New Years Resolution...Part 2

In part one, we looked at the Spleen's role in thinking.

In the Huang Di Nei Jing it says the "Spleen stores ideas worrying beyond measure with out self-control will injure ideas" 

This concept that the Spleen stores ideas, is a link to digestion of both food and thoughts,  reinforced by another quote from the Nan Jing “...the Spleen stores ideas and intelligence”

This same passage states “the Kidneys store essence and Will”.  Will or Zhi as it is known in TCM, is the activation of our decisions into reality.

So when we make a new years resolution there is a complexity of steps involving success! Let's look at how Chinese medicine sees this process: 

An Idea – Spleen energy. Lack of ideas? Dont know what to do or what you want to do? Lots of Circular thinking - that's weak Splen energy. 

A conversation – no, talking to yourself is not a sign of madness…but you need to decide within yourself what you will do. Not every idea is a good one. Whether we “think it through” , weigh up pros and cons, imagine possible consequences. – this is all the Spleen energy which digests thoughts and imaginations.

A decision – Gall Bladder energy is needed for this part.

The Gall Bladder is responsible for courage. A person with weak Gall Bladder energy will be chronically indecisive, timid and lack courage to put forward their ideas and self into the world. Naturally assertive people who are comfortable with themselves have healthy Gall Bladder Energy. Overly confident people or those who can't help themselves in piping up, having to be right and letting everyone know can be linked to an excess of Gall Bladder Qi.

Follow through - Will Power (Zhi) to act on the decision and follow through. “The spirit of the Kidneys, the Zhi, rules the will, drive, ambition and survival instinct” Huang Di Nei Jing

This is where most new years resolutions come undone. If you already have the resolution then you’ve already decided what you want to do. Kidney energy is what’s needed for a strong Will (Zhi).

An interesting saying in Chinese medicine about the Will is that ACTIVATING THE WILL, STRENGTHENS THE WILL. Which means each time you act on the decision in accordance with your new years resolution, it further strengthens your resolve. 

My next post will focus on ways to strengthen the Will (Zhi) and Kidney Energy. 

These ancient texts of the Yellow Emperors Classic (Huang Di Nei Jing) even mention acupuncture points to strengthen the Zhi, the Gall Bladders decision making energy and other aspects of our mental functions can be treated with acupuncture and herbal medicine. 

To all my readers, Happy New Year. I truly hope this new year is better than you've had so far and more fun than you could imagine! 

Discover the peace zone...

Where is your peace zone? 

Where is the place where everything shuts off, where your mind can focus on a singular thing? 

Just breathe - no emails, no ideas or problems, no bills, no to do list or things to organize.

 ...just breathe in and out. Feel that life giving breath as your chest expands and oxygen fills your body. 

You can't hear or think anything else just the rhythmical breath and maybe the feeling of your heart beat. 

Five minutes in the peace zone can change your perspective, which can alter all the rest of the days decisions. 

You don't need to go to a course or do anything strange to get into the peace zone. It might seem hard in everyday life to go there but it dosen't mean it can't be done. 

If it seems impossible to find your peace zone in your world now, then go somewhere else - the beach, the forrest, a park, even get inside a wardrobe for 5 mins!

I find a simple change of position leads to a change of mental perspective that will amaze you.

Today I was going somewhere and happened to pass by an empty, silent chapel and went in. No phone on or ipad to check emails. Just sitting and allowing the silence to silence me. 

Before long 5 mins had gone by and I felt new ideas were already coming to me. The stress of the former part of the day was already passing. 

As an acupuncturist I often hear patients say they love coming in for acupuncture because it's the only time they can relax.

While it's great that acupuncture helps you to shut off your mind...and you can't exactly run off and do something when your pinned down to the bed, it's such a sad reality of our society that we don't relax well. 

Demands are always there, life will probably get more complicated and even after you die bills will still be coming in. I think we can benefit from all stealing 5 minutes in the peace zone!

If you liked this blog post, why not share the ways you relax in your peace zone below: