Autumn Yin Yoga for Home | Metal Element

This is my favorite time of the year when the temperature starts to cool down and the trees start to change. Autumn leaves change colors to warm oranges, reds, and browns. The trees start to transition toward winter and let go of their old leaves, flowers, and fruits. This creates space for regrowth when spring comes. It’s the perfect time for us to slow down, go inward, and let go of our old layers.

We move from the yang energy of summer and transition towards the yin energy of winter. Aligning yourself with nature’s seasons, helps you to feel calm, grounded, and balanced. Autumn is a good time to give the body and mind a deep cleanse, after a busy summer.

This season is associated with the Air element (with Ayurveda) or the Metal element (with Chinese medicine). The metal element governs our ability to take in new life and nutrients and to let go of the old or what no longer serves us, so we make space for the new. The lung and large intestine meridians run mainly along with the hands, arms, front of shoulders, neck, and beside the nose. Time to look after your lungs, which is the yin organ, and the large intestine, which is the yang organ. They both draw in nutrients and let go of waste.

The lungs also include the organ of the skin. Bring more energy back into these two vital organs to help the body fight off colds, allergies, and rashes, and strengthen the immune system. Lung energy (chi or prana), is responsible for a healthy immune system, which is important when seasons change. When the large intestine meridian is blocked you may suffer from constipation, diarrhea, belly pains, or depression. When we open the lung and large intestine meridians we create space for transformation.

The Air element and Metal element are connected with the fifth chakra, Throat Chakra. This is our energy center for communication and truth. Autumn is also the season of the ‘Vata’ dosha in Ayurveda, yoga’s sister science. If your Vata dosha is low your skin may get dry or you may feel more restless! Practicing more grounding yoga poses will help you balance Vata. More information on the three doshas.

When our lung-large intestine energy is deficient when may feel emotions like sadness, or are unable to express grief. You may struggle to let go emotionally and physically. Your thinking may be clouded or you feel disconnected. Maybe it’s time to resolve old hurts and any negativity and let it all go! Or is it time for you to practice forgiveness for yourself or others?

Yin yoga in Autumn is one of the best ways to help your mind and body let go of what no longer serves you and feel more grounded. It’s time to create more space for yourself and self-nourishing. When we let go of our past we gain more wisdom.

What is Yin Yoga? Yin yoga is gentle, all on the ground, where you are supported by props, like blankets, pillows, bolsters, and more. You hold Yin yoga poses for at least 3-5 minutes and deeply relax. Yin yoga poses deeply open the body’s meridians (energy lines).

Committing to a regular Yin yoga practice at home will help you let go of your old layers of resistance. The 6 best yin yoga poses for Autumn to open up the lung-large intestine meridians are below. These 6 gentle yoga poses include calming butterfly forward fold, supported fish backbend, releasing floor twists, and a deep side stretch dragonfly.

6 Yin Yoga Poses for Autumn and Self-healing

1. Butterfly Forwards

2. Supported Fish

3. Wide knee child with a twist

4. Lateral-side Dragonfly

5. Lying Banana

6. Lying spinal twist

Spend at least three to five minutes in each yin yoga pose. All the yoga props you will find at home like blankets, cushions, or pillows. Aim to be completely comfortable, so you can deeply relax and let go. Kevala Health's live online yoga classes in April will focus on yin yoga poses for Autumn and the metal element. Try free 14-day trial of our live online yoga classes and learn more about yin yoga.

Helpful Tips for Autumn

1. Drink more herbal teas like ginger tea and turmeric tea.

2. Eat more root vegetables like in soups and other warm dishes.

3. Get good quality sleep, aim for 7- 8 hours of sleep and go to bed before 10 pm.

4. Regular exercise like walks daily for 30 minutes minimum.

5. Slow down more and take more time out for yourself.

6. De-clutter your house and throw away what you don’t use.

Now it’s Autumn, slow down, get organized, and nourish your body and mind to prepare for winter. Read more on the 5 elements of yin yoga.

The key lesson for the metal element is to let go of attachment and anything that no longer nourishes you, release the past and be more present and grateful,

Let go, relax and enjoy Autumn.