Module Five
METAL
“I am in ceremony with life.
The Metal element represents virtue, discipline and is very precise, just like the acupuncturist with their needles. Metal looks to make systems work better, it is strongly principled and loves to learn. Rituals and ceremony are important to the Metal, as is meditation, prayer, simplicity and time for solitude.
Autumn is the season of Metal medicine, a time for releasing what no longer serves, and breathing in new life. It is a time to allow grief to move through, and to acknowledge any disappointments and let go of the story you attached to these. If the energy is not allowed to flow through surrender and acceptance, Metal can tend towards feeling defensive or guarded, holding on to regrets or holding onto tears so that they turn to anger.
The energy of Metal has the ability can transmutate lower vibrations. It is the alchemist. Like Qi Gong, Metal has a controlled yet powerful energy which raises the vibration. Connect with the Metal medicine through breath-work and become the noticer. Notice what inspires you, and that which can now be released. Turn your old wounds into wisdom”.
Emma Cannon - You are the medicine
Metal
The Metal Element always reminds me of a warrior with shield and armour. Orderly and stoic, no emotions are revealed. . The warrior is guarded and, although capable of joy and happiness as all people are, they are unlikely to openly express this.
When the Metal element is balanced you feel positive and uplifted, able to problem-solve and think clearly. However, imbalanced or weak metal element leads to depression and negativity, the tendency to catastrophise and to feel hopeless. These mentalities rob the Qi from the lungs and can cause complications like breathing issues. Warming pungents
Metal - Autumn.
Organs: Lungs and Large Intestines
Time: 3am - 7am
Injurious Climate: Dryness
Direction: Descending
Characteristics: Purifying, astringent
Colour - White
Tissue: skin
Sense Organ: Nose
Environmental Factors: dryness
Personality: Meticulous, strong-willed, independent
Emotions: Positive: Confidence
Imbalanced: Grief
Functions: Controls the skin, pores, and voice
Taste: Pungent (spices)
Opens: To the nose
Yang flavours (think heat and expansive flavours) that dispearse energy stimulates the body, moving the energy upwards and out and we need this yang flavour because it balances the metal which is Yin and has a propentancy to stagnate
The lungs descends Qi to the kidneys, moves and adjusts water canals, readjusts fluid in the body, rules the outside (exterior of the body - the skin), keeps pores closed if needed.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Emphysema, asthma, breathing issues, coughing, dryness, throat/ sinus infections, ribbing the lung qi, bad breath, constipation, skin problems, grief/ sadness, chronic depression, craving spicy pungent, clouded fuzzy thinking.
Smoking over heats the lungs and burns out the Jing in the body
FOODS FOR METAL -
WHITE FOODS – onions, mooli, garlic, cauliflower, turnips and parsnips. Root veg is good as well – potatoes, garlic, onions, yams.. things that grow out of the soil
GRAINS
LARGE INT - Amaranth, buckwheat, corn, jobs tears, oats, sourgam
LUNGS - amaranth, jobs tears, oats, sweet rice, sorghum
NUTS AND SEEDS
LARGE INT - almonds, coconut, flax, pine kernel, pumpkin seed,
LUNGS - almonds, cashew, ginko, peanut, pine kernel, pistachio, walnut
BEANS
LARGE INT - kidney beans, pea, black soy bean, yellow soy bean, tofu
LUNGS - lemma bean,
FISH
LARGE INT -
LUNGS - eel, herring, white fish
DAIRY
LARGE INT - cheese, yoghurt
LUNGS - cheese, all milk, yoghurt
MEAT
LARGE INT - quail, rabbit
LUNGS - duck, goose,
FRUIT – fruits with a thick skin, citrus, bananas and mangos (but don’t eat too much as cooling, so occasionally are ok)
CHINESE HERBS - Pungent herbs – citrus peel, bupleurum
Warnimg pungents – garlic, onions, chilli, horseradish, fennel, anise, dill, mustard greens, cinnamon, nutmeg, basil, rosemary, spring onions and cayenne pepper, cloves, ginger, black pepper.
Cooling Pungents – radishes, cabbage, marjoram, white pepper, taro root and turnip
Pungent herbs – citrus peel, ginger, diakon, horseraddish, mustard greens
DAIKON
In TCM the daikon raddish is heralded as being an incredible vegetables for many things, but especially for strengthening the metal element. It's known to work on all 12 meridian points of the body - it can help balance the digestive system, boost the immune system and gently cleanse. It can also be useful for clearing Phlyem in the body, which can often accumulate in the time of Metal. It has a downwards action to it, making it great for issues with food stagnation such as bloating and indigestion.
Why not try grating Daikon in to soups, stir frying it or even pickling it.
