Tag: Five Elements

The Importance of Trust

kvanness01

As we approach the Fall Equinox (September 21st), we begin the transition from Summer to Fall. Here in Central Texas, it still feels like summer! BUt the mornings are providing a preview of more comfortable weather.

During this transition, we still honor the “season” of Late Summer.

Late Summer is the last season within the Five Elements Cycle (or Wuxing) and is associated with the Spleen and Stomach organ system (which also includes the pancreas). This season corresponds to the late summer, early Fall, Indian Summer time when we are wrapping up the summer fun and beginning to harvest the last of the fruits, veggies, wheat, etc.

This season is also associated with the Earth Element. It’s important to get in touch with the Earth – and a wonderful way to do this is through Grounding.

Grounding is one of the most fundamental aspects of practicing Qigong, as well as working with patients within the Medical Qigong paradigm.

Grounding is the ability to fully connect with the Yin energy of the earth. Through a simple grounding meditation, we center and relax, connect, and allow ourselves to feel the warm, comforting embrace of Mother Earth’s energy. When you are grounded, you feel a sense of stability, of being safe, secure and protected, and of being whole.

An interesting aspect of grounding is that we are connected through our lower dan tien or energy center, which is in the middle of the lower abdomen. This is our physical center of gravity, our center. It is also related to our essential essence or “Jing”, the life force or vital energy that we are born with. When we ground, we automatically support and enhance our Jing. But we are also connecting with our spiritual side, albeit in a subtler way.

When we ground, the energy moves from our lower dan tien, through our root or base (Huiyin point at the perineum), and then up through our heart center and all the way to the crown of our head – the Baihui point, which is analogous to the crown chakra in yoga.

The feeling of wholeness we enjoy when we are fully grounded is not just physical wholeness or stability, it is also mental and emotional wholeness and stability. In our paradigm, body (physical), heart/mind (emotional and mental), and spirit (higher consciousness) are inextricably connected. When we give ourselves the gift of grounding, we impact our entire being.

Trust Yourself

One of the most important psycho-emotional benefits of grounding and practicing our Earth Dao Yin exercises (part of the Five Elements practice I teach in The Five Elements Health Form), is learning to trust oneself.

Many of us have a tendency to ruminate, to over-analyze situations and circumstances. Thinking through things and planning for contingencies is good. But becoming paralyzed and fearful of taking action because you doubt yourself is not so good.

Listen first to your own conscience, your inner voice. Don’t let the opinions of others sway you from the things you feel, deep inside, you should do – or not do.

In other words, Trust Yourself! Trust your instincts and your intuition. Trust your judgment. Trust your ability to ask the questions or find the information you need to make a good decision.

Also, trust that you will receive the guidance you need, whether from deep inside or from a higher power.

One thing I’ve found in life: when my heart is right and sincere, the universe always provide in one way or another – and things tend to work out.

Trust other too. As Lao Tzu tells us, “No trust given, no trust received”.

What’s the Best Way to Exercise in the Summer?

What’s the Best Way to Exercise in the Summer?

kvanness01

In my last post, I regaled you with the benefits of the “best time” to exercise each day. (Click here to read it.)

Now let’s discuss the best WAY to exercise – from a seasonal perspective.

According to the Five Elements Framework – a foundational approach to health within Classical Chinese Medicine and Clinical Qigong – our activity should change with each season. The four seasons provide us with variation and different energies.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, we are smack in the middle of summer. How should we adapt our exercise during the summer?

For many of us, exercising involves working around the high summer temperatures, which can mean exercising indoors. This may also involve exercising first thing in the morning or later in the evening. The long summer days, with their earlier sunrises and later sunsets, help us feel more energetic and want to engage in greater physical activity.

The summer season is referred to in classical medical texts as “the season of fully flourishing, as all living things in the world are prosperous and beautiful”. The summer season is more yang, reaching its apex of yang energy at the summer solstice. This is also when yin energy begins to emerge. So summer means the intersection of yin and yang energies. This combination causes living things to blossom and yield fruit.

