TCM: Feelings and Well being

Welcome to this text sequence on Conventional Chinese language Drugs (TCM). The goal of this sequence is to give you foundational and sensible information of TCM that you need to use to enhance your individual well being at house in each day life. The suggestions on this sequence are easy, accessible, and principally free. In spite of everything, good well being must be one thing that’s accessible to everybody!

Here’s a clickable desk of contents for this sequence:

This text is Half 11: Feelings and Well being.

Query: Do our feelings have an effect on our bodily well being?

Prior to now, I used to suppose that our bodily physique is completely separate from our emotional life. In spite of everything, every time I get sick, I take a capsule that modifications physiological components. Nobody ever informed me to handle my feelings to deal with well being issues.

Later, I discovered that our feelings are certainly associated to our bodily well being. For instance, it is common information in western drugs that anger raises blood strain, and stress weakens the immune system. From a Chinese language drugs perspective, feelings play an enormous function in our well being.

This text will cowl the affect of assorted feelings on our well being, the best way to nurture a wholesome thoughts, and methods to manage unfavourable feelings. Here’s a clickable desk of contents:

I am at the moment studying The Foundations of Chinese language Drugs by Giovanni Maciocia, and chapter 20 of this e book actually opened my eyes to the connection between feelings and bodily well being.

The e book mentions that exterior pathogenic components like warmth, chilly, and wind need to undergo our pores and skin and muscular tissues earlier than they’ll have an effect on our inner organs, however feelings injure the inner organs straight. To be clear, Chinese language drugs isn’t saying feelings are unhealthy, nor does it over-emphasize the function of feelings. Within the Chinese language drugs perspective, feelings inside sure quantities are effective and regular, however they’ll turn out to be causes of illness when they’re lengthy lasting, intense or each. In different phrases, feelings turn out to be causes of illness after we can not management them and so they as an alternative management us. Under are some examples of feelings and their affect on our well being from chapter 20.

(Disclaimer: This text shouldn’t be meant to be medical recommendation or prognosis. It’s purely for academic functions to assist us perceive the significance of managing feelings for our well being and strategies to take action.)

The time period “anger” must be interpreted broadly to incorporate comparable feelings comparable to resentment, irritability, frustration, rage, hatred, bitterness, and repressed anger. An individual who has continual or intense anger could expertise signs comparable to complications, dizziness, tinnitus, crimson face, and stiff neck.

If an individual usually will get offended 1-2 hours after meals, then anger will have an effect on the intestines and might trigger signs like belly ache, distention, and altering between constipation and diarrhea.

In Chinese language drugs, completely different feelings have a major organ that they have an effect on. All feelings have an effect on the Coronary heart, and anger primarily impacts the Liver. The Liver has a help function in digestion, which is why getting offended after meals hurts digestion. Every organ additionally has a meridian (channel) of factors that acupuncturists and therapeutic massage therapists use to deal with sufferers.

The third level on the Liver meridian is known as Taichong, and it’s a good acupoint that we will therapeutic massage at house to alleviate the signs of anger.

The time period “pleasure” on this case shouldn’t be a wholesome state of contentment however fairly one in all extreme pleasure and craving. Contentment is wholesome and helps the thoughts be peaceable and relaxed, which advantages the physique’s digestion and immune system. Examples of issues that result in extreme stimulation embrace issues like leisure medication, alcohol, promoting, ambition, and even intercourse.

Overstimulation primarily impacts the Coronary heart and might result in signs comparable to coronary heart palpitations, over-excitability, insomnia, restlessness, and relentless speaking. Some folks get migraines after the sudden pleasure of listening to thrilling information. Generally, sudden laughter triggers a coronary heart assault. Youngsters who get overexcited can find yourself in tears. These are all examples of the hurt of overstimulation and over-excitement.

