Making the Most of Autumn in Paris

Summer is officially over on September 23. Boo! The days are shorter, warmth leaks away faster. Soon my tank tops will be tucked away and scarves taken out of retirement. But I’m not ready for the carefree, easy days of l’été à Paris with all the music festivals and picnics to end. The Heart, the master of the Summer season, doesn’t want the Fire to go out.

But letting go is precisely the lesson of Autumn.

Everything in nature moves in cycles, including our bodies and minds. In Chinese medicine, Autumn is the season for drawing in, for gathering our resources in preparation for the long dark of Winter. The Heart, ruler of Summer and Joy and the element Fire, cedes its place to the Lungs, who monitor Autumn and Grief and control the element Metal.

It definitely sounds less entertaining, moving from Joy to Grief. But there’s a logic to it, and a beauty that comes from harmonizing one’s self with the world. Autumn doesn’t mean you have to indulge in feelings of sadness. It’s the season for coming to terms with loss so that resolution can strengthen you inside and out. Letting go of that which is no longer necessary is perhaps the best way to live in the moment, to celebrate the life that you’ve made. On a physical level, letting go of congested material in the Lungs helps you breathe and ensures your immune system can fight the viruses, bacteria and pathogens that have gotten lodged in your mucus membranes. We also need to transition from the heat and pleasure of the Fire element to the Metal element’s ability to maintain healthy boundaries, which we need for balance. Recognizing what is sufficient and what is too much allows you to take what you need and appreciate what you have.

So even though it’s hard (for me at least) to say goodbye to Summer’s raucous enthusiasm, I know that settling into Autumn’s rejuvenating introspection is going to refresh and carry me through the year.

Besides, I do rock a scarf.

Here’s how to enjoy Autumn

Take care of your Lungs
The Lungs will bask in every bit of TLC you show, leading to both strong immunity and a healthy sense of self, because the body and the mind always work together. Check out my article for 5 important tips on treating the Lungs well.

If you’re looking for that extra boost to stay healthy, improve energy, reduce the effects of aging and reconnect to your truth, get ready for a detox workshop November 22 hosted by yours truly and healthy chef and yoga teacher Cameil Kettenring, feature yoga + acupuncture + healthy juices. Stay tuned for details.

Do
Get organized. Just like the harvest coming in or the air circulating through our alveoli, the power of the Lungs lies in its ability to gather things when they are needed and send them on when they are not. Let your outer environment reflect your inner environment. Clean out the cupboards, donate your used clothing or furniture. Your home may be a bit sparer, but it will also be cleaner and more peaceful—a good nest for you to enjoy the abundance of life from.

Here’s a list of charity shops.

Have fun
Just because introspection is in order doesn’t mean you have to be a hermit in your newly de-cluttered apartment. Art and culture feed the mind and senses, and help us transcend the daily grind.

–The Autumn Festival showcases over over 50 international works in music, theater, cinema, dance, visual arts and performance art in more than 40 venues in and around the city.

– Time Out Paris keeps a nicely vetted list of shows, exhibitions and happenings.

– If you want to be sure not to miss any of the top art exhibitions, check here.

Eat
This is the harvest season, with a bounty of fruits and vegetables whose intense flavors remind us of the richness of life. Eat these: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, brussel sprouts, winter squash, turnips, grapes.

Autumn begins the dry season (dry skin, lips or throat, a dry cough, itchiness, thirst), but many items from nature’s table have properties that can ameliorate that.

– Nuts and seeds are oily and moisten the body.

– Honey is a well-known sore throat soother and cough reducer.

– Pumpkin helps the Lungs and throat get rid of mucus.

– Sour foods such as pineapple, lemon, grapefruit and apple work to prevent the loss of body fluids.

– Pear moistens dryness in the Lungs and overall.

Sleep
Sleep is seasonal. If we emulate the appearance of the sun, we’ll get the rest we need. In Summer the days are long, so it’s appropriate to stay up late and rise early. In Autumn the shorter days are a signal to go to bed earlier.  

The beauty of turning inwards
Autumn is the time to give yourself permission to heal deep-seated wounds, to nourish body and mind with the generous seasonal harvest, and to embrace the health that comes from tranquility. Look at everything you’ve accomplished to get where you are today. Breathe proudly! You deserve to celebrate your strength, and to settle into the harmony of now.

Image via Huffington Post

Vegetable image via The Kitchn

Hayley Enright is a licensed acupuncturist and has performed over 9000 treatments. She is available for private and group sessions. You can contact her and learn more at www.acupuntureinparis.com.