Key to this season is to go to sleep at night after the sun has set (which is later during the summer months) and get up early in the morning with the sunrise (also earlier during summer). Keep the mantra of “growth” in your mind at all times, so as to align with the summer energies promoting growth for autumn’s harvest.

When it comes to exercise, this means get out there and sweat!! Perspiring helps release yang energy and avoid heat becoming stagnant inside your body. You can train hard. In fact, you will notice your body naturally wants to train harder, go longer, and sweat more. This harder training helps boost your overall fitness by conditioning your heart and lungs. It also serves to release toxins and literally purify your system.

When it comes to your Qigong or Tai Chi practice, bear in mind that summer corresponds to the Fire element and the Heart organ system (which includes the Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium [Heart Protector], and Triple Warmer). Practice your Tai Chi with strong movements and enhanced breathing. Include some of the more physically demanding Qigong exercises or forms. And take some time in each session to stand, breathe, and tap into the Heart virtues of Joy and Peace.

The Heart energy is a pulsating energy. It wants to beat, expand, and communicate. Utilizing the extra energy you feel during summer to stimulate your heart function is much better than during the winter, when your heart energy is naturally lower. Maintaining appropriate activity levels helps enhance your heart’s function, promotes your body’s metabolism (especially fat metabolism), and can help prevent atherosclerosis.

Bottom line: during summer, train hard and sweat freely!

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

Discover the Master Blueprint to a Powerful Health Practice

Discover the Master Blueprint to a Powerful Health Practice

kvanness01

I’m super stoked to be presenting a seminar on “The Five Elements Approach to Better Health, Energy, and Longevity” this Saturday, May 4th, at the Northwest Family YMCA, where I teach most of my group Qigong classes.

The Five Elements Framework is ancient and deeply woven into the fabric of Chinese and Eastern cultures. Five Element theory is the foundation of disciplines such as feng shui, the martial arts, and the I Ching (The Book of Changes). It provides a comprehensive template that organizes all natural phenomena into five master groups or patterns or phases in nature: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth.

From a health enhancement perspective, the Five Element Framework provides a master blueprint that diagrams how nature interacts with the body and how the different dimensions of our being impact each other. Within Classical Chinese Medicine and Medical Qigong, it provides a diagnostic framework to recognize where imbalances in the body, mind, emotions, and spirit lie…the “prescription” for returning the individual to full health and energy…and practices that promote longevity and quality of life.

What are The Five Elements?

The Five Elements follow the seasons and include the five Yin organs (and their corresponding Yang organ pairs) and address the interconnected relationships between them:

Metal: Lung – Large Intestine / FALL

Water: Kidneys – Bladder / WINTER

Wood: Liver – Gall Bladder / SPRING

Fire: Heart – Small Intestine / SUMMER

Earth: Spleen – Stomach / LATE SUMMER

In the seminar, we’ll provide an overview of each Element / Organ System and how it impacts your health and wellbeing, including:


-Physical, mental, and emotional characteristics.
-Potential strengths and challenges from a health and energetic perspective.
-Nutritional requirements and recommendations.
-Personality typing: explore which “element” (or mix of elements) you are.

This will be interactive! You won’t just be sitting listening to me lecture. (Although, as a recovering consultant, I WILL have some slides I present with. Just can’t help it…)

We’ll be learning / practicing one of my favorite sets of ancient Five Elements Dao Yin exercises, which are simple but powerful movements that help to support and regulate each specific organ system – which in turn can help you achieve better health, enhanced energy levels, and greater longevity.

How Can I Participate?

If you’re interested in attending this fascinating look at an ancient, proven, alternative health and wellness paradigm, contact the Northwest Family Y member services desk at (512) 335-9622 and ask them to sign you up for the Qigong Seminar this Saturday. The member price to attend is $35. (If you’re not a Y member just ask them for the non-member price.)

