Acupuncture

By Wendy Weiss, M.Ac., L. Ac. 

According to Five Element Acupuncture health and well-being are based on the seasons and the changing cycles of Nature. Each season has an energetic quality that also exists within us. Our health is a reflection of our relationship to Nature and the changing energy of the seasons.

What is the Fall Season? The ancient Chinese text, the “Nei Ching”, explains: “The three months of the fall are called the period of tranquility of one’s conduct…soul and spirit should be gathered together in order to make the breath of fall tranquil…all of this is the method for the protection of one’s harvest.”  In fall, everything approaches their completion. Leaves change color and fall to the ground, reflecting the passage of time. Fall reflects the ongoing rhythm of life’s transitions, including the cycles of birth and death.

How does the Fall relate to us? What is true in Nature is true within us. Fall is a time to reap one’s harvest, to conserve energy, and to consolidate and store what will nourish the body-mind for the coming winter. Fall is the time to acknowledge what one values most in life. It is time to reflect on the purpose of life, one’s sense of self-worth, and the meaningfulness of one’s life. 

What is the element of the Fall season? The Fall Season is associated with the metal element. The organs in the metal element are the lungs and the large intestine. They are in charge of receiving and letting go. The lungs receive the pure Chi,  life force energy,  from the heavens. When one inhales the breath, one can feel the connection to a greater source of inspiration. The large intestine is the great eliminator, in charge of letting go of all waste product.  As one exhales one can intentionally release anything that is no longer of value to the body-mind.

What is the purpose of the Fall Season?  Fall is a time to take stock of  one’s life, and let ‘fall away’ any patterns that no longer serve one’s highest quality of life. Letting go of old patterns makes room to receive something new that better serves one’s greater purpose. The emotion associated with fall is grief. The falling leaves reflect how loss is a natural part of life. In times of loss and grief, one can be re-inspired and comforted through each breath. Grief brings one to a deeper place, urging one to allow the next breath, to accept change, and to trust in the ongoing cycles of life .  

How can Acupuncture help us stay healthy in the Fall?  Five Element Acupuncture can help to build up the ‘defensive layer’ energy and strengthen the circulation of life force energy in the skin and muscles to help prevent pathogens from entering the body. Seasonal treatments can also support overall health, correcting minor imbalances before they become serious problems. 

How can I receive the Gifts of the Fall Season? During the fall, Nature’s brilliant and pristine colors nourish one’s inner quality and self-worth. Walk outside and breath deeply to strengthen one’s connection to one’s deepest purpose, and the unique beauty in one’s self and others. Consciously breath, and feel how the breath integrates the body-mind-spirit. Awareness of this essential connection through the breath helps to bring balance in the fall season. These are the ways we can receive the gifts of the fall season.

Wendy Weiss, M. Ac., L. Ac., is a Licensed Acupuncturist specializing in Five Element Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. She maintains offices in both Lakeport and Lower Lake and can be reached for further information at 277-0891. 

According to Chinese Medicine our health and well-being are maintained when there is balance and harmony in body, mind, and spirit.   

What does this mean to be balanced and in harmony?  

There is a universal Life Force energy that is in everything around us and in us. We can see it in Nature, through the movement of the Seasons. In Chinese Medicine the energies of the seasons are described as The Five Elements.  

Water is Winter, Wood is Spring, Fire is Summer, Earth is Late Summer, and Metal is Fall. We are connected to Nature, and the same energy of the Five Elements are expressed in us. 

The Five Elements correspond to all the organs of the body: 

Water:  Bladder – Kidney

Wood:  Gall bladder – Liver

Fire:     Small intestines – Heart, Triple Burner function (thermostat) – Heart protector/pericardium

Earth:  Stomach – Spleen

Metal:  Large intestines – Lungs 

In addition to the physical functioning of each organ, the Elements correspond to our mental and emotional levels, and the full range of emotions.  

Emotions are an expression of our Life Force energy.  When we are balanced, we can feel, express, and release our emotions. But when emotional energy becomes stuck or imbalanced it is harder to feel, express, and freely release emotions. We can feel mentally and emotionally stressed and out of balance.

These days there are many stresses, and it can be a daily challenge just to stay balanced. When we are in balance, we have resilience and flexibility to deal with daily ups and downs. What does balance look like? 

Here are examples of how each Element supports our mental and emotional energy: 

Water: appropriate fear – trust – faith – courage – reassurance 

Wood: appropriate anger – direction, assertion – self-esteem – clarity – intention 

Fire: joy – elation – spirit – relationship/ partnership – connection – open heart

Earth: sympathy – nurturing – understanding – groundedness 

Metal: appropriate grief – self-worth – purpose – inspiration – acknowledgement – respect 

But what happens when there are on-going stresses that challenge and drain our mental and emotional resilience? What does an imbalance look like?

Here are examples of mental and emotional expressions that may reflect an imbalance:   

Water:  constant fear – need for control – stress – anxiety 

Wood: unresolved anger – frustration – indecision – irritability – depression 

Fire: lack of connection – sadness – disconnection – bitterness – lack of joy – closed heart

Earth: obsessive worry – over-thinking – lack of sympathy – lack of nurturing

Metal: emptiness – low self-worth – pointlessness – unresolved grief

Imbalances that are not resolved can lead to mental or emotional conditions, or disease of the physical organs.   

How can we address these imbalances? 

When we feel out of balance at the mental or emotional level, the Five Elements can be a roadmap to guide us back to balance and harmony.  

Are you feeling stressed, full of anxiety, or the need to control the unknown? Look to the gifts of the Water Element. Do you need faith, courage, and trust?

Are you feeling irritable, frustrated, or depressed? Look to the gifts of the Wood Element. Do you need direction, assertion, self-esteem, clarity, intention?

Are you feeling a lack of connection, sadness, or bitterness?  Look to the gifts of the Fire Element. Do you need joy, partnership, connection, open heartedness?

Are you feeling worried, ungrounded, or a lack of nurturing? Look to the gifts of the Earth Element. Do you need sympathy, nurturing, understanding?

Are you feeling emptiness, a lack of purpose, or unending grief?  Look to the gifts of the Metal Element. Do you need respect, inspiration, acknowledgement?

It’s important during these times we take care of our mental and emotional well-being. Take some time to reflect and explore your own mental and emotional energy.

Celebrate and feel gratitude for areas of harmony and balance. Acknowledge and accept any areas that may need support to stay in balance. Take some time to feel the Gifts of the Five Elements within you, and let them guide you, to help clarify what you may need for your on-going mental and emotional health and well-being.