Tag: Five Elements

Living in Alignment With Nature – Part 1

Living in Alignment With Nature – Part 1

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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?

Let That Shit Go (It’s Good for You)

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Let’s apply the Five Element Framework specifically to the current season, Spring, and its associated element and organ, Wood / Liver. What are the physical and emotional health aspects of Liver? And how can you support your Liver and overall health, especially now that Spring Has Sprung?

According to Classical Chinese Medicine, the Liver is the organ responsible for the smooth flow of emotions as well as the smooth flow of Qi and blood in your body. It controls the volume and smooth flow of blood in your vessels and stores the blood. It’s the organ that is most affected by excess stress or emotions. The Liver’s partner organ is the Gallbladder.

The eyes are the sensory organ related to the Liver. If you have any eye issues, including blurry vision, red or dry eyes, itchy eyes, it may be a sign deep down that your Liver is not functioning smoothly. Also, we often consider the brightness in someone’s eyes as an indicator of their overall health and vitality.

The tendons are the tissue associated with the Liver. In Chinese martial arts, they say that strength comes from the tendons, not the muscles. We also focus on tendon and ligament strength and suppleness in our qigong practice.

Anger is the emotion associated with the Liver. If you are often irritable, get angry easily, have trouble unwinding from the day’s activities, have trouble reasoning or going with the flow and letting things go, you are experiencing a Liver function problem. Experiencing these emotions chronically or excessively, such as ongoing frustration, can seriously unbalance the function of your Liver.

Positive attributes associated with the Liver are drive and determination. Think about the “drive”, the “will to life” we see every spring as the tiniest shoots of plants or grass or trees push up through the soil, or even through rocks or cracks in the concrete. In human terms, this corresponds to the person who has will power to overcome challenges and even create new things.

Spring is the season associated with the Liver and Gallbladder. It’s the season of growth and renewed energy, so it’s a wonderful time to work on your Liver. Just don’t get too caught up in the spring’s intense energies. Taking walks in the park or the woods is a fantastic way to rejuvenate. As I said above, the Liver is the organ most affected by excess stress or emotions. So let go of the stress and any anger (see my Buddha T-shirt for one of my favorite phrases…). Also, purging exercises, such as the Five Elements Dao Yin Exercise you can learn here, are a fantastic way to detox your liver.

One thing to also be careful about is to watch the alcohol. If you drink, drink in moderation because alcohol has a direct impact on your liver. Being a beer and wine drinker myself, I hate to have to pass that along, but… a drink or two here or there is not a problem. But if you feel like your Liver may need some TLC, lay off for several weeks and see how you feel.

In my next post, I’ll explore more of the psychological, emotional, and spiritual aspects associated with Liver and Gallbladder.

The Five Elements Framework and How It Can Improve Your Health

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

From a health enhancement and medical 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, as well as a diagnostic framework to recognize where imbalances in the body, mind, emotions, and spirit lie.

The Five Elements include the five Yin organs – Lung, Kidney, Liver, Heart, Spleen (and their corresponding Yang organs: Large Intestine, Bladder, Gall Bladder, Small Intestine, and Stomach respectively) – and address the interconnected relationships between them. Within Medical Qigong and Classical Chinese Medicine, we can treat disease and illness – and sometimes even acute issues such as pain – associated with each organ (or organ system) through specific energetic treatments, exercises, and food or supplement recommendations.

As a Medical Qigong practitioner, I often teach my patients a special set of exercises called the Wu Xing Jing, or Five Elements Health Form. Each exercise in the Five Elements Form is targeted to a specific organ system and helps to support, regulate, and balance that organ.

The version of the Wu Xing Jing I usually teach is actually a Dao Yin form. Dao Yin exercises are about how you can stretch and make the body become supple through therapeutic awareness of the movements as you are doing them. They are very similar to Qigong exercises; however they were developed thousands of years ago and are thought to be precursors to Qigong. Certain Dao Yin forms have come down to us from ancient times and are still practiced today, although they may not be as well-known and therefore not as widely taught as Qigong.

These exercises work through the principle of Yin and Yang, in that when something reaches its extreme, it’s going to take on its counterpart. When something becomes too Yang, it becomes Yin, and vice versa. Through these exercises you are taking something to the state of full contraction or extension, then returning it back to its opposite. This has physiological benefits, helps move the Qi or internal energy to where it’s needed (or moves it away from where it is excessive), helps heal or maintain health of the organs, and opens up the energy pathways of the body.