Then show up at the Northwest Family YMCA at 5807 McNeil Drive in Austin this Saturday, May 4th. Seminar time is 1 – 3pm in the Bowen Room.

And May the 4th Be With You!

Living in Alignment With Nature – Part 1

Living in Alignment With Nature – Part 1

kvanness01

Autumn has finally arrived here in Central Texas, with rain and temperatures more reflective of what Fall should feel like. We dropped from the 80s to the 50s in less than a day. With a cool North breeze to accentuate the shift.

Times like this, I am thankful for the wonderful Five Elements Daoyin (Wu Xing Jing) form I learned some years ago and include in my Qigong and Breathwork classes and private lessons. The Lung exercise, which is associated with the Metal element and the Fall season, is particularly important right now. Fall includes changing temperatures, changing wind directions, and changing energies, all of which can make you more susceptible to seasonal colds and flus, allergies, and even more serious illness. Unless, of course, you build RESILIENCE through healthy nutrition, good sleeping habits, and doing your Lung / Metal exercise on a regular basis.

(BTW, if you’re interested in learning more about this super effective, powerful, yet easy (and dare I say FUN) health practice, go here for more on the Five Elements / Wu Xing Daoyin form.)

With the cold comes more outside training. What? Outside? Don’t you mean more INSIDE training, Karen?

No I don’t. Our summers are so brutally and endlessly hot, and we typically have to time our outside exercise and other activities to the early mornings or late evenings. Now, with the onset of cooler / colder weather in the Fall and Winter, we can enjoy our activities outside at any time of the day.

And it’s important to align yourself with the changing weather by spending time outside. Walks, yard work, sitting out by the fire pit, practicing your Qigong or Tai Chi…it’s all good. We’ve become so insulated from the weather and the changing seasons in our air conditioned / heated buildings and houses. Get out there and get some wind on your face. Shiver a bit until you move and generate some heat.

In fact, I typically do even MORE Qigong sessions outside in the fall and winter than I do in the summer, when it’s easier. Years ago, one of my Qigong and Martial Arts instructors, Master Yoo, taught us to go outside in the early morning and practice our Qigong or martial arts. First thing in the morning, the air is fresher and cleaner. And you aren’t distracted by the tasks and cares of the day.

As he put it, even if the rest of your day “go to shit”, you still accomplished something very important to your health, productivity, and creativity. And you came through on a discipline and a commitment you made to yourself.

A key point Master Yoo hammered on was to do your Qigong outside, no matter the season or the temperature. That way, your body is exposed to the natural, seasonal cycles and becomes more quickly acclimated.

As an aside, Master Yoo was one of my favorite Ki Kung (Korean version of Qigong) and Hap Ki Do instructors. His dad was Korean and his mom was Chinese, as well as a highly respected master of Qigong and Kung Fu. While Master Yoo came up through the TaeKwonDo competitive ranks, his true loves were the exercises and forms his mom taught him. And he, in turn, taught us these ancient disciplines in the hopes we would benefit from them and carry them on to future generations.

Back to the weather…

Your ability to acclimate and adjust enhances your adaptability and therefore, your resilience. Modern science, especially in the field of psychoneuroimmunology, has “discovered” (in quotes because the Chinese beat them to this by about 5,000 years) that putting yourself through discrete bouts of stress – such as exercising in higher intensity bursts followed by rest intervals, or exposing yourself to cold for a period of time – actually trains your body and brain to adapt, so you get stronger and increase your capacity to handle even more stress the next time. These adaptations occur at all levels: physical, mental / emotional, even spiritual…and from the systemic (i.e., circulatory system, lymphatic system, digestive system, etc.) all the way down to the cellular level.

I’ll have more to say about living in alignment with nature in future posts. For now, be sure to get outside and get in sync with the current season, however it may be manifesting in your area of the world right now.

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

Digest the Gristle: The Earth / Spleen Element and Transformation

Digest the Gristle: The Earth / Spleen Element and Transformation

kvanness01

We’re moving more fully into Fall now, so let’s complete our discussion of the Late Summer / Earth Element by discussing aspects of Earth / Spleen energetics and the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of transformation.

