Acupuncture and our Emotions.
In an increasingly fast paced world, we can easily become detached from our emotional senses, before it is realised that we are a long way from our intended journey.
This series of blogs I will try to explain how Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture perceives the impact of the emotional state on the physical body. So back to the basics of Chinese medical philosophy to lay the foundation of the mechanisms that govern our bodies.
Yin and Yang
We’ll start with Yin and Yang, very simply, Yin is the nurturing force, solid, tangible and palpable such as blood and fluids in the body. Fluids here refer to the working fluids in the body that make up saliva, stomach acid, tears, mucus, synovial fluid to lubricate joints. Yang is the dynamic force, it’s intangible but needed to move the Yin aspect. Both work together and keep a mutual balance, too much or too little will upset it’’ harmony and ultimately lead to a physical symptom.
Too much Yin can lead to feelings of heaviness, lethargy, and a sense of struggling to get going. Too much Yang can lead to feeling of light-headedness, ungrounded or scattered.
The Five Elements
This foundation progresses to the next phase by describing the quality and movement of energy through the body – The Five elements. Noticed and noted in Chinese culture back in time when language was not as evolved, it is used to explain the inner working of the body by comparing it to the forces observed in nature. Keep in mind that any attempt to see inner workings of the body resulted in the subject dying quite swiftly, so they resorted to nature to give the nearest analogy. See diagram 1 below.
There is a flow from Wood to Fire, to Earth, to Metal, to Water and back to Wood, this is the nourishing cycle. Diagram 2 shows a representation of the controlling cycle. Wood controls Earth and so forth. Both cycle are working simultaneously to keep the body in harmony also known as homeostatic balance.
The Five Emotions
Now we have the set the scene, let’s move to where the emotions fit into the picture.
Wood is associated with stress/anxiety.
Fire is associated with joy (lack of).
Earth is associated to obsessiveness.
Metal is associated with grief/sadness.
Water is associated with fear.
To complete the picture and to see how these emotions affect the body we now look at the organs that are linked to each of the elements.
Wood is the Liver, Fire is the Heart, Earth is the Spleen, Metal is Lungs, and Water is Kidneys.
How it comes together
To be emotional and to have an emotion if a perfectly human state of being, the problem only starts when it is prolonged or disproportionate. There are nuances and a more emotional states than listed here but they are all in some way related to the core five.
As soon as one is felt in excess (or deficiency) it has the capacity to disrupt homeostasis in the while body. It might start off slow and small but over time it can increase and set into a pattern that can affect sleep, appetite, mood, energy, immune system, digestive system, blood pressure, heart function, the list continues. Where and how it might affect each individual is entirely dependent on their own circumstances, no two people are alike and hence no two people will react in the same way to an emotion.
The aim of classical acupuncture treatment is to identify the root cause of an imbalance, and to use acupuncture points to correct it. This enables to body to restore to its natural balanced state from which it can once again keep itself regulated.
How to determine where the problem started
Most obviously a consultation will start with questions. This helps to determine the state of health currently and in the past to frame it in the context of lifestyle and influences that have led to the feeling of being unwell. There is also diagnosis by looking at the body, feeling the pulse at the wrist, looking at the condition of the tongue. All of these factors help to identify where the root imbalance lies i.e. in which organ or element. Once this is established, we can begin the process of redressing the imbalance and helping the body to recover. In general, the longer an imbalance has been present the longer it might take to get any momentum to the treatment, but there is usually some kind of response after a couple of sessions.
I have written specific blogs that go into more depth for each of the elements and their corresponding emotions or you can discuss your particular case, I which case please contact me directly.
*Diagrams courtesy of Aram Tzayig
