Autumn Wellness: Balancing Body and Mind for the Season of Harvest

Autumn is the season of harvest, with cooler weather gradually setting in. The dry climate can have some effects on the body, so it’s essential to focus on wellness during this time, maintaining both physical balance and inner harmony.

1. Nourishing the Lungs and Moisturizing Dryness

Autumn’s dry air can cause skin dryness, a parched throat, and coughing. In traditional Chinese medicine, autumn is associated with “dryness,” and the lungs are closely connected to this season. Therefore, nourishing the lungs and preventing dryness are key to autumn wellness. Foods such as pears, white radish, snow fungus, and lily bulbs can help moisturize the lungs and generate body fluids to combat dryness.

2. Emphasizing Warmth and Nourishment

As the weather cools, the body’s yang energy begins to recede. During autumn, it’s important to focus on warm and nourishing foods to strengthen the body’s immunity. Foods like yam, chestnuts, red dates, glutinous rice, and longan are beneficial for improving immunity.

3. Staying Warm to Prevent Cold

Autumn brings significant temperature fluctuations, especially between morning and evening. It’s important to dress warmly when the weather cools to prevent colds. Pay special attention to keeping the abdomen and feet warm, as these areas are more prone to cold invasion. Drinking ginger tea or red date and longan tea in the mornings and evenings can help keep the body warm.

4. Moderate Exercise to Strengthen the Body

Autumn is a great time for outdoor activities, as moderate exercise not only strengthens the body but also boosts immunity. Activities like hiking, jogging, and practicing Taoist Light Qigong in the cool, crisp air can enhance lung function and improve mood. However, avoid excessive sweating to prevent cold from entering the body.

5. Regulating Emotions and Maintaining Peace of Mind

As the seasons change, some people may feel emotionally low, experiencing what is often referred to as "autumn blues." Therefore, during autumn, it’s not only important to care for the body but also to focus on emotional well-being. Activities like moderate exercise, listening to music, or practicing Qigong can help relax the body and mind, keeping your mood positive and stable.

Conclusion

Autumn is a season of harvest and renewal. During this time, we should follow nature’s rhythm by adjusting our diet, keeping warm, and paying attention to our emotional state. With the right approach to wellness, we can store energy in the body throughout autumn, preparing for the winter ahead.

Tao Te Ching - 12

Colors blind the eye.


Sounds deafen the ear.


Flavors numb the taste.


Thoughts weaken the mind.


Desires wither the heart.

The Master observes the surroundings,


But trusts his inner vision.


He chooses to let go of the outer world,


And come back to the inner core.

Translated by Chiyan Wang

Our five senses can distract us, and indulgence can mislead us. Are you practicing correctly? The only measure is whether you experience more desire and chaos or simplicity and harmony.

Tao Te Ching- 11

Thirty spokes share a single hub;

it is the empty space in the center that makes the wheel useful.

Clay is shaped into a vessel;

it is the empty space inside that makes the vessel useful.

Doors and windows are cut to make a room;

it is the empty space within that makes the room useful.

Thus, being is what we work with,

non-being makes it useful.

Considering the physical body and shen (soul/consciousness), the physical body represents existence and being. It is like a wheel, vessel, or room. In contrast, shen is like air, empty space, and non-being. The physical body is what we work with when we feel and do, but shen (our mental state) is the most useful. In other words, we cultivate shen through our body.

Translated by Chiyan Wang

10 – Tao Te Ching

Embracing body and spirit as Oneness,

can they be separated?



Cultivate Qi to make it soft and gentle,



can you be like a new born baby?



The vision would be unhindered after purification,



will it have no flaws?



Love people and govern the country,



can it be non-doing?



Open and close the gate of heaven,



can you be feminine (quiet and gentle)?



Brightened and clear in all directions,



will you understand all things?



Give birth and nurture,



but without possessing;

Accomplishing without taking credit,



Leading without controlling,



This is called supreme virtue.

Translated by Chiyan Wang

Edited by Robert H. Smitheram

Chapter 10 of the Tao Te Ching discusses the importance of maintaining unity between body and spirit, cultivating softness and simplicity, and purifying one’s vision. It emphasizes leading and loving without imposing one’s will, achieving without taking credit, and nurturing without controlling. The chapter highlights the Taoist principles of harmony with the natural order and practicing non-action (wu wei), where actions are in alignment with the natural flow of life, resulting in true virtue and effortless accomplishment.

Qi is the connector between body and spirit. Only when we allow Qi to be as soft and gentle as a baby are we the most connected.

Tao Te Ching - 9

Fill a bowl to the brim,

it will spill.

Over-sharpen a blade,

it will be dull.

Gold and jade fill a room,

But no one can protect them.

Boast about wealth and status,

And calamity will follow.

As one achieve success and fame,

then step back.

This is the way of the Tao.

Chapter 9 of the Tao Te Ching focuses on the principle of moderation and the pitfalls of excess. It teaches that overreaching and accumulation can lead to loss and harm, emphasizing the importance of knowing when to stop and contenting oneself with what one has. This chapter reflects the Taoist principles of balance, simplicity, and the natural flow of life.

Translated by Chiyan Wang

Edited by Robert Smitheram

Tao Te Ching – 8

The highest good is like water.

Water benefits all things and does not compete.

It stays in lowly places, which others disdain.

Therefore, it is closest to the Tao.

In dwelling, be close to the land.

In contemplation, go deep in the heart.

In relationships, be gentle and kind.

In speech, be true.

In ruling, be just.

In work, be competent.

In action, watch the timing.

No fight; no blame.

This passage highlights the qualities of water as a metaphor for living in harmony with the Tao (the Way). It suggests that just as water benefits all things without striving, a person can live humbly and harmoniously, adapting to circumstances and avoiding unnecessary conflict.

There is a saying: "The wise love mountains; the benevolent love water."  Which one do you love?

Tao Te Ching - 7

Heaven is long-lasting and Earth endures.

They can be long-lasting and enduring

Because they do not live for themselves.

Thus, they can last long.

The Taoist puts himself last, so he is ahead.

He is detached and remains secure.

Is it not because he is selfless

That he can achieve his goals?

Translated by Chiyan Wang

Edited by Robert Smitheram Ph.D

This chapter emphasizes the concept of selflessness and the paradox that by not putting oneself first, one can achieve lasting presence and success. A cultivator's goal is to benefit all sentient beings, which aligns with the Tao. When one follows the Tao, everything else follows effortlessly.

Tao Te Ching - 6

The spirit of the Tao never dies;

It is called the Mysterious Mother.

The gateway of the Mysterious Mother

Is the root of heaven and earth.

Everlasting existence,

Its function is limitless.

Translated by Chiyan Wang

Edited by Robert H. Smitheram

The Tao is timeless and eternal, unchanging before heaven and earth and throughout the present time. The mysterious mother is creative, nurturing, and receptive—qualities essential and powerful to the functioning of the universe. Taoist cultivators trust in the unlimited source of energy provided by the Tao and the boundless potential of life it offers. Furthermore, by trusting in our own pure essence to provide nurturing energy for others, we connect to this endless source.