Just as we digest, assimilate, and obtain nourishment through the Stomach and Spleen organ system for our physical bodies, so do we digest and assimilate our experiences, whether good, neutral, challenging, or even traumatic. When our Spleen / Stomach energies are balanced and regulated, we can “digest the gristle” – that is, take from the experience the lessons learned, the “nourishment” to help us grow and get better, the impetus towards the transformation that may be required based on our new knowledge. And we also eliminate that which does not serve or help us.

If we are out of balance – for example, if we are living in a stressed-out state of mind and being or suffering from a chronic health condition – we may have difficulty assimilating nourishment from our challenges. We may embrace lessons that contract or constrict our world view, rather than expand it. We may lack confidence to move forward in life. We may find ourselves unable to trust – we don’t trust other people, and we don’t trust our own gut or intuition. We lose faith in ourselves and our ability to move forward.

In Classical Chinese Medicine (CCM), the Spleen (Yin organ) and Stomach (its Yang organ pair) are intimately connected. The Stomach receives nourishment and begins the digestive process; the Spleen transforms this nourishment into Qi / energy and blood, and then transports the Qi and blood throughout the body. Stomach and Spleen create a dynamic balance between giving and receiving.

The key qualities of the Earth element are nourishment and stability. When our Earth element is balanced and stable, we easily transform food into nourishment and experiences into lessons-learned and growth. We feel well-nourished and grounded within our body. Our Earth energy provides the stable platform from which to trust ourselves, our gut, our intuition. And we can attend to others, giving support, encouragement, and nurturing.

When our Earth element is out of balance, we are unable to transform or assimilate food or experiences. We feel unstable and ungrounded. Our mind may go around and around in an endless cycle of excessive rumination. This can include rumination and overthinking about something that just happened, so we can’t digest and learn from it. This can also include obsessing or excessive worry about an event (either real or imagined) yet to come.

As a result, we never get off the dime. Our natural Yi or intention, also associated with the Spleen / Stomach, becomes weak. Our Yi influences our capacity for thinking, concentrating, and studying. It helps us think through our life experiences. If our Yi is weak or unbalanced, we won’t learn our lessons, and we may make the same mistakes, over and over again. We also lose motivation and become less resilient.

Earth’s Connection to Our North Star

Within Daoist teachings, the Earth element is associated with the North Star. How so? Well, first, visualize yourself standing on the stable, solid earth under your feet – this is the grounded state of trusting yourself. Then form a triangle with the thumb and forefinger of each hand and raise your arms straight up above you. Now look up through the triangle to the North Star. Set your ultimate goals, your intention (or Yi) square within your sights. Your “True North” helps guide you through life, through the challenges, the lessons learned, the detours. As long as you can stay grounded and have a place to stand, you can figure out a way through.

Or, as Casey Kasem used to say, “Keep your feet on the ground and keep looking at the stars”.

So, you see how important the Earth / Spleen element is to our growth and transformation. Its key virtue is Trust: trust in ourselves, as well as our ability to trust in others.

Trusting oneself to learn, to grow, to be able to handle new situations and challenges. Going deep inside and listening to what our gut is telling us (i.e., the enteric nervous system which has more neurons than the brain). Using this as the stable ground from which we set our intention and purpose and move forward in life. Good stuff!

How to Boost and Balance your Spleen / Earth Element

The Wu Xing / Five Elements exercise for Earth / Spleen is a simple yet powerful movement for building this energy within yourself.

Earth elemental energy rises from the level of the Spleen and Stomach and then divides as it reaches the top of the thrusting meridian (Chong Mai), which moves up through the center of the body. This yellow, dividing energy exists at the point of change or transformation of the other elements.

