Greetings, Reader!

When I was a teenager, my friend Missy's parents loved me because every time I visited I would invariably end up cleaning Missy's room.

Missy was one of those people who had a ton of clothes, but never felt like she had anything to wear. Some of that was due to disorganization, but the root cause of the problem was that Missy held onto things that no longer fit who she was becoming.

As we cleared away the things that no longer mattered, something surprising happened. The pieces she loved came into focus. She was able to see the things she valued more clearly and appreciate what she already had. What had been buried at the back of her closet felt new again. We spent hours rediscovering old favorites and creating entirely new looks from what had been there all along. What felt like loss turned into abundance.

This is how I understand the metal element, which is the element that governs autumn in the Chinese medicine tradition.

Metal cuts cleanly and precisely to the heart of what matters. It asks us to pare back and to let go with discernment, revealing hidden gems and highlighting what we already have. When we release what we've outgrown, inspiration has room to breathe.

As we approach the official end of autumn this week, and as we wind down the year of the snake, I've been thinking a lot about the layers I'm ready to shed. What no longer serves? What can be composted to nourish what’s next?

Today, during satsang with my autumn yoga and qigong community, we marked this transition with a letting-go ritual. We offered what we’ve outgrown to the earth, trusting that what is surrendered in honesty becomes fertile ground for what truly matters to emerge.

Together, we released:

• doubt, to make space for trust
• one-sided relationships, to invite reciprocity
• fear, to be transformed into courage
• urgency, so unfolding can happen in its own time

We also set a collective intention to trust the growth process itself.

Winter doesn’t ask us to push. It asks us to conserve. To rest. To listen.

Forcing outward growth in winter is futile. Nature turns inward, waiting patiently for spring to return. When it does, the bear knows when to emerge from hibernation, the sap knows when to rise through the trees, and the seeds knows when to send down roots.

Our bodies know, too.

For now, we are being called to incubate and to rest in the unknown. We are being asked to trust that when the time is right, the energy will naturally begin to flow again.

A Winter Reflection

As we enter this quieter season, I invite you to sit with these questions, either in your journal, or simply in stillness:

• What am I ready to release as this year comes to a close?
• What feels essential now, when the noise falls away?
• Where am I being asked to rest, rather than push?
• What wants time to incubate before taking form?

Notice how it feels in your body to explore these questions without the pressure of arriving at an answer. Winter teaches us that clarity often arrives through patience, not effort.

If you’re longing for support and connection as you move through this inward season, I’d love to practice with you. My Winter Yoga and Qigong Series is designed to help you conserve energy, nourish your nervous system, and stay connected to your body’s natural rhythms so when the time for action comes, you’re rooted, resourced, and ready.

This is a space for slowing down, listening deeply, and trusting the wisdom already moving within you.

You’re warmly invited to join us.

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In love and solidarity,

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Rachel Doctor of Physical Therapy & Integrative Pain Specialist Build a resilient nervous system to help you flow through the seasons of your life with courage, wisdom, and compassion.

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PS: CranioSacral Therapy is nourishing anytime of year, but it is especially healing in the winter. Recharge your batteries, boost kidney energy, and restore your vitality with this gentle healing practice. Give yourself this gift, or share this gift of healing with a loved one.