The Paradox of Metal
I am a dominant metal rhythm. So, I know this rhythm especially well. It’s been my strength and my weakness. I am inspired by the wonders of life. I see awe in the simplest of things – the morning light dancing on leaves, trees as sentries of time, backyard birds bathing on a hot summer day, sunsets that light the sky in brilliance. I could go on, but I think you get the picture. My metal rhythm contains all that inspires me.
What’s the downside, you ask? Well, metal can be sharp, and it is inflexible. When I think about sharp, I think about my grandmother. Grandma had a sharp wit and quick tongue that could cut to the core, and I inherited her “gift.” It’s taken me years to learn how to soften my edges. To let go of the structure that held me in a stranglehold.
Life is full of opportunities for awesomeness. Wonder is all around you all the time. Life is infinitely inspirational. But sometimes you hold on to that which you know instead of letting go of what you’ve outgrown or what you no longer need. Sometimes you get so mired in grief for the loss of the known that you begin to wither. Life becomes joyless. You become burdened by grief and loss.
First described over 5,000 years ago in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the metal rhythm is associated with Autumn. In the five-rhythm energy system (water, wood, fire, earth, and metal), the metal rhythm corresponds to the time of year (or the time of life) when you traditionally harvest the fruits of your labor.
When your metal rhythm is out of balance you may become consumed by grief and loss. You may hold on to or hoard resources when you are unable to see the world through your heart. Your “fruits” may begin to rot on the vine and life may become joyless. Your day-to-day life may feel uninspired. You may develop a sense of numbness where there once was engagement.
But when your metal rhythm is in balance, grief and loss are replaced with inspiration. Your engagement with life is renewed.
Are you burdened with grief and loss? Are you holding on to a time in your past that consumes the present? Have you lost your vitality and passion for life? Does your time of harvest leave you empty-handed?
With simple, non-invasive energy medicine practices a rhythm that is out of balance can be rebalanced in a matter of minutes. And there is simple self-care that you can do to keep your metal rhythm in balance.
Is it time to get your rhythms tested? Is it time to release your grief and replace it with inspiration?