In the Earth / Spleen exercise, we use movement and intention to pull up energy from the ground / earth through our core, through the level of the Spleen and Stomach, up to the point at which the energy divides at the center point of change between the other elements. The nice stretch and twist of this exercise also directly activate the Spleen and Stomach meridians.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Five Elements exercises, visit the Wu Xing / Five Elements Course page.

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

What Should I Be Eating Right Now?

What Should I Be Eating Right Now?

kvanness01

Nutrition, digestion, and nourishment are central foundations of life. Life is impossible without the Earth Element function to receive food (and drink), transform it into Qi and blood, and transport the Qi and blood throughout the body.

Even though winter seems far away right now, Late Summer is a crucial time of preparation for the colder weather. As we follow the seasonal cycle, we focus on the Spleen and Stomach organ system during this time because it’s important that we eat in order to prepare our bodies for winter and hibernation.

Of course, in modern times, as denizens of rich western societies, we no longer must prepare ourselves for lean times and curtailed food choices or availability in winter. In fact, many of us put on some pounds during winter because we aren’t as active and aren’t going outside as much.

However, you can still follow the natural cycles and phases of nature…and you will be all the healthier for it!

So, what do we eat to help regulate and balance our Earth element – our Spleen and Stomach? The Spleen and Stomach like “sweet” foods. Late summer is a time of harvesting and gathering, so we eat late summer corn, fruits, and grains. Sweet foods that strengthen the Earth element include whole grains like millet and rice, and root vegetables such as yams, sweet potatoes, and carrots.

“Sweet” in Classical Chinese Medicine also refers to certain meat dishes, such as rich beef stews with vegetables. Think of dishes that soothe and nourish, and you are on the right track.

Most of us are still active this time of year. Yes, the kids are back in school and many of us are back to a regular work schedule, so we may feel time starved. But it’s important to continue to get outside and get that natural Vitamin D – and equally important to maintain physical activity. Physical activity helps ensure regular peristaltic activity in the stomach, intestine, and colon supporting good digestion, assimilation, and elimination.

The mouth is the sensory organ related to the Spleen. Issues such as chronic bad breath or bleeding gums could be a sign of deficient Spleen / Stomach function.

The muscles are the tissue associated with the Spleen. Think about the healthy folks you know. They likely have a strong, balanced Spleen and Stomach. The ability to maintain or build muscle mass means your digestive function is working and you can process the protein you eat into amino acids that help build and repair body structures as well as important enzymes that support critical processes.

Now think about someone you know who has difficulty gaining or maintaining weight. This person could have digestive troubles and be weak or out of balance in their Spleen and Stomach organ system.

How to Boost and Balance your Spleen / Earth Element

In addition to “eating for your Spleen” (that sounds like a wonderful tagline for a promotional campaign), you can also practice the Wu Xing / Five Elements exercise for Earth / Spleen.

Earth elemental energy rises from the level of the Spleen and Stomach and then divides as it reaches the top of the thrusting meridian (Chong Mai), which moves up through the center of the body. This yellow, dividing energy exists at the point of change or transformation of the other elements.

In the Earth / Spleen exercise, we use movement and intention to pull up energy from the ground / earth through our core, through the level of the Spleen and Stomach, up to the point at which the energy divides at the center point of change between the other elements. The nice stretch and twist of this exercise also directly activate the Spleen and Stomach meridians.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Five Elements exercises, visit the Wu Xing / Five Elements Course page.

In our next post on the Earth Element, we will go deeper into the Earth / Spleen energetics and the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of transformation.

Contemplating the Cycles of Time

kvanness01

We’ve been on a long-planned vacation, including two weeks at Priscilla Beach which is south of Plymouth, Mass. We dropped off our son at Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) for his 11-day orientation, which is part orientation, part boot camp. If he successfully completes orientation, he will graduate along with his fellow cadet candidates and be officially appointed to the Academy.

During orientation, the cadet candidates turn in their phones and are not allowed to call their parents. It’s a full immersion, full team-building experience. For many of these young adults, including our son, this may well be the first time they have not had any interaction with their parents for such an extensive period of time.

