There is a transformation taking place right now as I write this. In the poetic language of ancient China, Heaven is expanding its influence, and the Earth is receding. We see the latter by the ground giving up the last of its crops for the year (in temperate climates) and the trees letting go of their leaves in order to conserve energy to embrace the Winter. We call this time Autumn. It is the planet’s shift from the scattered energy of Summer, to an inward and downward movement that is reflected in both the world around us, and the world within us.
A Reflective Perspective
“The three months of Autumn, they denote taking in and balance…Let the mind be peaceful and tranquil, so as to temper the punishment carried out in Autumn.”
Let’s unwrap this a bit.
The “taking in” and “balance” denote the inward and downward movement of Autumn. Downward in this case is a balance because it is the balance to the upward movement of Spring (hence equinox). “Balance” in the original Chinese here can also mean to walk calmly–which is definitely something more intuitive in Autumn than Summer.
The “punishment” mentioned refers to the strong storms (typhoons) that hit China during late Summer and early Autumn. They can be so devastating that they were poetically labeled a “punishment”. The text explains that the storms are merely a consequence of Heaven (e.g. weather) beginning to exert a stronger influence over the Earth in this Season as I mentioned earlier. This shift in balance between Heaven and Earth is also called “oppressive” because it can feel that way to us after half a year of Earth’s dominance (think of the abundance and frolic of a usual Spring/Summer).
Attuning themselves to this “oppressive” downbearing feeling, and keeping the motif of “punishment” during the Han dynasty, they would also carry out the executions of criminals sentenced with capital crimes in Autumn. The Han government used ritual as both a symbol and a synergy with the resonance of each Season as a way of harnessing society to the way of Nature.
Finding Balance this November
Although most modern societies have moved away from this synergy with Nature, our own government has a ritual as well in Autumn (every four years): the Presidential election. As we continue to move through this very challenging and divisive time in our country, I hope we can remember the tranquility of Autumn, and the balancing of Heaven and Earth in Nature. Depending on our leanings, some elections can feel like Summer’s abundance, and others may seem like Autumn’s oppression. I would like to extend to you the opportunity to look at things through the lens of classical Chinese Philosophy: there is no “us” and “them”. We need each other. We are One.
We need all political parties (and more importantly the people within them) to be part of the Great Conversation. We are part of Nature and Nature is constantly seeking balance. To paraphrase Marcus Aurelius, “how can I hate my fellow when we are both part of the same jaw as upper and lower teeth?”
As we enter this season of our election ritual, let’s do our best to seek balance within as well as recognize the necessity of the other person, regardless of where you or they might stand. The Earth after all holds us all up equally without complaint.