There’s nothing quite like a hurricane in the Gulf and the subsequent tropical rains to signal the end of summer. Autumn begins on Sunday, September 22 with the equinox, and our bodies shift from being in the Fire Element mode of summer to the Metal Element of autumn. The metal element pertains to our ability to have our inner world interact with the outer world in a nourishing, safe, and healthy way. From respiration–the taking of air from the outside and breathing it in–to regulation–our skin’s ability to moderate our temperature internally and at the surface, the Lung and Large Intestine organs rule the season. 

Moving from the inside to the outside and back again is a process likened to a swinging door and our ability to navigate these thresholds enables us to transition from season to season, as well as from life event to life event. This process of transition is a combination of letting go of what is no longer needed and taking in new nutrients that we do need. Any desire to grasp at what is changing gets in the way of this process, so no grasping, hoarding, or bemoaning loss unnecessarily.

Take in what you need, let go of that you do not. Practice with easy things first, graduate to hard things later. Clean out your fridge, empty your pantry of unused items, and on a deeper level, learn to move through bigger losses and changes in your life. This season can help you learn to release what is no longer needed and search for that which you could use now. This is a very powerful time of year for personal growth, so don’t spend the entire season watching the news go by. You are the protagonist of this story. Spend time nurturing yourself, being present and open to the season, and paring down to the essential you. An autumn spent cleaning out your inner house prepares you for the coming winter, the new year, and the best you for the future.