I must admit: it’s been hard! It’s been so weird not to speak with my son, feel his energy, joke around with him, or do something together. It’s also been hard because this is the first step to letting go and allowing him to move forward into this next chapter of life. He doesn’t need Mom all the time anymore. He will have to figure things out on his own, or with the help of his fellow cadets, cadre, academic advisors, and professors. All we can do is make sure he knows he is loved and supported and we are all (by all I mean our entire family) rooting for him.

Now it’s up to him to grasp this opportunity and begin to fulfill his potential.

And it’s incumbent upon me – Mom – to relax and let go.

Thinking about how fast the years have passed has been especially poignant these past few weeks at the beach. During most years as my son grew up, we anchored each summer with our annual family beach trip. This is the first year we have been at the beach without him! (Although we will have him for five days around Labor Day weekend and he will get in some beach time then.) It’s made me think about the cyclicality of time. Each year cycles through the full set of seasons; the work, school, sports, and family obligations; the rhythms of family life; the amazing growth and development as our kids get older.

When you’re in the middle of it, you can easily lose perspective on just how much they are changing and developing.

And when you look back, you can only wonder, “Where did the time go? “.

Time Is Cyclical

If you can relate to the angst I have been feeling, here is a thought that may comfort you: Time does not run out. It doesn’t move from left to right.

As the round clock tells us, time keeps coming ’round. The seasons keep cycling ’round. Time enjoyed in the past is still there. Our achievements and our good deeds still exist. The present is real and precious, regardless of how short or long our future may be. So enjoy it!

If you can view time this way – appreciating that it cycles, it doesn’t just run out – you can live in a more relaxed, integrated, and connected way.

Relaxed because time gone is not time used up. More integrated with life and more connected with others because we can focus on the present. We appreciate the wonderful gift of life TODAY to be enjoyed and used as we choose.

Each moment of life has the quality of eternity. Our memories live on in our hearts and minds. The impact we have made on others – such as our kids – lives on in theirs.

My Medical Qigong lineage is a Taoist one, and we Taoists believe that we are each an integrated part of God’s creation. As such, we are happiest and healthiest when we follow and align with nature’s laws.

So, as we move from late summer (at least here in New England) to Fall, I will follow nature’s cycle, not fight it. I will allow this bittersweet feeling – a combination of pride in my son and readiness for him to take the next step, along with the sadness of letting him go off into the world – to wash over me, permeate me, and somehow comfort me. Which perfectly aligns with the five elements as we enter Fall and the Metal / Lung phase – a phase which includes inspiration and new hope…integrating what we have experienced and learned…and letting go of the past so we can move forward in our journey.

I will cherish the memories of the past, look forward to the new adventures that are coming, yet remain fully present in THIS moment and THIS time, so I can take it all in.

You Can Do It!

Dr. Karen

P.S. GO BUCS!

The Fire Within

kvanness01

Well, we are really into summer now, aren’t we?

Here in Central Texas, we have been experiencing our first set of continuous, 90-plus degree days along with humidity, pushing our heat index to 100-plus. Someone just told me it’s forecast to “feel like” 108 degrees this afternoon. Hot stuff!

This time of year, I do my Qigong and my walking or jogging first thing in the morning, to get ahead of the heat. I prefer to do my Qigong outside, in one of several special or “sacred” spots in my yard or in the woods behind us. The air is much fresher in the morning, in part due to the relative coolness, in part due to the respiration of the trees which is changing, so they are releasing more oxygen and thereby increasing the ionization in the air.

Anyways, back to summer. We started discussing the Five Elements (Wu Xing) a couple of months ago. We hit the highlights of the Spring element, Liver / Wood, and have been practicing our Liver / Wood exercise. It’s past time to dive into summer and begin practicing our Heart / Fire DaoYin. Here is some information on this element to help inform your practice.

