18/10/2026
In Eastern philosophies, autumn is a time of letting go. 🍂
When the leaves start to fall and the days grow shorter, Nature invites us to follow suit and turn inward.
In Qigong and Chinese medicine, autumn is associated with the Metal element, the lungs and with qualities of grief, appreciation and letting go.
This got me thinking about menopause as an autumn in our lives.
I don’t know about you, but the fact that my body is changing, my energy is not what it used to be, emotions run high and low and, on top of it all, the kids flying the nest forces me to examine the structure of my family… well, that’s a lot!
Sometimes it feels like a loss of self.
My first instinct would be to meet change with fear and resistance. I’d want to fight ageing, to go on a crusade against the hormones, to embark on a million and one fitness programmes that promise me a younger and more toned body. And I kind of want to grip tight on to my position as matriarch of the family too.
But what if we twisted the lens on it and started to think about menopause and the change it brings as a season of transition?
What if we thought about the things that fall away as things we choose to release, making room for new ones?
What if, like the trees, we learnt to let go with grace and gratitude?
This is one of the things I love about Qigong.
It isn't about forcing the body, menopausal or not, into doing something it doesn't want to do. It's about listening, breathing, moving and finding a little more space for oneself.
Qigong is about learning to work with ourselves gracefully, rather than always pushing ourselves.
And there is some interesting research behind this too.
A randomised controlled trial of 125 postmenopausal women found that a 12-week Qigong programme was associated with improvements in menopausal symptom severity and several measures of health-related quality of life.
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 randomised controlled trials involving 1,005 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women also found that mind-body practices — including Qigong — were associated with improvements in sleep, anxiety, depressive mood and fatigue, as well as bone mineral density.
So perhaps there is something in this idea of working with ourselves rather than constantly fighting against the changes.
If, like me, you’re contemplating this changing season of life, and if you would like to try a softer approach to it...
🍂 I'm starting a new 6-week Qigong class in Cirencester: a gentle, mindful practice to help you slow down, reconnect with your body and make a little space for yourself.
Mondays · 8.15am
Starting 9th November
Cirencester GL7 1RQ
£60 for 6 weeks (£12 per class)
No previous experience or specialised kit needed. Come as you are.
Pre-booking essential.
If you're curious, I'd love you to come and try it. 🤍
DM me for more information or to book your place.
