How to Celebrate the Fall Equinox with the Metal Element
Photo by Lyndon Li on Unsplash
Happy Equinox! Whether you have the date marked in your calendar or not, you are likely starting to feel a shift in energy (and temperature!) as the seasons change. This week, we’re celebrating the Fall Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, which begins the gradual transition from summer to winter.
Even though most of us spend a lot of time indoors with our devices, we are still deeply connected to the natural environments around us. As feng shui practitioners, we pay attention to seasonal transitions and cues from nature to inform our practice.
As we enter fall, we wanted to share a few feng shui tips that can help you be in harmony with the changing seasons. Read on to learn more about what the Fall Equinox means from a feng shui perspective and how you can work with this energy in your home.
What is the Fall Equinox?
The Fall Equinox is the point in the year where the lengths of the day and night are equal. It is the tipping point where we begin to shift from a fiery, yang season to a colder, more yin season. While summer is connected to the element of fire, autumn is related to the metal element. From this point in the year, yin energy increases gradually until we find ourselves in the water element season of winter.
When we think about what is happening energetically at this time of year, it’s helpful to notice what is happening in nature. Leaves are falling from the trees and returning to the soil. Plants are drawing in their energy to prepare for a colder season.
In the agricultural cycle, this is also when farmers are harvesting a bounty of produce from seeds they have cultivated earlier in the year. In this way, the fall is also a time of celebration. It’s a time to reflect and appreciate the abundance that we are experiencing.
How to Work with the Metal Element in Your Home
In feng shui, the metal element is related to the Completion area of the bagua, called Dui in Chinese. This area is also connected to the color white and the feeling of joy. One way to work with this metal element season is to bring more metal into your space, which can help you cultivate more joy and focus. You can bring in metal by adding white or metallic colors to your space. If you are someone who likes to change out your decor seasonally, this could be a time to switch over to fresh white bedding for the fall.
The metal element is also connected to precision and organization, making this a great time to declutter and organize your space. You may want to bring more organizational items into your home, and set aside some time to get organized. You can also take some time to go through your wardrobe and remove anything that isn’t going to serve you during the season ahead.
You may also want to apply this concept to your life as a whole. Is it time to let go of any activities or situations that you have been giving your time and attention to? The fall is a great time to practice discernment and consider what worked this year, what didn’t work, and what you want to take with you into the future. Just as the trees are letting go of leaves to make room for new growth in the spring, how can you let go of something in order to carve out space for new opportunities?