Heart / Fire Element

According to Classical Chinese Medicine (CCM), the Heart is the Emperor of all the organs. All the other organs will sacrifice for the Heart, in other words they will give their energy to the Heart to help maintain its balance. The Heart’s associated yang organ is the Small Intestine.

The Heart is responsible for the circulation of blood as well as lymph. The Heart is also considered to be where the mind resides. So we refer to the “Heart-Mind” in this area, as it is a mental and emotional center. And when you think about it, this makes sense. We know that the Heart has its own nervous system which can function autonomously from the brain and provides information to the brain. We also know that the digestive system, particularly the small intestine, has its own brain, called the enteric nervous system.

Think about how you make decisions, either consciously or unconsciously – typically through a combination of analysis or rational thinking plus a gut feeling or impression. Hence the concept of the Heart – Mind working together.

Physical Aspects of the Heart

The Pericardium protects the Heart. In the Fire / Heart Wu Xing exercise, we work directly through the Pericardium meridian to pull healing energy into our Heart / Middle Dan Tien. We also explore an important healing point, the Laogong point (PC8), which is on our palms.

The tongue is the sensory organ related to the Heart. We use tongue diagnosis in Classical and Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture.

The blood vessels are the tissue associated with the Heart. Because the face has many blood vessels, the complexion can reveal the state of the Heart. A pale complexion can indicate insufficient blood flow, an overly red face can indicate excessive heat or inflammation. As we have learned more about a lot of the chronic diseases that afflict our Western society, we have increased our focus on inflammation (or “heat” in CCM) as a common causal actor, including in heart disease and related conditions. 

Psycho-Emotional Aspects of Heart / Fire

Excessive joy and excitement are the negative emotions associated with the Heart. It’s taking the positive emotion of happiness or joy too far, so it’s like a manic type of feeling or energy. For example, someone with ADD or ADHD who might be super high energy, but also has trouble winding down or calming themselves so they can focus or sleep.

Excessive stress can negatively impact the Heart. As can the lack of self-expression or not being able to share. The heart’s associated organ is the tongue, which is evidence of the its close connection to language, creativity, self-expression, and sharing love.

Positive emotions associated with the Heart are happiness, joy, and love. These emotions can inspire us. They can also lead to a state of peacefulness.

Why is Summer associated with the Heart and Small Intestine? Fire generates light energy, and light is love. Without love, we would wither away from the inside out. Without passion, life would be joyless. And without self-love, we could never blossom into the fullness of all we are meant to be. Love, passion, and enthusiasm inspire creativity and self-expression.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Wu Xing Jing / Five Elements Health Form, click here. Discover the master blueprint for a powerful health practice!

Two Sides of the Same Coin

kvanness01

As we discussed in our previous post, the Liver / Wood element is associated with compassion, patience, and kindness. These are the virtues we are born with. When our Liver is in balance, we manifest these virtues in the world. When our Liver is out of balance, we may experience anger or frustration, impatience, or rage.

In addition, the Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of blood (and therefore Qi). And it is said that the blood in turn influences our Shen or spirit. Whatever is going on in the Liver has a direct and significant impact on us physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I want to talk a little bit more about anger and its impact on us. When we purge and release stagnation, we not only enhance the patient’s physical health, but we also release excess anger that has built up. We can then regulate and balance the Liver’s energy.

But why is anger so bad for the Liver? Is anger always bad? Can’t it sometimes serve us?

Well, no emotion is completely “good” or “bad”, “positive” or “negative”. I try not to use those terms when explaining the Yin – Yang dynamics and inter-relationships between things, as it results in a value judgement that is not helpful. Rather, we should think in terms of continuums and whether being on the extreme range of a continuum is beneficial…or too much.

For example, the Heart is associated with joy and excitement. However, too much joy and excitement can manifest as manic behavior, anxiety, or ADD. As the saying goes, “It’s the dosage that makes the medicine or the poison”.

We observe the same continuum with anger. A certain amount of anger or frustration can serve to motivate us to make changes or work harder to overcome the obstacles in our way. However, the motivational power of anger usually does not last long. And excessive anger can become rage.

