There’s a particular quality to the air in autumn that I’ve always found both beautiful and melancholy. As a child in Beijing, my grandmother would pause while sweeping the courtyard, look up at the golden ginkgo leaves, and sigh, “The lung is the master of qi, and autumn is its season. It knows how to let go.” It took me years of studying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to fully understand what she meant. Autumn isn’t just about cooler weather and shorter days; it’s a profound energetic shift. The vibrant, expansive energy of summer contracts inward. Nature begins its graceful, necessary release. In TCM, this season is governed by the Lung and its paired organ, the Large Intestine—two systems whose primary functions are, respectively, to take in the new (oxygen, inspiration) and to let go of the old (carbon dioxide, waste, grief). If you’ve ever felt a wave of sadness as the first crisp breeze arrives, or a sense of restlessness as the world quiets down, you’re not alone. This is autumn grief TCM in action. It’s a natural, physiological response to the season’s shift, and understanding it can transform a time of potential sadness into one of profound healing and release.
The Lung’s Domain: Understanding Autumn Grief in TCM
In the Five Element theory of TCM, Autumn corresponds to the Metal element. Its associated organs are the Lung (Yin) and the Large Intestine (Yang). The Lung is considered the “tender organ,” easily invaded by external pathogens like wind and dryness, but its role is far more profound than just respiration. The Lung governs qi—the vital life force that circulates through our entire body. It’s the commander of our wei qi (defensive energy), our immune shield. More importantly for our emotional landscape, the Lung is the seat of Po, the corporeal soul. The Po is our most instinctual, physical soul—the part of us that experiences raw, bodily emotions like grief, sorrow, and loss.
The Huangdi Neijing, the foundational text of TCM compiled over 2,000 years ago, explicitly connects this season to the emotion of grief. It states: “The Lung is the minister and chancellor. The rhythm of the whole body originates from it.” When the Lung qi is strong and flowing, we can experience sadness without being consumed by it. We can process loss and let go with a sense of acceptance, much like a tree releases its leaves. However, when the Lung qi is weak or stagnant—often due to unprocessed grief, chronic stress, or poor diet—the emotion can become stuck. This “autumn grief TCM” experience manifests as a lingering sadness, a feeling of heaviness in the chest, frequent sighing, or even a weakened immune system as the wei qi falters.
“Grief and melancholy are like a fog that constricts the chest and disperses the qi. The Lung, which loves a smooth, downward flow, becomes tight and rebellious.”
— Li Shizhen, Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), 16th century
My teacher in Chengdu often used the analogy of a bellows. A healthy Lung is like a strong, flexible bellows, drawing in fresh air (and inspiration) and expelling the used air (and emotional residue). Grief is like rust or dampness in the mechanism, making each breath shallower and more effortful. The ritual we’ll explore is essentially about oiling that bellows, clearing the rust, and restoring its natural, rhythmic motion.
Signs of Autumn Imbalance: Are You Holding On?
How do you know if the seasonal shift is affecting you more deeply than just a preference for pumpkin spice? TCM looks at a constellation of signs. Here’s a quick guide to common symptoms when the Metal element—and specifically the Lung’s function of letting go—is out of balance during autumn.
| Physical Sign | Emotional/Mental Sign | Lifestyle Clue |
|---|---|---|
| Frequent colds or allergies | A lingering, unexplained sadness | Difficulty decluttering your home |
| Dry skin, hair, or lips | Feeling disconnected or numb | Shallow, chest-only breathing |
| Constipation or sluggish digestion | Nostalgia that feels heavy, not sweet | Waking up between 3-5 AM (Lung time) |
| Tightness or pain in the chest | Perfectionism or excessive self-criticism | Craving overly spicy or greasy foods |
| A weak, hoarse voice | Inability to “move on” from a past event | Sighing frequently without realizing it |
If you recognize several of these, it’s not a diagnosis—it’s an invitation. Autumn is offering you a perfect, supportive container to work on this. The energy of the season is naturally aligned with release. All we need to do is create the right conditions and rituals to cooperate with it.
The Ritual: A 7-Day TCM Practice for Releasing Grief
This is not a quick fix, but a gentle, consistent practice designed to be done over seven consecutive days during autumn. It combines breathwork, mindful movement, dietary support, and emotional reflection. The goal is not to force happiness, but to create space—to allow the natural process of letting go to occur.
Your 7-Day Autumn Letting Go Ritual
- Day 1-2: The Breath of Release. Each morning, sit quietly for 5 minutes. Place one hand on your chest, one on your lower abdomen. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4, feeling your abdomen expand. Exhale through your mouth for a count of 6, making a soft “shhh” sound (the sound associated with the Lung in TCM). As you exhale, visualize a grey mist leaving your body—the color of grief. Do this 10 times.
- Day 3-4: The Movement of Letting Go. Incorporate a simple qigong movement called “Pushing Mountains.” Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees soft. Inhale, bringing your arms up in front of you, palms facing forward as if holding a large ball. Exhale, gently pushing your palms forward while making the “shhh” sound, imagining you are pushing away stagnant energy. Inhale, drawing your hands back to your chest. Repeat 8 times.
- Day 5-6: The Nourishment of Metal. Focus on foods that moisten the Lung and support the Large Intestine. Eat at least one serving of a white food each day (white is the color of the Metal element): pear (stewed with rock sugar), white wood ear mushroom (in soup), lotus root (sliced and stir-fried), almonds (soaked), or daikon radish (in broth). Drink a tea of Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium) and Goji berries (Lycium barbarum) to clear heat and nourish yin.
