The metal element is all about TRANSFORMATIVE SURRENDER. The progeny of heat and pressure, METAL embodies the magic of time and the archetypal energy of Autumn - releasing, refining, and stripping down to what's essential, like leaves being cast from the tree to return to origin as mulch. Metal is one of the first things we pounded and shaped for use, and has always been emblematic of alchemy and transformation. They are comprised of matrices of minerals, which are catalysts for action and necessary for all organic life, sustaining and empowering all processes from mushroom to man. Metals are, in essence, what make things valuable. Through their preciousness forged in the depths, they let us understand the indispensable allure that lies within, exposing the silver core in all of us and letting its luster be untarnished.
In the physical body, Metal represents sensations that dry, wither, and contract in response to the environment. Think allergies, dehydration, constipation, sore throat, congestion, sensitivity to temperature, shallow breathing, and the urge to withdraw inward. Under pressure, metallic folk hold things in and have difficulty letting go. Like the autumn, their internal weather might be dry & cool, and their outer landscape may be patchy & pale. Health issues are triggered by changes in the environment or seasons, lack of control, or a loss of the sanity-inducing rituals they use to bring order to the disorder around them. The Metal element imparts the fluency of knowing when to take in, when to hold on, and when to let go.
Autumn
Dry
Earth
Fire
Compost, Crystallization, Concentration
Young Yin
Pruning, Smelting, Refining, Restraining, Perfecting, Completing
Contracting inward and surrendering to transformation like precious metals being forged in the depths
3-7 am
The Lungs, Large Intestine, Nose, Skin
Creating life from decay: producing minerals and soils from erosion, deposition, and lithification.
Sequestering precious minerals: breathing life into rocks, sands, and soils.
Providing habitats: sheltering creatures in its cliffs and caves.
Cycling qi between earth, air, and water: rock weathering – the chemical breakdown of minerals in mountains & soils – removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere & transforms it into stable minerals on the earth’s surface & water’s sediments.
Forming the fabric of human development: providing the backbone of agriculture, construction, manufacturing, transportation, electronics, art, and science.
Barrier systems and protective shields. Organs that take in and let go, accumulating precious qi from above via inhalation and cutting our losses out the back end via defection. Things that dry, wither, and contract in response to the environment. The deep, ancient instincts of smell and touch that allow our primal selves to sense the world around us.
Instincts & Survival Drives
The Hierophant, Death, The Hermit, Temperance
Questioning values, soul searching, and truth-seeking. Feeling organized, disciplined, conscientious, refined, reflective, sensitive, structured, and tidy. Creating order from disorder, accepting death and loss, knowing your self-worth, possessing strength under pressure, valuing aesthetics, and making beautiful things.
Suffering from a lack of self-worth, perfectionism, and self-punishing or pleasure-denying behavior. Wallowing in sadness, feeling grief-stricken, critical, withdrawn, uptight, and self-isolating, struggling with the inability to let go. Having control freak tendencies, anal retention, zealotry, and an obsession with purity.
Environmental sensitivities, immune issues, dry skin and mucus membranes, asthma, respiratory disorders, allergies, congestion, shortness of breath, frequent colds, eczema, stress-induced skin issues, stiff spine and posture, constipation, intestinal disorders, control issues, chronic disappointment, being easily brought to tears.
When Metal shows up as your elemental expression, you know that you are creating beauty from chaos. and disorder. People with strong Metal energy tend to be organized, aesthetically-minded, disciplined, tidy, sensitive, and in tune with their environment. Neat and refined, they know what they’re worth and possess great strength under pressure, like a precious gem being forged in the depths. They excel at perfecting form and function, designing elegant systems and objects, and looking elegant whilst doing so. They long to bring meaning and order to a disordered world, and when they do, they feel strong, of value, and their brilliance can shine. Their inner landscape is methodical and run like a spreadsheet or to-do list, and they get off on tidying, finishing tasks, and bringing things to completion. Like a silver sickle, Metal energy needs to be pruning, perfecting, and refining something in order to feel in balance. Out of balance, Metal energy can be jagged and cutting, and we might turn our sickle on ourselves or others with behavior that is critical, perfectionistic, isolating, and self-punishing. A person with strong metal energy runs on rituals and routines to imbue their lives with sanity and meaning, and soothe their need for compulsive purification.
Like precious metals sequestered deep under earth’s core that alert us to the hidden treasures within, create and use structures that support you in bringing forth your brilliance and radiance. Crystallize these values and surrender to transformation.
