September 2009

Seeking and Finding Balance

“Like a volcano that’s about to blow,

a society that builds social order on institutionalized soul denial

gets progressively violent rumblings,

until it looks as if civilization is coming apart at the seams.”

                                                                          ~ Denise Breton & Christopher Largent

                         The Paradigm Conspiracy

Recently during a lively discussion at lunch with a friend, she pleadingly queried in exasperation

“What should I do?!  I know I am supposed to be doing something else…

being someone other than who I am now.   I want to change.

I just don’t know what – or who - that is!”

Like the volcano, she was ‘about to blow’. 

I looked at her with concern, knowing it was probable, under such circumstances, that signs or symptoms of dis-comfort (headaches, stomach distress, back pain) would soon manifest.  And, if those feelings of intense frustration or unworthiness were not managed efficiently and effectively, dis-ease of the mind and/or body would likely follow.  It was quite likely that she was energetically reacting to her perceived dilemma by constricting the flow of energy in and around her body, heating it unnecessarily.  It could be raising her blood pressure, placing unusual demands upon her heart, or facilitating other indications commonly described as stress. 

Undeniably, such feelings lead people daily into doctors’ offices in search of relief.  In traditional Chinese medicine, it is understood that optimal health requires balance between yin and yang energy.  Although they are opposites, they are also complementary and cannot exist without one another.  Yin represents all things feminine (cool, dark, restful, earthbound) while yang reflects the masculine (active, hot, energetic).  Treatment is always focused on bringing or restoring balance.  A red face accompanied by a headache suggests too much yang (and a need for more yin) while a chest cold may indicate too much yin.  Like many individuals enduring the burdens of stress, my friend was exhibiting the symptoms of being in yang overdrive. 

In recent years, our earth has also exhibited signs of an imbalance between yin and yang energies. One need only look to recent examples of dramatic temperature fluctuations, wildfires, ice storms, hurricanes, drought, and tsunamis to realize that the energy of our planet is changing.  As humans who co-exist with nature, we are undeniably influenced by these changes.  Some theorists point to the increasingly prevalent uprisings and wars in civilizations across the planet as evidence that energetic imbalances are permeating our human nature.  Conversely, however, humans have also demonstrated a greater interest in balance, focusing on activities intended to restore stability within our environment and in our bodies. 

Recently, Jan Tober (The Indigo Children: Ten Years Later, 2009) suggested that we may be moving from being governed by the immune system (masculine) to being governed by the endocrine system (feminine).   The immune system sees dis-ease as an enemy and attempts to catch and kill the bug.  This aggressive approach, which is omnipresent in western allopathic medicine, frequently takes the form of surgery, radiation, and drugs.  It has encouraged us to develop adversarial or dismissive relationships with our bodies, particularly when they present foreboding messages that we do not want to hear.  When we ignore such warning signs, we consciously choose to compromise our body’s inherent defense and response systems.  When our immune protection system becomes weak, we are unable to defend ourselves against illness and unwelcome environmental toxins.  Likewise, if our endocrine signal system of information grows faulty, our body becomes less capable of understanding and regulating our moods, growth, development, and metabolism.

Meteorologists engage in intense study and observation of the planet in order to understand its ever-increasing climate changes.  Individuals seeking to regain or promote their health should follow this model, using their bodies as a guidance system which can be observed and studied to understand disturbances and reveal clues on how to restore optimal health.  Complementing this approach with holistic treatment methods such as herbs, therapeutic touch, prayer, and unconditional love, enables us to draw upon the feminine yin energies that have long been relied upon by traditional Chinese medicine.  

So, you are probably wondering,

·         How, when, and where do I seek and find balance in my own life??

·         Do I still need a strong immune system or should my focus be on the hormones of my endocrine system?

·         If I am a woman, do I need more yang energy to be balanced? If I am a man, do I need more yin?

Yin or yang…feminine or masculine…immune or endocrine – there must be symmetry.  The presumption is that in today’s society, many individuals already have an over-abundance of the hot yang energies.  Drawing upon the yin will cool the yang fires, leading to a more balanced state.  Remember, you can be neither too hot nor too cold if you are to be healthy. 

As you endeavor to establish energetic balance, take some time to also consider the messages that you are feeding your body and soul.  Positive, nurturing thoughts and affirmations are as essential to your physiological balance as natural, nourishing foods. 

The path to finding balance within your own life is as unique as your fingerprint.  Discovering or recognizing your strengths will likely lead you to uncover corresponding weaknesses.  You should neither deny nor ignore these reflections of you.  Remember, you are seeking balance.  Be aware of your body’s signals, listen to the messages that you are sending to it, and embrace the facets of your exceptional self to create your perfect balance.   

Stimulating your immune system:

1.    Tap on your thymus gland (see the August Newsletter for specific directions).

2.    Bounce gently on a mini-trampoline.  Doing so will stimulate the lymph in your body to move.  Since lymph does not have its own ‘pump’ (like the heart pumps blood), vigorous exercise gets it moving!  (Lymph is the clear fluid that comes out of a cut.  It carries antibodies and produces lymphocytes – specialized white blood cells.  It also carries proteins, fats, and hormones to the cells and eliminates dead tissue.  Most importantly, it eliminates toxins – which block the flow of energy - from your body!)

3.    Massage (or have someone do it for you) neurolymphatic points.  There are 90 on these on the surface of the body (mostly the upper body), so a deep tissue massage will do the trick.  But, if you are looking for the specific points, you can find a ‘map’ on p. 50 of Energy Medicine for Women by Donna Eden.

Happy Seeking … and Happy September!