Autumn is palpable as the leaves begin to change color, temperatures drop and we enjoy brisk breezes across the landscape. ln the garden, now is the time for chopping and dropping foliage to prepare for the dormancy of winter, and allow their spent energy to compost and transform into next year’s harvest. Trees are also beginning to shed their leaves now, to make space for new growth.
Autumn energy invites reflection and release. It presents an opportunity to let go of what no longer serves us—be it physical possessions, emotional burdens, or outdated beliefs. It is a time for allowing spent emotions, people and situations to fall away. This prepares us for the rich stillness of winter, and makes space for our own new growth. If we don’t have a chance to release, then we take all “that stuff” into our dormancy and may struggle to rest and regenerate.
Supporting our Lungs in Letting Go
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Autumn is Metal Element season, impacting the lungs and large intestine organs of the body. The season is characterized by dryness, contraction, and the act of "letting go." We support the lungs and immune system as they are more vulnerable this time of year. In TCM it is also a time for processing grief, loss, old patterns and emotional baggage. Not doing so allows this energetic clutter to clog and stagnate in the lungs and large intestine.
Embracing Change
None of this is easy, In fact, it feels really hard, but I take comfort in the fact that Nature and my body are supporting this desire to let go and clear my mindbodyspirit house. If we observe Nature, it teaches us how to respond to each season. We benefit from releasing what weighs us down, and lend support to ourselves for the future seasons of our lives. It is integral to personal growth.
The Power of Decluttering
One of the most effective ways to let go is by decluttering our physical spaces. Our environments significantly impact our mental and emotional well-being. According to studies, living and working in cluttered spaces can lead to feelings of anxiety and distraction.
As the season progresses, take stock of your belongings. Look around and sit with questions like: What is no longer serving a purpose? What am I done using? What do I truly need? What holds sentimental value, and what can I let go of? By decluttering, you create more peace and harmony and relieve yourself from the emotional weight of unnecessary items.
This process can be liberating. For instance, when individuals donate clothing they no longer wear, they report feeling a sense of freedom and lighter spirits—often described as "emotional weight lifted." Letting go of items that no longer align with who we are can be a powerful act of self-care, encouraging us to move forward with clarity and purpose.
Letting go of Emotional Baggage
Letting go includes releasing emotional burdens. We need to declutter our emotional landscapes. Many of us carry past hurts and regrets that hinder our ability to live fully. It can be hurts from last week, regrets from last year, or painful patterns from childhood. Research indicates that individuals who actively work to release emotional baggage can experience a 40% increase in relationship satisfaction and overall happiness. What could your life look like with that level of increased harmony with yourself, others, and the world around you?
Responding to the season
To start releasing emotional weight, try journaling or practicing mindfulness. What are you feeling that you have pushed to the background to be dealt with later? Reflect on emotions and experiences that you are holding close. Acknowledge these feelings and the impact they have on you, remembering they do not define you.
Therapeutic and contemplative practices are a path to self-healing. Our feelings need a pathway out of the body - an avenue for expression. So often we lack a safe space for feeling our feelings, or don't feel like we have time to create that space. Carving out time for mindful movement, journaling, art, nature, connection, or otherwise engaging the parasympathetic nervous system is so advantageous for our well-being. Our brain, nervous system, spirit, guts, and heart are longing for it.
Autumn Release Series
To support this time of reflection, I am hosting a free community offering, The Autumn Release Series, which allows you an opportunity to ritualize your letting go. We often know the emotional or spiritual work we want to do, but struggle to find the right time and setting to do it. I'm setting aside Tuesdays to offer short, simple, and sustainable evenings filled with all the right elements to allow you to release in a way that feels supported and nourishing.
Simple rituals subtly elevate an ordinary action into something sacred. Rituals create a container—physical, emotional, and energetic—that helps us slow down, become present, and connect with our inner truth or wisdom. Through symbolic actions and intentional space, rituals engage the senses, the body, and the soul. This deepens the act's meaning, activates our emotions, and allows the subconscious to participate in the process. Rituals light up the brain, communicating “This moment is important.” The illuminated brain then integrates, transforms, and remembers the experience long after it ends. In essence, ritual turns action into ceremony, ceremony into healing, and healing into lasting change.
On these Tuesday evenings, we will gather and take some time to ground our energy through sound, breath and Qigong. The gentle movements of Qigong deepen our embodiment of the Metal Element, supporting the lungs, large intestine and immune system.
Herbal tea is mindfully prepared and served. The herbs support immune health, relaxation, writing and releasing. We move into uncensored, fast-paced, illegible writing, allowing you to express, without a filter, whatever is on your mind or in your heart. Writing prompts are provided to stoke your inner flame. Afterward, we take time to ceremonially burn the private writing, and reflect on what we might take home in its place.
Embrace the Journey
The season of letting go teaches us about the beauty of change and renewal. By releasing what no longer serves us, we cultivate space for new opportunities and experiences.
As you make your way through this season, be gentle with yourself. Remember that letting go is a journey - a process, and it's worthwhile to take your time and honor your feelings. Only do what feels doable. Embrace the spirit of autumn and allow it to inspire your transformation as you shed the old before welcoming the new.
In this season of reflection, may you find clarity, peace, and the courage to let go.
