Q: I tend to be an overly emotional person. I often feel angry and frustrated and sometimes I find that these emotions consume me. How do my emotions affect my health?
Answer:
Nowadays we understand everything about energy. Energy can be visible and invisible. Quantum physics shows us that the universe is a combination of both the material and the non-material. Man is part of this universe. This means that we are connected to both the material and non-material aspects of this reality. Our body is the material, visible aspect. Emotions, which are also a form of energy, are non-material. Everything is connected. We can see how interrelated things influence each other. Therefore, our emotions, as part of our whole, have an impact on our body. Perhaps the biggest learning experience for most patients is recognizing the powerful influence of emotions on their health and ultimately learning to manage their emotions.
A fundamental theory of Chinese medicine is the Five Element Theory. Through deep spiritual practice, ancient masters were able to observe the basic elemental foundations of nature. These observations were organized into five master groups or patterns in nature. Each of the five groups – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water – includes limitless associations, such as season, climate, stage of growth and development, internal organs, body tissue, taste, color, sound and emotion. The Five Element Theory talks about how all things are connected and interconnected. It shows us how the structures and systems in our bodies are connected, how we are connected to the natural world, and how our world is part of the larger universe.
Liver Health
If we apply the Five Element Theory to healthcare, we see that each organ carries a certain emotion. For example, the liver is related to anger and frustration. As for the other organs, worry affects the stomach, sadness and grief unbalance the lung, and fear points to the kidneys. This means that the experience of these emotions can become unbalanced in the long term and affect the function and health of the corresponding organ. Using this framework, we can see how our invisible emotions – our consciousness – directly impact our highly visible, physical body.
Nowadays everyone is under enormous physical and emotional stress. Stress has a direct impact on the liver and its function. That’s why we ask ourselves: “How can we release stress”? How can we really understand the meaning of the phrase ‘Go with the flow’? This flexible state is optimal for maintaining healthy liver function. But teaching someone to ‘let go’ is a complex issue. To do this, we turn to the ancient insights of Chinese medicine and modern discoveries to guide our way.
Modern science says that positive and negative always exist at the same time. This concept reflects the Chinese concept of Yin and Yang. When we apply this concept to life, it means that when someone is under a lot of stress, they can look at the situation or event that is causing the stress from a different angle. The person’s initial point of view makes her angry, stressed, and frustrated because that’s all she can see – and honestly, that’s all she wants to see. According to quantum physics, we choose the reality we see from among many possible or potential realities. But if that person were to change her point of view, she would change her energy frequency and then see the situation – her reality – differently.
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Read more: Emotions: the TCM perspective
Don’t miss it!: Emotional Cleansing, April 13-14, virtual
Emotions are meant to move; they are natural expressions of life. But when they get stuck, your physical well-being can be turned upside down. In this workshop, Master Lu will guide you through an emotional cleansing exercise designed to gently release stagnant emotions and restore flow. You will experience a simple yet powerful Qi tool that supports emotional balance, clarity and a renewed sense of ease.