By the way, if you are interested in learning more about the Five Elements / Wu Xing Jing Dao Yin Form, click here.

In my next post, I’ll explain how we apply the Five Element Framework specifically to the current season, Spring, and its associated element and organ, Wood / Liver. We’ll discuss the physical and emotional health aspects of Liver and how best to support your Liver and overall health, especially now that Spring Has Sprung!

Be Like the Winter Buddha

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“Winter is Coming?” No, Winter Is Here!

Finally, here in Central Texas, we’re experiencing winter weather. Ice, freezing rain, temps in the 30s and 20s. Not much snow, though.

So far it has been a very mild winter for us. When I have my Qigong classes perform exercises to support the Kidney organ system, as we do in Winter, it feels a little funny. However, it’s important that we follow the seasonality inherent in the Five Elements, or Five Elemental Phases, which help support our health AND the prevention of illness or disease.

If you’re not familiar with the Five Element Framework, here’s some background:

The Five Element Framework is ancient and deeply woven into the fabric of Chinese culture. Five Element theory is the foundation of Chinese disciplines such as feng shui, the martial arts, and the I Ching (The Book of Changes); and it provides a comprehensive template that organizes all natural phenomena into five master groups or patterns or phases in nature: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. From a health enhancement and medical 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, as well as a diagnostic framework to recognize where imbalances in the body, mind, emotions, and spirit lie.

The Five Elements align with the five Yin organs (and their corresponding Yang organs) as well as with the seasons, as follows:

-METAL ELEMENT: Lung (Large Intestine), Fall

-WATER ELEMENT: Kidney (Bladder), Winter

-WOOD ELEMENT: Liver (Gall Bladder), Spring

-FIRE ELEMENT: Heart (Small Intestine), Summer (Heart also includes the Pericardium and Triple Warmer)

-EARTH ELEMENT: Spleen (Stomach), Late Summer (Spleen also includes the pancreas)

In our Qigong classes, we practice exercises from an ancient set of Dao Yin exercises (the Wu Xing Jing) which are similar to Qigong exercises. However, they were developed thousands of years ago and are thought to be precursors to Qigong. Certain Dao Yin forms have come down to us from ancient times and are still practiced today, although they may not be as well-known and therefore not taught as widely as Qigong. There is a specific exercise for each of the Yin organs (which therefore also benefits its Yang organ pair). The exercises have physiological benefits and help move internal energy to where it’s needed (or move it away from where it is excessive), help heal or maintain health of the organs, and open the energy pathways of the body. The movements of each exercise stimulate blood and lymphatic flow in a controlled and gentle manner. They bring vitality into the body and help keep us feeling vibrant and healthy.

The Kidney is the repository of our “Jing”, or pre-natal qi or essence. We are each born with a finite amount of Jing and it’s important to safeguard this precious resource. It is the reserve generator of energy in the body and supplies extra Qi to the other organs when necessary.  From a western medical perspective, Jing Qi relates to our cellular DNA and our body’s hormonal reserves that support healthy aging.

The Kidney corresponds to a complex system of organs and structures including the reproductive system, the adrenal glands, the ears, the bones, and the brain.

Fear is the emotion associated with the Kidney. If you often have severe panic attacks, anxiety, and fear, or you’re just afraid to make a decision or go for something, or feel like you lack willpower — your Kidney energy may be running low or be imbalanced.

Balance and harmony in the Kidney manifests as courage or confidence, strong willpower and endurance or persistence. We can draw upon wisdom and our inner knowing to overcome our fears.

Winter is the season associated with the Kidney and its partner organ, the Bladder. During this season, we include specific exercises which focus on our Kidneys when performing our Qigong. We also eat foods that support the Kidneys, as well as adopt a slower pace. In fact, during winter, it’s important to slow down, conserve energy, sleep longer – in other words, go with nature and “hibernate’, renew, and get more rest.

So follow the example of the “Winter Buddha” (see above photo). It’s snowing, it’s cold, yet the Buddha maintains an impervious, quiescent state. But don’t let the apparent stillness or lack of activity fool you! Inside, Jing / Vital Energy is being replenished, old fears are being worked out and transformed, and the important systems such as the central nervous system (brain and spine), bones and marrow, and important hormones, are rebuilding.

This quiescent cycle will help restore your energy and reserves so you are ready to burst forth in the spring.

To learn more about the Five Elements DaoYin (Wu Xing Jing) including the full set of exercises, click here. Discover the master blueprint to a powerful health practice – in 6 short weeks!