Unhappiness contains the feelings of grief and remorse (when you possibly can’t cease enthusiastic about a previous mistake). Unhappiness primarily impacts the Lungs and Coronary heart, and it could actually result in signs comparable to breathlessness, tiredness, discomfort within the chest, despair, and crying. 

Unhappiness can even have an effect on the Ethereal Soul (you possibly can consider it as a element of our psychological well being), which may result in signs comparable to psychological confusion, despair, missing a way of course in life, incapability to plan one’s life, and nervousness.

The seventh level on the Lung meridian is known as Lieque, it’s a good acupoint that we will therapeutic massage to alleviate disappointment.

Fear is without doubt one of the most typical emotional causes of illness in our society. It primarily impacts the Lungs and the Spleen (in Chinese language drugs, the Spleen is chargeable for digestion, and it contains some capabilities of the pancreas and liver within the western drugs sense).

Fear could cause signs involving the Lungs, comparable to an uncomfortable feeling of the chest, slight breathlessness, tensing of the shoulders, a dry cough, weak voice, and a pale complexion.

Spleen signs embrace poor urge for food, slight epigastric (higher center space of the stomach) discomfort, belly distention (feeling bloated), tiredness, and pale complexion. Chinese language drugs explains that the thoughts and bodily physique are interconnected, and the state of our organs have an effect on the state of our thoughts. When the Spleen is wholesome, we will give attention to the article of our examine or work. When the Spleen is disturbed by fear, it results in fixed pondering, brooding, and worrying about sure occasions in life.

Fear can even have an effect on the Coronary heart, resulting in palpitations, a sense of tightness within the chest, and insomnia.

The acupoint Lieque (talked about earlier) can also be an excellent acupoint to take care of fear.

Pensiveness is much like fear, however it’s extra about brooding, continually enthusiastic about sure occasions or folks (with out worrying), nostalgic hankering after the previous, and usually pondering intensely about life fairly than dwelling in it. Calm contemplation is ok, but when this contemplation turns into extreme, then it could actually turn out to be pensiveness. In excessive instances, pensiveness results in obsessive ideas. In a unique sense, pensiveness can even check with extreme psychological work within the course of of 1’s work or examine.

Pensiveness primarily impacts the Spleen and might trigger signs comparable to poor urge for food, epigastric (higher center space of the stomach) discomfort, and belly distention (feeling bloated). Pensiveness can even have an effect on the Coronary heart and result in palpitations, a slight feeling of tightness within the chest, and insomnia.

The third level on the Spleen meridian is known as Taibai, and massaging it’s a good strategy to take care of pensiveness.

Concern contains each continual concern and a sudden fright. Concern primarily impacts the Kidneys and the Coronary heart.

If the Coronary heart is robust, then concern will trigger Qi (vitality) to descend, which may result in signs comparable to involuntary urination, bedwetting, and diarrhea. If the Coronary heart is weak, concern could make Qi rise, resulting in signs comparable to warmth within the face, night time sweating, palpitations, dry mouth and throat, and malar flush (a rash on the nostril and cheeks).

The ninth level on the Kidney meridian is known as Zhubin, and massaging it’s a strategy to take care of concern.

Additionally, nourishing the Liver and Gallbladder may also help an individual be much less fearful. This may be finished by managing stress, massaging their respective meridians, sleeping earlier than 11PM, and consuming leafy greens.

Shock causes a sudden depletion of Qi, makes the Coronary heart smaller, and should result in palpitations, breathlessness, and insomnia.

The seventh level on the Coronary heart meridian is known as Shenmen, and massaging it could actually assist take care of shock. Additionally, since all feelings have an effect on the Coronary heart, Shenmen is an effective level to make use of in all emotional issues.

Here’s a image to summarize the above talked about acupoints:

(Observe that these are certainly not an exhaustive record. A TCM skilled would be capable of make knowledgeable judgment on which factors are most suited to every particular person’s distinctive scenario.)

