AUTUMN AND IMMUNITY

High atop a hill sits a walled city. There is an inner wall and an outer wall keeping the inhabitants of the city safe from unsavory intruders. The city is well fortified.

This walled city is a paradigm for the body. We have defensive walls called Wei Qi (pronounced "way chee"). The inner wall exists just under the skin. The outer wall extends one to two inches from the skin's surface. 

During Qigong practices I also refer to the the Qi Bubble which extends out in all directions. Think of this as the hill you need to climb to reach the walled city. This bubble is your aura or the etheric field, extending roughly ten feet in all directions from the body, another defense against both biological and emotional "intruders." 

How about these unsavory intruders? Pathogens. Germs. Cooties. It's undeniable, they are out there waiting to attack. When they do, a battle ensues and your Wei Qi literally heats up. Wei Qi is a Yang force, hot and energetic. Wei Qi controls the opening and closing of our pores. You've experienced this with night sweats, fevers, chills, shivering. 

Wei Qi needs to be nurtured and developed since its strength can be affected by our movement, our diet, our sleep patterns, our emotions... 

Unlike a static wall, the ever alert Wei Qi circulates around the body. What drives this circulation you ask? The lungs and respiratory system. Seems fair since it is the respiratory system that is first to be affected by invasions of these unsavory, external pathogens. Symptoms of the sinuses, mucus membranes, the throat are all red flags alerting the body of invasion. 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the lungs are organs of the metal element. Metal in nature is related to boundaries, what do we let in? What do we expel? 

Every season and every element is connected to not only an organ but also a tissue, an orifice, a flavor, and direction, and a climate.

Metal tissue = skin. 

Metal orifice = nose. 

Metal flavor = pungent. 

Metal direction = west. 

Metal climate = dry. 

During this dry Autumn season we need to take measures to strengthen our Wei Qi. 

First step, breathe. During Qigong practice we may breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. We may inhale and exhale through the nose. But it's best not to just mouth breathe. Why? As we inhale through the nose we moisten the air as it heads to the lungs. Breathing out can depend on the type of movement. Are we purging? We may want to exhale with a sigh or a specific sound. Mouth breathing dries the air and also, well, just looks distasteful. 

Next up, wake up the Qi. We can tap and stretch the meridians, especially down the Yin side of the arm (the pale side) and up the Yang side (tan side) or the arm. The lung meridian runs down the Yin (pale) side. 

The large intestine meridian which is the Yang partner of the Yin lung runs up the Yang side. Aim for the thumb going down the lung and move back up the large intestine from the pointer finger. 

You'll see this demonstrated in the attached video by Sifu Bodhi Batista.

Two other meridians can be tapped and stretched, the Pericardium (Heart Protector) and the San Jiao a.k.a.  Triple Warmer. The Pericardium meridian runs down the middle of the pale side of the arm whereas the San Jiao meridian runs up midline of the Yang (tan) side of the arm. 

The Pericardium acts as an intermediary between the heart and the outside world, functioning in both the physical and emotional realms. One point in particular is a favorite of mine. P6 (pericardium 6). This is known as the Inner Gate or the Neiguan. BRINGING US BACK TO OUR WALL. The wall has gates!

Pericardium 6, Neiguan

P6 calms chest pain, pain in the ribs, palpitations, arrhythmia and hypertension. It relaxes the coronary arteries and is known to have a general analgesic effect. Powerful stuff.


It is also a go-to point for stomach issues such as nausea, motion sickness, morning sickness... Have you seen sailors with special wrist bands? These bands calm sea sickness.

There is an Outer Gate, Waiguan or San Jiao 5. This point is used to treat external unsavory invaders spurred on by wind, cold, heat and damp. It treats fever and many types of headaches.


The San Jiao meridian answers to many names: Triple Warmer, Triple Heater, Triple Burner, and the Triple Energizer. The low down is that this meridian is not connected to a biomedical organ. It has been theorized that it corresponds to the lymphatic or fascial systems.

Okay, great. Walls, gates, elements, breathing... what can we do to strengthen our Wei Qi, our immunity?

Move: Go for walks, leisurely bike rides. BE OUTSIDE! I love practicing Qigong outside in the elements. Move in a way that cleanses and strengthens the lungs. Breathe deeply, into the abdomen. And remember, inhale through the nose, exhale through the nose or mouth. Sweat will help purge unsavory pathogens. Balance exercise with both aerobic (Yang) activity and Yin movement such as Qigong, stretching and breath work. 

Eat unprocessed foods. Think harvest. What is fresh and local? The most common medicinal food in China during Autumn is the pear. Pears are cooling and moistening. Pears have a viscous quality that helps moisten the lungs. It's also advisable to eat warmed foods. Roast those veggies. Heat up that cereal.

Hydrate: Counteract the dryness of the air. Move cooties out of the system through the urine and sweat.

Declutter: Fall is the season of letting go. Clean your house, clean your emotions. Get rid of junk, both physical and emotional. Honor grief, anger, and disappointment, but let them go. Have a garage sale (but don't try to sell your purged emotions).

Slow down: Summer = expansion. Summer is Yang time. As we move into Autumn we slow down and become more introspective. Autumn is Yin time. Between Summer and Autumn we have those 18 days of Earth time which I call Harvest. This season expresses a balance of Yang and Yin. As the trees turn their energy from their leaves to their roots, so too should we begin focusing on our roots. The roots belong in the Kidney realm, and that’s right around the corner. Winter. The lungs are the mother of the kidneys. We should strengthen mom so she may tonify her child. 

Bodywork: Whether it's acupuncture or massage, get it. Mix it up, try a different type of bodywork: TuiNa, Thai Yoga Massage, Qigong Healing. I begin bodywork sessions with Yang influenced energy but transition to a more Yin relaxed, slow pace. 

Dress the part: Wear layers and keep your neck, especially the back of your neck covered. TCM warns that cold invasion will likely happen at your neck, particularly along the cervical spine. A hoody is a good fashion choice. 

Sleep! One of my favorites. As we sleep our bodies replenish, the liver cleanses the blood. We recharge. Practice sleep “hygiene” by leaving your devices in another room. Let them also recharge, but away from the bed. Enjoy a cup of Sleepytime tea. If you want to read, read a book. 

Above our bed I have this quote by W.H. Auden

"Dear children, trust the night and have faith in tomorrow; that these hours of ambiguity and indecision may also be the hours of healing."

Learn about the nature of each season. Live in harmony with the rhythm of the season. If nature is slowing down and contracting, do the same. Be Autumn. Wear an orange hoody. 

I wish you good health! 

I have attached  a video by Sifu Bodhi Batista. 

Bodhi crosses his arms at the lungs before taking an inhalation. His arms are crossing near the Neiguan and Waiguan points, the inner and outer gates. I like to cross my arms so that I’m “layering” these two points one on top of the other facing my chest, but not touching. You will also see him creating a Qi bubble. Creating this bubble strengthens our Wei Qi through intention, Yi. He also practices a from called Trembling Horse. This is a wonderful way to encourage circulation of Qi including Wei Qi.

During our Qigong in a Park session this week we will practice forms focusing on the lung. These will include Dragon and Tiger forms. The Dragon swims, the Dragon flies. Its ability to fly is fueled by the lungs. The Tiger is strong and alert. Its strength comes from the liver, the wood element: resiliency and rootedness.