“Autumn Metal” by Henry David Thoreau*
*via ChatGPT
I fed ChatGPT a few Taoist teachings on Fall and asked it to teach it back to me in the voice of Henry David Thoreau… He was a Naturalist, after all. What’s more Taoist than a Naturalist?
In the autumn, the Taoist sees the Metal Element at work—a season of order and restraint, where discernment sharpens like the chill in the air. As the farmer gathers his harvest, so must we gather the fruits of our labor, the thoughts we have tended through the spring and summer. We should ask ourselves, are these fruits wholesome? Do they align with the values we profess? Have we been kind, wise, and harmonious, as the natural world around us strives to be?
Autumn, like all of nature, whispers the truth of consequence: what we sow, we shall reap. In this season of reflection, we are reminded that our choices bear fruit, for better or worse. Nature moves from the fullness of summer to the stillness of winter, and so too do we transition through phases of growth and retreat. The cooling air invites us to slow down, to look inward, and to weigh the merits of our achievements.
As the leaves fall, we see the beauty in letting go, in casting off what no longer serves us—be it an old habit, a belief, or a relationship whose time has passed. Nature teaches us to make room for new beginnings. Each season has its lesson, and autumn tells us that change is not only inevitable, but also necessary.
The Taoist understands that all things are connected, that the cycle of birth, growth, decay, and renewal plays out in every leaf, every thought, every action. Just as the trees give their leaves back to the soil, we too must recognize that our actions ripple outward, shaping the world in ways we may never fully see. Let autumn be a time for gratitude, a time to reflect on our impact and walk more gently on the earth.
This is also a season for restoring the self. As nature prepares for winter’s quiet, we too should turn inward, cultivating strength and peace within. In doing so, we reconnect with the deeper current of life, with the Tao itself, finding in it the clarity and resilience to meet life’s challenges.
