Chinese Medicine Principles for Autumn
Below is a take-home handout shared with participants who attended Sakīnah: a Return to Self, a fundraising event that Maya co-hosted alongside B-Divine, combining yin yoga, community acupuncture, meditation, and seasonal care practices rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The afternoon was created as a space for rest, reflection, nervous system support, and collective care during a time that many are experiencing as heavy, uncertain, and emotionally demanding.
The handout below explores some gentle Chinese Medicine principles for autumn, including nourishment, breath, grief, dryness, and simple ways to support the body through seasonal change, alongside reflections that may feel familiar across many cultural traditions, including those of the Levant.
What is Sakīnah?
Sakīnah is a quiet, grounded sense of inner calm. Not the absence of difficulty, but a feeling of steadiness within it.
A softening in the body, even when things outside feel uncertain.
Sakīnah can arrive quietly, through breath, through stillness, through being held in community.
Chinese Medicine Principles for Autumn
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, autumn is a time of turning inward.
It is linked to:
Lungs → breath, connection, receiving
Large Intestine → processing, letting go, boundaries
This season is not about forcing change.
It is about responding to what is already happening.
Autumn invites:
A slower pace
More rest
Turning inward
Being with what is present
In many traditions, including those across the Levant, similar approaches to seasonal care exist, aligned with Chinese medicine concepts and principles, such as keeping the body warm, eating simply, and returning to the home as a place of nourishment and rest.
Grief, Breath & Living Through Intensity
The Lungs are connected to grief. The Large Intestine supports processing.
There is no expectation to move on or let go.
Instead:
Breathe through what is here
Allow space for feeling
Let things move in their own time
Even small moments of rest matter.
The Breath — Receiving & Letting Go
Inhale supports receiving, taking in what is needed
Exhale supports softening, creating space
You do not need to force either.
A simple practice:
Notice your breath once or twice a day.
Let the inhale come naturally.
Let the exhale soften.
That is enough.
Autumn & Dryness
Autumn is associated with dryness, both in the environment and in the body.
This can show up as:
Dry skin, lips, throat
Shallow breathing
Fatigue
Feeling emotionally flat or contracted
The Lungs are particularly sensitive to dryness.
You may find support in:
Drinking warm fluids regularly
Favouring cooked, moist foods
Reducing excess raw, cold, or drying foods
Resting more than you think you need
Keeping the chest and neck warm is a simple and effective way to support the body during seasonal change.
Nourishing Foods for Autumn (Supporting Yin & the Lungs)
In Chinese medicine, Yin represents the body’s fluids, nourishment, and capacity to restore.
During autumn, gently focusing on moistening and nourishing foods can help support the lungs and protect against dryness.
Fruits: pear, apple, quince, fig, grapes (often more supportive when stewed or lightly cooked)
Healthy fats & seeds: walnut, flaxseed, sesame, almond
Plant-based proteins: mung beans, lentils, soy products such as tofu and soy milk (hormonal health depending)
Moistening foods: honey, coconut milk, root vegetables, soups and broths
Grains: oats, rice, barley, millet
Many traditional dishes, including lentil soups and slow-cooked stews common across the Levant, naturally reflect this way of eating, warm, nourishing, and easy to digest.
Herbal teas such as zhourat, anise, chamomile, or thyme have long been used to soothe the chest, support digestion, and bring a sense of calm.
Small, consistent additions can be enough. This is not about changing everything at once, but about gently supporting your body where you can.
Simple Daily Practices
Slow your mornings, even briefly
Step outside and breathe fresh air
Keep your neck and chest warm
Move gently, not intensely
Take breaks from news and overwhelm where possible
A Final Note
You are not expected to feel calm or resolved. Whatever you are carrying is welcome here. Today was not about fixing anything. It’s about creating small moments of support, allowing the body to settle and be held, by breath, stillness, and community. Even a few moments of Sakīnah matter.
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If you feel called to explore this work more deeply, I offer individual acupuncture and Chinese Medicine consultations focused on nervous system regulation, women’s health, digestion, stress support, and seasonal wellbeing.
Appointments are available in Northcote, Melbourne.
You can book online here.