One of the many gifts I’ve received as a student and practitioner of East Asian medicine is connecting to the cycles of seasons. I have a deeper understanding that nature is not something out there, but that I am nature and can feel the movement of seasons within me.
As we transition from the season of Late Summer with its abundant harvest to the cooler crisper Autumn, I know some people have been craving this change, while others are dreading it. With the seasonal shift from the relatively more yang outward energy of outdoor gatherings and summer BBQs, to the relatively more yin and inward time of fall, some folks have been sharing their anxieties around this change in their acupuncture sessions.
During the summer, there is more sunshine, longer periods of light, and opportunities for outdoor play. This seasonal shift feels especially poignant now as we enter into another fall of unknowns with potential changing guidance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We may wonder and worry how we will be able to continue to gather and connect safely as we move indoors for the cooler season.
However, around this transitional time of year, I often feel drawn to make a special meal or recipe. It gives me the opportunity to intentionally slow down, be grateful for the bounty of the summer while also acknowledging this shift in season and, in some ways, mourning the changes. I am sharing what I have done as a simple structure for others who might want to mark this time, as well. I invite you to take what you’d like and leave the rest.
I gather with just a few close companions. That is, people I feel comfortable sharing space, joys, and tears with. We pick a recipe or meal to create together and set aside time to do this intentionally. This purposeful intention and concentration aligns with the spirit of the late summer which is the Yi. Over the course of preparation, we offer gratitude for the abundance in our lives.
As we make the recipe, we connect with our senses – noticing the colors, smells, taste-along-the way flavors, the sounds of chopping. This focusing on the body aligns with the spirit of the Autumn, the Po which is the Corporeal spirit. After preparing the recipe, we spend some time sharing losses, who or what we’re grieving, or what we’re letting go of. We give space and time for this. It can feel heavy but also simultaneously like lightening the load to openly acknowledge these personal and collective challenges. Then we’ll close by clearing or composting the scraps or burning something in a small fire. This is a gentle reminder that what is released is transformed and the cycles continue. Summer becomes fall, becomes winter, becomes spring.
An excellent recipe for this kind of ritual for marking the transition from late summer to autumn is fire cider. This elixir can help clear colds and aid digestion. The recipe includes pungent ingredients such as garlic and horseradish; the pungent flavor corresponds with autumn. It also includes warming ingredients like ginger and spicy peppers which can provide a useful heat to the digestive system in the cold months of fall and winter*. The recipe also creates a large batch that can be shared so this ritual is an act of both self and community care.
*Note: Pay attention to how you feel as you consume this as you would with any recipe. For some people who have a tendency towards heartburn or acid reflux, this may be too hot.
References
Han, E. (2020, January 29). Recipe: Fire Cider. Thekitchn.com. https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-fire-cider-recipes-from-the-kitchn-199972
Kastener, J. (2009). Chinese Nutrition Therapy: Dietetics in Traditional Chinese Medicine (2nd edition). Thieme Press.
Maciocia, G. (2005). The Foundations of Chinese Medicine (2nd edition). Elsevier Press.