- Day 7: The Ceremony of Release. Find a quiet time. Write down on a piece of paper what you are ready to release—an old hurt, a limiting belief, a physical clutter. You are not erasing the memory, but releasing its emotional charge. Safely burn the paper in a fireproof bowl (or tear it into tiny pieces and bury it in the earth). As it burns or is buried, take three deep “shhh” breaths. Follow this with a warm bath infused with 5 drops of Frankincense essential oil (Boswellia sacra), traditionally used to open the chest and calm the Po.
Kitchen Pharmacy: Foods and Teas to Nourish the Lung
In TCM, food is medicine, and your kitchen is your first apothecary. For autumn grief TCM support, we focus on foods that are moistening (to combat autumn dryness), white in color, and have a pungent or sweet flavor profile (pungent disperses, sweet nourishes). Here are five specific, actionable foods to incorporate this week:
- Asian Pear (Shā Lí): The quintessential Lung tonic. Don’t just eat it raw. For a powerful moistening effect, stew one cored pear with 3-4 dried figs and a small piece of rock sugar (bīng táng) in a pot of water for 20 minutes. Eat the fruit and drink the syrup. This is a classic remedy for a dry cough or a parched feeling in the chest.
- White Wood Ear Mushroom (Yín Ěr): This translucent fungus is a yin-nourishing powerhouse. Soak a small handful in water until it blooms. Simmer it with red dates (hóng zǎo) and goji berries in a slow cooker for 1 hour to make a sweet, gelatinous soup. It’s like internal moisturizer for your respiratory tract.
- Lotus Root (Ǒu): Sliced and stir-fried with a bit of ginger, it clears heat and stops coughs. For a deeper cleanse, boil slices in a broth with pork ribs and a few peppercorns for 90 minutes. The resulting soup is slightly sweet and deeply nourishing.
- Almonds (Xìng Rén): Specifically, sweet almonds (not bitter). Soak 10 almonds overnight, peel them in the morning, and blend them with warm water and a date to make a fresh, homemade almond milk. This is far superior to store-bought versions for Lung health.
- Daikon Radish (Luó Bo): Its ability to move qi and break down phlegm is legendary. Grate it raw into a salad with sesame oil, or simmer chunks in a bone broth with scallions and ginger for a soup that gently clears congestion and promotes digestion.
Movement and Breath: Qigong for the Metal Element
The Lung meridian runs from the chest, down the inner arm, to the thumb. Stagnation here often manifests as shoulder tension or a feeling of tightness in the upper back. Gentle, flowing movement that opens the chest and stretches the arms is key. Beyond the “Pushing Mountains” exercise above, try this simple 5-minute sequence:
1. Arm Circles with Breath: Stand tall. Inhale, sweeping your arms up and out in a large circle. Exhale, bringing them down, palms facing inward, as if gathering energy from the earth. Repeat 5 times slowly. 2. Chest Opener: Interlace your fingers behind your back. Gently straighten your arms and lift your gaze slightly, feeling a stretch across your collarbones. Hold for 3 deep breaths. 3. Side Bends: Inhale, reach your right arm overhead and bend to the left, feeling a stretch along your right side (the Lung meridian pathway). Exhale, return to center. Repeat on the other side. Do 3 rounds.
These movements are not about breaking a sweat. They are about creating space—in the joints, the breath, and the emotions. The goal is to feel a sense of lightness and openness in the chest by the end.
Common Questions
Is it normal to feel more emotional or sad in autumn?
Absolutely. In TCM, this is not seen as a disorder but as a natural alignment with the season’s energy. The autumn season governs the Lung, which is the seat of the corporeal soul (Po) and the emotion of grief. As nature turns inward and releases, our bodies and emotions may mirror that process. It becomes a concern only if the sadness is debilitating, persistent, or interferes with daily life for more than a few weeks. The practices in this article are designed to help you move through this seasonal emotion with grace, not to suppress it.
Can this ritual help with long-term grief, not just seasonal sadness?
Yes, the principles are the same. Long-term grief is often understood in TCM as a deep stagnation of Lung qi and a depletion of the Po. This 7-day ritual can be a powerful starting point for releasing that stagnation. However, for profound or long-standing grief, I would recommend extending the practices—continuing the breathwork and dietary changes for a full month—and seeking guidance from a licensed TCM practitioner who can provide acupuncture and customized herbal formulas. Acupuncture points like Lung 7 (Liè Quē) and Kidney 6 (Zhào Hǎi) are traditionally used to open the chest and calm the spirit.
Are there any herbs I should avoid if I’m feeling very dry this autumn?
If you are experiencing significant dryness (dry skin, cough, thirst), you should be cautious with herbs that are very warming and drying in nature. While ginger (Zingiber officinale) is wonderful in small amounts to support digestion, excessive use can worsen dryness. Similarly, overly spicy foods like chili peppers should be moderated. Focus instead on the moistening, yin-nourishing foods and herbs mentioned: pear, wood ear mushroom, honey (in warm water), and the herb Ophiopogon (Mài Dōng), which is a premier Lung yin tonic. Always consult with a practitioner before taking concentrated herbal formulas.
The bottom line: Autumn grief is a natural, physiological response encoded in the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine. By aligning with the season through a simple ritual of breath, movement, nourishing food, and symbolic release, you can transform this time from one of sadness into one of profound cleansing and renewal. The Metal element teaches us that true strength lies not in holding on, but in the courage to let go, making space for the quiet inspiration that winter will bring.
About the Author
Yu Xi Zhang grew up in a Chinese household where traditional wellness practices were part of daily life. With over 15 years of study under licensed TCM practitioners in Beijing and Chengdu, and a certification in TCM nutrition from the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, she bridges Eastern wisdom with Western wellness in practical, actionable ways. Her writing draws from classical texts like the Huangdi Neijing and modern research to help readers live healthier, more balanced lives.
This article is for educational purposes and reflects traditional wellness perspectives. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