The most insidious aspect of anger – especially in terms of its effect on the Liver – is that it is usually directed inwardly at ourselves. This kind of sustained, self-directed anger and frustration is the root cause of many illnesses. It unbalances the Liver energy, resulting in either excess – and the Liver overpowering the Heart or Spleen – or in deficiency, with the Liver pulling more energy, more Jing, from the Kidneys.

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it stands than to anything on which it is poured

Mahatma gandhi

In their ancient wisdom, the early classical Chinese medical doctors paired anger and compassion as the acquired and congenital emotions or virtues associated with the Liver. They really are two sides of the same coin. Anger, whether directed inwardly or at others, is a destructive emotion. When we treat others – and ourselves – with compassion, we acknowledge the good, the divine spark, in each of us, and we propagate kindness, empathy, and grace into the world. We build up rather than tear down. We move forward with forgiveness and understanding, rather than allow ourselves to remain mired in the muck of anger and rage.

Anger may spark us to act – sometimes in a helpful way – but it can also be potentially destructive. On the other hand, compassion involves not only sympathy or empathy, but also a strong drive to alleviate the suffering of others.

One of the phrases I like to use – and often remind myself of – is by Dr. Maxwell Maltz, who developed Psycho-Cybernetics back in the 1950s and 1960s. One of his simplest but most profound teachings is, “See yourself – and others – with kind eyes”.

An Important Storage Spot for Emotional Energy

kvanness01

In previous posts, we’ve discussed the Five Element Framework of Classical Chinese Medicine and applied it specifically to the current season, Spring, and its associated element and organ, Wood / Liver.

Let’s get into some of the emotional and energetic manifestations of the Liver.

The Wood element energy is defined as “New Yang”, manifesting through new beginnings and expansive and sprouting growth actions. It therefore represents a period of energetic growth and expansion. Hence, its association with Spring and the growth and expansive energies we see, feel, and hear all around us as plants and flowers sprout up from the ground, trees begin to leaf up, birds and critters begin to pair up and nest, and the daylight hours grow longer.

Liver energy is a rising energy. We can feel it thrust upwards in our body when we perform our Liver DaoYin exercise. In the exercise, we guide the energy up with our hands, then guide the energy back down so we stay grounded and rooted.

From an emotional aspect, the energy of the Wood element corresponds to what the Daoists call the Hun or Soul of each person. This theory holds that the Liver encodes all our memories and emotional content and, in a sense, writes or records this onto the “CD” or “tape” of each person’s life. This then becomes the record of our life that we take with us when we transition. In a sense, this corresponds with the concept of our subconscious which takes in everything that happens to us and serves as a repository of memories and emotional content. This is one reason we focus on the Liver as part of assessing and working with individuals who may have suffered from trauma.

Here’s the good news: we are not stuck with the initial recording that has been laid down in our Hun. As we mature, move away in time from the traumatic incident, learn, and grow, we can go back, either consciously or unconsciously, and process and modify the memories and emotional content. We can go back and change the story or reframe what happened to us. We take the lesson we can learn, the motivation to do or be different or better. We welcome the perspective and even wisdom we can derive from the experiences that come with living a full life.

The Liver / Wood element is associated with compassion, patience, and kindness. These are the virtues we are born with. When our Liver is in balance, we manifest these virtues in the world. When our Liver is out of balance, we may experience anger or frustration, impatience, or rage.

Therefore, treatment of the Liver often includes purging to help eliminate the toxicity that has built up. We can do this through energetic treatments; through specific types of qigong exercises; and even through simple things like drinking lemon water.

The Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of blood (and therefore Qi). When we purge and release stagnation, we not only enhance the patient’s physical health, but we also release excess anger that has built up. We can then regulate and balance the Liver’s energy, allowing benevolence, compassion, and love for others to radiate from the Liver.

As we approach Easter, it seems appropriate to do our part to send out more benevolence, love, and compassion, doesn’t it?