Celebrating Harvest Season: The Earth Element

This time of year, with its waning hours of daylight and cool undercurrent and gardens spilling over with growth, is known as its own season in the Five Element system: late summer, or harvest season. This is the time when the yang energy of midsummer begins to decline and gives way to yin. It can often be a relaxed time of year, when we reap the harvest of hard work and savor the abundance of nature’s offerings, while still enjoying the lingering warmth. While the Fire element is associated with summer’s vibrant height, the Earth element belongs to this sweet in-between time. It is also associated with all seasonal transitions, but late summer especially.

The Mother is an archetype of the Earth element—that which nurtures, feeds, and comforts us. Since we contain all the elements within us—Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal—we also have access to this maternal energy within ourselves, regardless of our relationship with our mothers. That maternal energy connects us to Mother Earth herself, this fertile planet that birthed us all—humans and animals and plants alike. The Earth element, in health, provides stable ground and fertile soil for us to grow. Earth allows us to be at ease with ourselves and each other. Because of this, one of the virtues of the Earth element is integrity—when we are comfortable with ourselves and have strong community, we don’t need to worry about whether we can show up for each other. Earth possesses deep understanding, deep sympathy, deep familial and community love.

This sense of community extends beyond other humans to all life on earth. Recognizing our connection with each other, plants, animals, fungi, and so on fosters our Earth element. Earth reminds us—no matter the state of our familial or other human relationships—we are never alone.

In the coming weeks, I’ll share more about the Earth element and how to support it. Stay tuned.