The following text is excerpted from <> – Su Wen, Chapter 2: Si Qi Tiao Shen Da Lun. Although it is short, it conveys the core principles of living in harmony with the autumn season according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.
"...秋三月，此謂容平，天氣以急，地氣以明，早臥早起，與雞俱興，使志安寧，以緩秋刑，收斂神氣，使秋氣平，無外其志，使肺氣清，此秋氣之應養收之道也，逆之則傷肺，冬為飱泄，奉藏者少。..."
Directly translated as:
"...The three months of autumn are meant to be peaceful and calm. The sky is high and the wind is brisk; the earth is cool and dry. Go to bed early and get up early, following the rooster's daily rhythm, in order to keep the mind peaceful and stable, soften the harsh influence of autumn, withdraw the emotions and spirit to align with the calmness of the autumn Qi, and do not express your thoughts and desires excessively, so that the Lung Qi remains clear and cool. This is the way of nourishing the body's capacity for withdrawal and collection during autumn. If you go against it, you will injure the Lung Qi, weaken the foundation for storing energy in winter, experience digestion-related health issues, and have little energy in reserve..."
The key words for autumn are "withdraw" and "collect." Like farming, with proper planting in the spring and growth in the summer, there will be a good harvest in the autumn. However, an autumn without a harvest is a sad one, and sadness is an unhealthy emotion. Likewise, in a person's life, if one does not study diligently as a student or work hard as an adult, then upon reaching old age, little will have been accomplished. Such a later life is often filled with regret rather than being "peaceful and calm."
The good news, however, is that even if you have missed a few autumn harvests, if you begin now to respect and follow the laws of nature, you can still prepare yourself for the years ahead and reestablish a healthy lifestyle.
After a hot summer filled with activity, Yin becomes stronger while Yang begins to withdraw inward. In TCM we say, "Preserve Yang in spring and summer, and preserve Yin in autumn and winter." But how do we preserve Yin and Yang? In general, to nourish and preserve Yang, we should allow Yang Qi to move outward and express itself during spring and summer through more physical activity, less rest, and more sweating, because sweating is one sign of abundant Yang Qi. When autumn and winter arrive, however, we should do the opposite by resting more, reducing physical and mental activity, and sweating less. Since sweat is transformed from Yin fluids, it is closely related to the body's Essence (Jing). Sweating less helps preserve Yang Qi while simultaneously nourishing Yin and conserving Essence.
"...go to bed early and get up early, following the rooster's daily rhythm...": Roosters naturally follow the transition between Yin and Yang. This passage teaches us to adjust our daily schedule by going to bed earlier and rising earlier in order to preserve Yin. We recommend going to bed no later than 10:00 p.m. local time whenever possible, and waking around sunrise.
"...soften the harsh influence of autumn, withdraw the emotions and spirit to align with the calmness of the autumn Qi...": Autumn is an emotionally sensitive season because nature gradually moves toward a quieter, less vibrant, and seemingly more "depressing" state. If we do not keep our minds calm and balanced, we can easily be influenced by these seasonal changes. The purpose of this advice is to teach us how to protect our mental and emotional well-being during autumn.
"...if you go against it, you will injure the Lung Qi...": The Lungs are the organ associated with autumn, and they correspond to the Metal Element. Their natural preference is to remain "clear and cool." Therefore, we should follow the principle of "withdrawing Yang and preserving Yin" in order to nourish the Lungs. If we fail to do so, the harsh Qi of autumn may injure the Lung Qi and contribute to health conditions related to the respiratory system.
"...weaken the foundation for storing energy in winter, experience digestion-related health issues, and have little energy in reserve...": If we do not follow the principles of autumn by withdrawing Yang Qi inward and conserving our energy, then we will not have sufficient Yang Qi during winter to protect us from the cold, properly digest the food we eat, or generate adequate energy for the body's functions.
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