The above info is from the textbook The Foundations of Chinese language Drugs. Now that we all know the affect of feelings on our bodily well being, we most likely need to know some strategies for managing our feelings. This textbook would not go into element on this side, however I beforehand learn one other textbook that does. The e book is known as Chinese language Drugs Well being Upkeep (the e book is in Chinese language, and its Chinese language title is 中医养生学) by Guanglie Ma (马烈光) and Lisheng Jiang (蒋力生), and chapter 4 is all about nurturing  the thoughts and regulating feelings.

The e book says that nurturing the thoughts is the core of well being upkeep in Chinese language Drugs (that is a giant distinction from western drugs!), and that if one’s thoughts is nicely cared for, then one’s feelings and organs will likely be in concord, and one can have a protracted, wholesome life. How can we nourish the thoughts? By cultivating our morality and virtues, thereby making us much less reactive to exterior circumstances and higher in a position to preserve a optimistic and relaxed angle in life.

(Facet be aware: I used to be fairly fascinated after I learn this as a result of I’m finding out historic philosophies, and historic philosophers all emphasize the significance of cultivating morality and virtues, however I used to be not anticipating historic Chinese language docs to do the identical! However as soon as I understood the affect of feelings on our bodily well being, it completely is smart.)

Particularly, the e book offers 5 strategies to nourish the thoughts:

1. Have a form coronary heart

2. Have a transparent conscience

3. Typically do good deeds

4. Scale back needs

5. Typically replicate on one’s ethical cultivation

Icon Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

By all the time holding kindness in our coronary heart, we will preserve concord with different folks. Naturally then, we might be free from fear and have a cheerful way of thinking, which promotes longevity. With a view to nurture our kindness, we should always regularly put ourselves in different’s footwear.

• After we see different folks struggling or sad, we will empathize with them, then we might naturally need to assist them be happier identical to we might need ourselves to be completely satisfied.

• After we see different folks’s goodness, we will discover and really feel how completely satisfied and peaceable their coronary heart is from being an excellent particular person, after which we will encourage ourselves to emulate them.

• After we see different folks’s immoral habits, we should always attempt to perceive why they might do such habits. Then we would not be so crucial and harsh. As a substitute, we might attempt to affect and encourage them to alter by setting an excellent function mannequin ourselves.

Individuals who do not do immoral issues, comparable to harming others out of anger or envy, or dishonest others for one’s personal achieve, can have a transparent conscience. They don’t have anything to cover, in order that they all the time really feel comfortable. Individuals who do immoral issues will usually reside in concern of being uncovered or of dropping what they gained.

Individuals who usually assist others and do good deeds have a giant coronary heart. These persons are often very optimistic and completely satisfied, and they’re not often bothered by fear, anger, and different unfavourable feelings. Doing good deeds can catalyze the goodness we’ve got within us, serving to us to really feel heat and nice, in addition to alleviate our stress and unfavourable feelings. However, having a small coronary heart and solely caring about oneself will solely enhance one’s unfavourable feelings and hurt one’s well being.

In chapter 19 of the Dao De Jing, the Daoist thinker Laozi recommends us to “protect simplicity and scale back egocentric needs.” Simply to be clear, decreasing egocentric needs shouldn’t be the identical as having no needs. The which means right here is to dampen our needs for issues like fame (eager to look good in others’ eyes), wealth, and sensual pleasures (sights, sounds, smells, tastes, contact).

When needs are extreme and we over-indulge in them, that can hurt our well being. Those that have robust and plentiful needs are by no means contented. Their thoughts is stuffed with ideas and agitation, ensuing of their thoughts and spirit by no means being comfortable.

However, if we overly strain ourselves to dam all needs, then that may create emotions of gloominess and despair. Thus, the Center Means is essential. Wishes and feelings must be in an appropriate quantity and tempered with purpose and rationality. After we reasonable our needs, our thoughts and spirit can settle down and turn out to be tranquil, which then brings concord and peace to our thoughts and physique.

