The Five Element Series: Metal
An Intro To the Metal Element
Metal is perhaps, the most *mysterious* of the five elements. The metal element is imbued with qualities that manifest in less obvious ways than the other four elements: earth, water, wood, and fire.
We can think of metal in its common form as all the minerals that nourish our bodies such as magnesium, iron, zinc, fluoride, selenium, copper, chromium, iodine, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and cobalt, and more.
In its precious and rare form, the earth generates gold, silver, platinum and titanium. For millennia, humans have decorated their bodies and their holy spaces with precious metals to signify holiness, importance, value, and a connection to divinity that is other-worldly.
Metal Within Us: Emotionally, Spiritually, & Physically
As an element within us, the strength of our personal metal is demonstrated through our self-worth, spirituality, and respectability. Grief is the primary emotion associated with metal, but I like to include guilt and self-worth/criticism.
Balanced Metal Element
you have the capacity to heal and move on from loss in a healthy way
you have the ability to experience the value of important people and things without becoming overly attached to them
you are drawn to matters of spirituality and divinity
you can handle an appropriate amount of criticism without feeling defensive or attacked
you see your own value, and the value in others
you do not see yourself as above anyone else
while respect is very important to you, your ego is in check
Imbalanced Metal Element
underneath your confidence you feel inadequate
you have difficulty expressing your emotions, and rarely wear your heart on your sleeve
you tend to have either an inflated or depleted sense of self worth
you tend to work harder than most in order to compensate for feelings of low self worth
you have a hard time acknowledging your achievements and are self critical
the idea of being successful makes you feel complete
you believe that having the "right" accessories indicates your worth or value
you are always searching for a greater sense of purpose in what you do
you tend to get consumed by feelings of grief,guilt,and shame
Physiologically, metal is associated with the lungs, large intestine, and the skin. Since these months are cooler and dryer, these organs are more vulnerable to physical ailments such as allergies, common colds, dry cough, bowel irregularity, skin itching and dryness or flare-ups of inflammatory skin disease such as eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea.
Autumn: The Metal Season
Autumn is the metal season. Leaves fall to the earth and undergo a process of decomposition that enriches the soil with these vital minerals. However, industrial agricultural practices attempt to accelerate nature’s process, leaving our soil and crops nutrient-depleted.
Metal season is a time to reflect, confront loss, recalibrate your expectations of yourself and of others, and let go. Coinciding with the seasonal change, is the new moon in Virgo. Virgo’s practical and analytical nature makes this new moon a great time to get detailed about our intentions for the future. Virgo moon encourages us to turn our attention inward and analyze where our lives have room for growth and improvement.