in order to make room for the new.

The function of the organs associated with this meridian shows the same metamorphosis that we witness in nature. The lungs and large intestine are responsible for sorting what’s needed from the unnecessary. The lungs separate the oxygen that enters the bloodstream from the carbon dioxide that leaves the body. The Large Intestine collects the remaining nutrients from our food and separates them from what is useless and should be eliminated.

How the metal element impacts our being: Why is this important?

The Metal element describes the mental characteristics related with this meridian in the same way as the autumnal season explains the function of the organs.

The metal element symbolises structure, rigidity, stability, and strength. Someone with a strong metal will be disciplined, appreciate structure, behave ethically, and respect rules and authority. It is rigorous and efficient, with a strong drive and commitment to achieving the greatest outcomes.

As with any element, having too much or too little of it can cause an imbalance that affects our physical and mental well-being.

A physical imbalance in these meridians can cause disorders that affect the lungs, chest, and throat, such as asthma, colds, and sinusitis. It can also cause skin conditions including eczema and dry skin. In the large intestine, it can produce constipation or diarrhoea.

On a mental and behavioural level, too little metal leads to a lack of structure, indifference, a lack of bias, or a lack of care. On the other hand, too much Metal leads to harsh criticism, being critical, perfectionist, and having high expectations. It can lead to excessive rigidity, which causes an unwillingness to accept change and makes it difficult to let go.

The predominant emotion connected with an imbalance of this element is GRIEF, which is clinging on to something and unable to let go. It is an attachment to another person, a belief, a concept about ourselves or the universe and reality.

Why is this important? Because attachment and the unwillingness to let go are what hinder us from living in the present moment. And only complete presence allows us to experience true calm, contentment, and joy.

So, how do we LET GO?

Letting go is not an action; rather, it is the reverse. It is the release from clinging onto something. Stopping the attachment. It is about relinquishing the belief and expectation that we need something for us to be happy, whole, and fulfilled. LETTING GO means full acceptance of the present moment as it is. So there is nothing to do, so to speak but simply stop doing.

When we resist letting go, we are unable to feel full presence, and the present now is the only moment when we can experience wholehearted joy.

So maybe create some space, if not now, then at some point in your day, to self inquire. Reflect upon any areas in your life where you may be clinging on. Whether it be to a desired outcome or expectation. You could even be attached to the outcome of letting go! Like a dog chasing its own tail, if you learn to be still you will see there is nothing to let go of but the mere thought of the attachment in the first place.

• Are you being very strict in your life? In your plans, what are your expectations? Do you need to improve your flexibility in some areas?
•  How do you feel when things are changing? How comfortable are you with change?
•  Is there any aspect of your life that needs or is undergoing change?
•  Are there any areas where you are resistant to change?
• Are there any places where you are unable to let go of something or someone?
• Are you hanging onto any beliefs about who you are or how your life should be that are keeping you stuck in a state of resistance and rejection of reality? As a result, you are unable to completely experience what is.

Brahmacharya – Self inquiry

If the self inquiry is a little too challenging for you then may I suggest a few other ways you could explore surrendering:

If you related to any of the above questions, you may be experiencing a metal element imbalance and may benefit from a Yin practice that focusses on the lungs and large intestine meridians.This imbalance is common during the transition of yang summer season to the yin autumn season.  Postures aimed at the inner and outer arms aid in the removal of blockages in these meridian channels, which hinder the uninterrupted flow of energy through your body and so impact you emotionally or physically.

What else could you do? I would recommend embracing spontaneity. Get out of your comfort zone. Allow yourself to be in situations in which you have no control so that you may become more comfortable and lessen your connection to certain beliefs that may be keeping you stuck. You practice being more flexible and less rigid.

Another method is to practise “letting go” in a practical sense by getting rid of everything you don’t truly need so that your mind becomes more comfortable with it. Learning to let go of small things at first allows your entire being to become more comfortable with letting go of larger, challenging things. Clearing out your wardrobe and giving away clothing you no longer use to a charity can help you learn how to do this.

Of course, meditate. Practice yoga. Because that is precisely what we are engaging in: returning to presence. Acknowledge and accept the present moment. Without attempting to alter it in any way. Without any preconceived notions about how it ought to be. We practise being fully present in the breath and body. Only in this present moment can we discover serenity, contentment, and joy. Isn’t that what we all are seeking?

I do hope you have enjoyed reading todays blog and please leave a comment below if you have any feedback or questions.

In the meantime, I have attached a playable PDF version of the sequence created for my class this week below. Don’t forget to press the play button for it to live scroll through the sequence. There is also a simple recording of my Autumn Yoga Nidra you can listen to here. It’s a simple and effective Autumn Yoga meditation to help you to change your perspective of ‘letting go”.

Click here for the direct link to the recording.