The above talked about factors all relate to cultivating our ethical character. These are all good for our psychological and bodily well being. One other vital side is frequent self-reflection.

An incredible function mannequin is Zengzi, who’s a pupil of Confucius. He stated,

Equally, we will set a time on daily basis to self-reflect on whether or not our actions, speech, and ideas at the present time accords with our conscience and meets our aspirations for ourselves.

The above are methods to extend optimistic feelings like contentment, peace, and serenity. However in life, we’ll all encounter tough conditions and have robust unfavourable feelings. How can we regulate our feelings when this occurs? The e book offers us 4 main strategies:

1. Shift your focus

2. Reframe the scenario

3. Get remedy and steerage

4. Follow deep respiratory

When we’ve got robust unfavourable feelings, comparable to fear, annoyance, gloominess, despair, nervousness, and concern, it is simple to get sucked right into a unfavourable spiral. If we simply inform ourselves to cease enthusiastic about it, it feels arduous. But when we will change the environment and/or shift our focus to one thing extra optimistic, then we’ll naturally cease enthusiastic about it. It is vital to make use of wholesome distractions, comparable to enjoying an instrument, chess, studying, drawing, or exercising. A majority of these actions assist to boost our spirits and calm our minds. As soon as we’re calm, we will face the scenario extra rationally.

Conditions get us down due to the way in which we view the scenario and ourselves. We could view ourselves as victims of circumstance. However truly, circumstances are impartial in nature, it’s our beliefs that give them the label of “good” or “unhealthy”. For instance, some folks get down within the face of problem, whereas others use that problem to inspire them to enhance themselves and take a look at even tougher. We are able to reframe the scenario and inform ourselves that we’ve got to make use of this problem to turn out to be stronger, and that we will undoubtedly do it.

One other strategy to reframe the scenario is to take the next and longer perspective on issues. After we zoom out, our issues will appear a lot smaller. What number of occasions have we made a giant deal out of one thing prior to now, however after a number of weeks, months, or years, we already forgot about it? If we did not get one thing we would like, fairly than obsessing over it, we will take into consideration different methods to realize the identical finish aim. So long as we persevere, we’ll undoubtedly discover a means. These are all methods of reframing our mindset to get better calm and hope.

When we’ve got robust unfavourable feelings, it may be very useful to hunt remedy or recommendation from knowledgeable or from somebody whom we belief is sensible and type. They may give us consolation, hope, and encouragement in our time of want. They will additionally present us with helpful knowledge and recommendation that we won’t consider by ourselves to raised remedy our issues.

Remark: In my expertise, historic philosophical teachings provide marvelous remedy and steerage for our emotional issues. For instance, previous philosophers train us that when issues do not go the way in which we would like, we must replicate on ourselves fairly than blame others or exterior components. Which means reflecting on our contribution to the issue and specializing in what’s in our management (our ideas and actions) fairly than demanding what’s outdoors our management (different folks and circumstances) to alter. Such teachings assist us to let go of accrued frustration and direct our vitality in the direction of a optimistic, helpful, and productive course.

Training deep, gradual respiratory may also help us to calm down the thoughts and nourish our spirit. It is even higher if we will apply deep respiratory outdoors in recent air.

Remark: The textbook did not have an excessive amount of on this part, however it’s straightforward for us to discover a guided respiratory meditation on-line.

Everyone knows the significance of meals, train, and sleep on our well being. However in western drugs, the affect of feelings on our well being shouldn’t be emphasised almost as sufficient correctly. Comparatively, Chinese language drugs places a robust emphasis on managing feelings for good well being.

When feelings are extreme and long-lasting, they straight hurt our inner organs and might result in bodily signs. With a view to harmonize our feelings and nourish the thoughts, we should always domesticate our ethical character, reasonable needs, do good deeds, and observe our conscience. After we encounter tough conditions and have robust unfavourable feelings, we will regulate our feelings by shifting our focus, reframing the scenario, getting remedy and steerage, and doing deep respiratory.