In the world of Energy and healing, we split the year up into five seasons - water, wood, fire, Earth and metal. Deep winter is water, spring is wood, summer is fire, harvest time is Earth and late autumn is metal.

Each of these "elements" has correspondences to our body, mind and spirit. The common name for this idea is "Five Element Theory".

At the moment, the season is in "metal" energy. A way that I often describe it is that metal energy is the energy that cuts the leaf away from the tree so that it can go into winter hibernation to be reborn in the springtime.

Metal energy allows us to let go of what we no longer need so that we can take in new energy. Our large intestine lets go of what we don't need any more as do our lungs when we exhale. For that reason, the lungs and the large intestine are strongly associated with metal energy.

Traditional ancient wisdom says that when we die, we get rid of that which we no longer have use for - our bodies - so that we can re-emerge in the springtime of the spirit after winter hibernation.

Healthy metal energy has us believing in a brighter future. If our thoughts tend towards grief, nostalgia for "the good old days", depression and introversion then our metal energy has become weakened. The strength of the Energy flowing through the metal energy organs and meridians has become compromised. 

This time of the year is when we are most affected but it is also the time of the year where we can do the most to help our metal energy. To do this we must start with the belief that we can do something about it - creating a brighter future for ourselves.

Just thinking it is a start but not enough. Something like a Shiatsu treatment would really kick start things but we also need to make our own interventions. Most of them are quite simple and focus on the energy of the lung and large intestine. Try some of these to enhance your metal energy and feel brighter :-

·        Eat leafy green vegetables daily - things like cabbage and kale that does not wilt quickly

·        Eat mild pungent foods such as ginger, horseradish, radish, onions, mustard and garlic.

·        Connect with sources of inspiration and humour

·        Aerobic exercise such as swimming and vigorous walking

·        Try chanting, singing or anything that involves expressive use of the voice.