What Autumn Teaches Us: Slowing Down, Letting Go, and a Porridge for the Lungs
The other morning, I noticed a leaf stuck to the sole of my shoe. I’d picked it up on the way into the clinic, and it was only when I paused to take it off my show that I saw it—slightly frayed, golden-edged, and quietly hanging on.
It struck me as a small message. Autumn had arrived. Not just in the calendar, but in the body.
In Chinese Medicine, autumn is a time for gathering inwards, for simplifying, shedding, and preparing. Much like the trees, we’re invited to drop what we no longer need. But, the thing is, we’re not great at slowing down. Most of us want to hold on, even to what’s drying up or long past its usefulness.
The Lungs: Not Just About Breathing
Autumn corresponds with the Lung and Large Intestine organs, which in CM do far more than just help us breathe or digest. They’re about boundaries, letting go, and the courage to show up fully—even in grief, even when we’re tired.
This season has a dry, crisp quality. You may notice:
- A lingering dry cough or scratchy throat
- Skin that feels more sensitive or brittle
- A heaviness of mood that doesn’t quite feel like sadness, but close
- The sense that something is shifting—internally, emotionally
It’s common to feel this way. We’re moving from Yang to Yin, light to dark, external to internal. The trick isn’t to resist, but to meet this moment with kindness—and a bit of preparation.
Less Salad, More Soup
Autumn is the time to retire the salad bowl and reach for something warm and slow-cooked. Cold and raw foods can tax digestion and deplete Spleen Qi, which we rely on for energy and immunity.
Instead, try:
🥣 Warm, cooked meals – Think congee, roasted vegetables, slow stews. Your gut (and your Qi) will thank you.
🧣 Layering – Not just for style, but to protect the back of your neck, which is a notorious entry point for Wind-Cold.
🫁 Breath awareness – Even a few slow breaths in between task can support Lung function. It’s not about doing it perfectly—it’s about noticing.
A Recipe: Warming Pear Porridge (The Lung’s Autumn Love Letter)
This breakfast is gentle, warming, and beautifully moistening for the lungs—especially helpful if you’re prone to dryness or that pesky tickle in the throat.
You’ll need:
- ½ cup of oats, soaked overnight in 1 cup of water with ½ tsp cider vinegar a covered saucepan (sour vinegar helps make the oats more digestible, and sooths the Liver which, as the organ of Spring, and controlled by the Lung, should be taking a backseat!)
- 1 pear or apple, peeled and sliced
- 3–4 red dates, or prunes (pitted)
- 1–2 slices of ginger or ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 pinch powdered cinnamon
- ½ dozen almonds, whole or ground
- Optional:
- For more sustenance to get you through to lunchtime, add a few teaspoons of your preferred oil or fat, such as pumpkin seed oil or butter
- For extra Yin: 1 small handful dried snow fungus (Tremella), soaked till soft
How to:
Heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, while sipping morning tea (after your herbs if you have them). The snow fungus goes jelly-like and silky, the pear turns soft and sweet, and the whole pot smells like an autumn treat.
What We Can Learn from the Season
Autumn doesn’t rush. It doesn’t cling to the old leaves. It lets them go—gracefully, even beautifully. And it prepares for rest.
In clinic, we often see people getting their first colds of the season or feeling more emotionally raw than usual. Chinese Medicine gives us tools to meet this moment with awareness, not alarm.
If you’re feeling out of step—run-down, low-energy, tight in the chest or shoulders—this may be your body’s way of asking you to pause. To change pace. To prepare.
You don’t have to do it alone. This is one of the best times to come in for a seasonal treatment—to tune in and tune up.