Have you ever felt a feeling of melancholy on a crisp autumn day that appeared almost out of nowhere?

The kids are back at school, the tourists have gone home, and suddenly there is this feeling of emptiness.  So then you start remembering…..remembering your ancestors, remembering sentimental things,  remembering your first pet hamster and then all of a sudden you are a sobbing mess?

Well according to Oriental Medicine, that is completely to be expected.  Autumn is associated with the season of Metal in  the five element system. More about the five elements here  http://acupunctureology.com/the-five-elements-in-oriental-medicine/ 

The corresponding emotion of the Metal element is grief and sadness.  The organ correlated with the metal element is the lung and it is the lung organ which expresses grief and sadness through its quivering sobs. 

The lung organ is particularly sensitive during this time of year as is our stored grief in the Autumn season.  This is why any trigger can set us off into a spell of sadness whether it is something major or something as trivial as a hallmark commercial on televsion. 

Nine years ago on a picture perfect morning in New York City the United States first was exposed the emotion of shock.  This numbing experience was soon followed by expressions of grief and sadness for the many innocent men, women, fathers,husbands, mothers, daughters, wives, sons, and grandparents that lost their lives in this tragic historical occurence.  

Oriental Medicine believes that all emotions are normal and natural and that they only cause disease when they get stuck and are not expressed and resolved.

If you find yourself today feeling the need to express the deep sadness that you, the nation and world feel as a whole, take a moment to remember that expressing grief is in harmony with the energy of the Autumn, and remember those who lost their lives. 

May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.