Last night as I was closing up the farm store, a friend said to me how this season feels really harsh right now. I informed her it will pass, Scorpio season is here and will be over soon. This time of year can bring up a lot of emotions, anxiety, judgment, haste, and skepticism. The details are right in our faces and we can get lost in them if we don’t take breaks.
Remember to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. Ask what you need in each moment, because most likely what is bothering you is not as big as you think. What’s underneath the frustration and anger? Oftentimes, hidden beneath the anger is grief. Let the grief poke its head out and listen to what it needs. Sometimes a good cry is the best medicine during Scorpio season. Be gentle with yourself. Take breaks, go for walks, breathe.
Another tool for this time of year is spreadsheets. Yes, the herbalist in me also loves a good examination of truth. The numbers don’t lie. This is a good time of year to examine the details with a scrutinizing eye. Look over your finances for the year whether personally or for a business you run. This helps determine and clarify what is necessary to hold onto and what may be changed for next year.
Are there any subscriptions you pay for but didn’t even realize were being charged to your account? Does that product you make actually bring in any money or are you making it because you think you should? (That’s a good one for me!) Hey, you never took that vacation during the pandemic so there’s extra savings. Where can you invest it into a trip, an educational program you’ve always wanted to take, or set it aside for retirement or paying down that mortgage?
Autumn is Metal Time in TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine. The Lung and Large Intestine are affiliated with the element of Metal. The Large Intestine is in charge of letting go, elimination, release. It can feel harsh but it doesn’t always have to. Find rituals to honor the endings. Their peak time is 5-7am, when the body often moves its bowels.
I like to sit outside at sunrise and sunset to breathe into my belly, inviting that crispy dry air to sweep away the muck. Send it out through my toes and gift it back to the Earth, she will recycle all we don’t need in a good way. Thanks Goddess for the Earth!
Remember our breadth during Metal Time is crucial. The Lungs are the yin organ, bringing us fresh oxygen, cleansing our blood, nourishing our kidneys. We can’t live without them, they do so much for us without even paying much attention to them. So, when I feel anxious or judgy, I try to come back to my breadth. Being alive is such a gift. The breadth reminds us to slow down, be still even for a moment, and zoom out. When the lungs are in balance, they create space for what we want to call into our lives. Their peak time is 3-5am, a very quiet peaceful time to wake up and meditate.
Bringing our focus back to gratitude during Scorpio season is helpful when we’re stuck in patterns of unhealthy thoughts. I find myself wanting to blame others and take it out on the puppy for my frustrations this time of year. Find compassion for yourself and others. Nobody is to blame, you are not a victim, and yes, change can be hard, but you are completely capable and strong even when you just want to crawl back into bed and hide under the covers.
As I sit here in front of the fire, watching the dawn break over the hills, the bare trees contrasting the grey sky of November, I write in my journal a list of who and what I am grateful for. I thank Great Spirit, the breadth of life, for my chance to be here in this moment. Sending you all love and kindness today and every day.
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