The Autumn Equinox: A Seasonal Reset for Balance & Healing

The Autumn Equinox (秋分, Qiūfēn) arrives each September, when day and night are perfectly equal before Yin energy begins to grow and carry us into winter. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this is one of the most pivotal seasonal moments—a reset point that influences our health, mood, immunity, and energy for months ahead. Just as trees shed their leaves, we’re invited to release what no longer serves us and create balance within.

What the Autumn Equinox Means in TCM

In Chinese medicine, the Equinox is known as the “hinge of the year”—a rare moment of balance before the season tips into Yin. After this point, nights grow longer, temperatures cooler, and our Qi turns inward.

The organ system most vulnerable in fall is the Lungs (Metal element), which govern:

• Immunity (Known in TCM as Wei Qi)
• Respiration and skin health
• Elimination and letting go (physically and emotionally)

Fall also resonates with the emotion of grief and release. Noticing sadness, nostalgia, or a need to let go is natural. When we align our lifestyle with the season, we support both the physical and emotional work of autumn.

How to Heal & Thrive During the Equinox

🌙  Honor Yin with Rest & Rhythm

As the nights grow longer, it’s essential to mirror nature’s slower rhythm. Aim to wind down with the sunset and get to bed earlier—ideally by 10–11 pm—to align your body with Yin energy and protect your immunity. Swap out late-night workouts or screen time for calming rituals like journaling, gentle yoga, or breathwork. The more you restore now, the stronger your resilience will be against winter fatigue and seasonal mood dips. Think of it as your body’s way of “charging its batteries” for the months ahead.

TCM Tip: Aim for a bedtime by 10p. 

🥣  Eat Warm & Moistening Foods

In TCM, cold raw foods and iced drinks injure the Spleen and Stomach, weakening digestion and leaving you more vulnerable to dampness and fatigue. Replace salads and smoothies with soups, congee, roasted root vegetables, and nourishing porridges. Moistening foods like pears, honey, sesame seeds, walnuts, lily bulbs, and tremella mushroom help soothe Lung dryness that often peaks in fall. Adding bone broth with goji berries, jujube, or astragalus root can further strengthen Qi and immunity. Think cozy, warm, gently sweet flavors that both comfort and heal.

TCM Tip: Add Elix’s Ginger Aide to your routine for a warming ritual to support digestion.

🧦 Keep Your Qi Protected

This is the season to stay cozy and avoid cold exposure, even when the weather feels in-between. Wear socks or slippers indoors, wrap a scarf around your neck on windy days, and avoid walking barefoot on cold floors. The Lungs and Wei Qi (defensive energy) are particularly sensitive right now, and even small chills can deplete your system. Simple steps like dressing in layers, sipping warm teas, and keeping your lower back covered all fortify your immunity. By staying warm, you give your body the stability it needs to handle seasonal change gracefully.

TCM Tip: Dress in layers making sure your neck and low back are covered when outside. 

📓 Release What No Longer Serves You

As the seasons shift, it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect on your daily rituals. Notice what truly energizes you—and what quietly drains your reserves. Just as the trees let go of their leaves each fall, you too can release habits, thought patterns, or to-dos that no longer support your growth. By creating space, you invite in rituals that uplift, nourish, and bring you closer to your goals.

TCM Tip: Spend 5 minutes journaling in two columns: Things that no longer serve me & Things that help me reach my goals. 

💆 Support Your Body with Acupressure & Breathwork

Acupressure can be a powerful self-care ritual during seasonal transitions. Massage Lung 9 (Taiyuan) to strengthen Lung Qi, Stomach 36 (Zusanli) to boost digestion and energy, Large Intestine 4 (Hegu) to regulate immunity, and Spleen 6 (Sanyinjiao) to calm the mind and improve sleep. Spend 2–3 minutes pressing each point daily while taking slow, mindful breaths. Breathwork itself is medicine for the Lungs—practice deep belly breathing or “box breathing” (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4) to expand Lung Qi and calm the nervous system. These simple practices help you feel grounded and balanced even as nature shifts around you.

TCM Tip: Practice deep belly breathing by inhaling through the nose and exhaling longer than inhale.  

🌿 Build Your Herbal Ritual

Herbs are one of the most effective ways to bring your body into harmony with the season. The Autumn Equinox is the perfect time to begin Cycle Balance, Elix’s personalized formula for regulating hormones and cycles at the root. 

For broader support, Elix’s wellness line can help address the key vulnerabilities of fall. Because they’re alcohol-free, they’re suitable not only for you but also for friends, loved ones, and even kids: 

• Daily Harmony for daily stress 
• Stay Well for supporting strong immunity 
• Get Well for defending against seasonal colds
• Yin Time for restorative sleep
• Herbal Digestif for gut health 

Start integrating these into your daily routine now, so your body is fortified before deeper Yin sets in. By making herbs part of your seasonal ritual, you’re aligning with centuries of wisdom designed to carry you into winter strong and balanced.

Align with nature’s reset: Start your personalized Cycle Balance formula today or stock up on Elix wellness formulas to protect your stress, immunity, sleep, and digestion this season.

This article was reviewed by Dr. Elizabeth Fine.

Dr. Elizabeth Fine is the Dean Emeritus at Emperor’s College, the #2 ranked colleges for TCM. She has been practicing Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine for over 20 years, with a specialization in women’s reproductive health.