The Five Element Theory has always spoken deeply to me. It belongs to the Daoist philosophy and it teaches us about the interconnection between the universe, the earth and ourselves, guiding us to live in harmony with the Tao (Dao), the way. It is about acting in accordance with nature, abiding by it, surrendering to it, and finding balance (yin and yang), peace and longevity. To achieve this, we must learn to follow the laws of nature.
Each element: wood, fire, earth, metal and water, carries its own individual season, vital (yin) organ, hollow (yang) organ, sensory organ, color, sound, and emotion. With the unfolding of the Chinese calendar, on August 7th we entered the Fall season, which is associated with the metal element. The organs the metal element governs are the lungs(yin) and the large intestines (yang). These are the organs associated with receiving and releasing. The metal element sense organ is the nose and the associated smell is pungent. Its color is white and its direction is west. The metal element’s emotion is sadness or grief and its sound is sobbing or weeping.
In The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, translated by Ilza Veith, it’s written that during the 3 months of fall we must act peacefully as the atmosphere of heaven is quick and the atmosphere of earth is clear. People should go to bed early and rise early.
Fall is the season of harvest, a time to prepare for the winter ahead. We must slow down and conserve our energy. Fall teaches us the beauty of letting go, just as the trees that surrender their leaves, trusting that they will return in the spring, we too are asked to let go what no longer serves us. To slow down, to soften and to live simply in the flow of the Dao.