How to Heal Yourself When No One Else Can
Page 12
Ears are energetically connected to the kidney meridian. Emotions associated with the kidneys are fear, dread, and blaming and are all worth exploring.
Tip: Refer to the throat (fifth chakra) for more.
Eyes— Metaphors concerning the eyes might deal with clarity and inner knowing. They might include an inability to see the truth, not liking what you see in your own life, not wanting to see what’s ahead, refusing to look at the truth, an inability to look forward, not trusting life and the future, or not being able to trust your inner eye or intuition. The kidneys are also linked to the eyes energetically. Emotions associated with the kidneys are fear, dread, and blaming, so it would be interesting to see if those might fit for you too.
Migraines that affect the eyes specifically can be linked to conflict with the inner voice and fear of listening to intuition (which comes from the third eye area, right between your eyebrows). If the issue with the eyes involves dry eyes, this is often linked to fear, nervousness, or inability to show emotion, fear of letting go, and an imbalance in the nervous system. Twitching of the eye (or any other body part, in fact) is energetically linked to the nervous system as well.
Tip: Refer to the third eye (sixth) chakra for more.
Gallbladder— Your gallbladder secretes bile to help you digest fat and is an important part of your digestive process. It is imbalanced by emotions such as resentment, frustration, guilt, and indecisiveness. If it is a problem, there may be some “fat” or “waste” in your life that you are just not letting go of. Gallbladder imbalance will often result in right knee pain and right shoulder pain.
Tip: Refer to the solar plexus (third) chakra for more.
Heart— Your heart is a muscle that pumps blood through your entire body, but it is essential to your emotional health as well. According to the Institute of Heart Math, the heart and brain have a continuous two-way dialogue, each affecting the functioning of the other. The signals that go from the heart to the brain can influence emotional and cognitive functioning. The heart is often called the “second brain” of the body and is connected to giving and receiving love and the ability to manifest. It is affected by feelings such as insecurity, abandonment, betrayal, and extending yourself to others but not receiving anything back.
Imbalances or conflicts in the heart often cause dizziness, so this is something else to consider. Insomnia or other sleep challenges are almost always related to matters of the heart, such as inner conflict, feeling unsettled, feeling lost, and not listening to your heart. Unresolved emotional energy in the heart can radiate and affect the shoulders, chest, and neck (including the thyroid).
Tip: Refer to the heart (fourth) chakra for more.
Hips— Your hips help to lead you forward in life. They also support your lower body. When you are feeling fearful about a new direction in your life or being able to support yourself, it can show up in your hips. Imbalances in the large intestine (colon) can also manifest as pain or discomfort in the hips. Your large intestine is linked to “letting go,” so if there is fear about letting go and moving forward, this would be beneficial to address. Imbalances in the uterus or other areas of the reproductive system can also affect the hips.
Tip: Refer to the root (first) chakra for more.
Kidneys— Your kidneys cleanse your blood and are a large reservoir for your energy. They are imbalanced by emotions such as fear, dread, or feeling unsupported or conflicted. The kidney meridian runs through your feet and legs, so fear around moving forward or stepping out on your own may fit. In Chinese medicine, the kidney energy stores your life force energy and is extremely important. Anything that drains your kidney energy (most often fear) will affect your entire body. Kidney imbalance can also show up as pain or discomfort in your lower and mid back.
Tip: Refer to the solar plexus (third) chakra for more.
Legs, Knees, and Feet— Challenges with legs and feet can indicate feeling unsafe moving forward, being ungrounded, being unsure of your next step, feeling stuck in the mud, being too fearful to move, feeling like you’re sinking, carrying too much emotional weight, being unable to walk away from something, having to walk away from something, and feeling lost/wandering around.
Right knee issues are often linked to resentment and the gallbladder, while left knee issues are often linked to strained adrenals (tiring yourself out, draining your energy reserves).
As we already discussed, the legs and feet are connected to kidney energy; so again, fear is something to consider.
Tip: Refer to the root (first) chakra for more.
Liver— Your liver is a big supporter of your immune system. It detoxifies the blood and is also related to hormones and the menstrual cycle. Emotions linked to the liver include anger, resentment, irritability, depression, and frustration, as well as feeling like nothing ever goes right, that your life is a struggle, and everyone is out to get you. The liver is energetically connected to hormones and can affect the endocrine system (specifically women’s menstrual cycles) when imbalanced. Liver imbalance can also create pain between the shoulder blades and in the right shoulder. Additionally, stagnant liver energy can create headaches and dizziness, stemming from going over old hurts that we’re still angry about.
Tip: Refer to the solar plexus (third) chakra for more.
Neck— Emotional energy showing up in the neck can symbolize being frozen in fear, being afraid to turn in any direction, being afraid of making a mistake and heading the wrong way in life, being narrow-minded, having a “pain in the neck” in your life (usually a person), and being afraid to stick your neck out in the world. It can also symbolize being inflexible with yourself, others, and new ways of thinking or being indecisive or not sure which way to go. The stomach meridian runs through the neck and is associated with the emotion of worry. Often, problems with the neck are actually more closely related to the stomach than the neck itself, but it is wise to work from both angles.
Tip: Refer to the throat (fifth) chakra for more.
Pancreas— The pancreas secretes insulin in the body. Feelings of bitterness often show up as imbalances in the pancreas. You may also feel like the “sweetness” of life has been taken from you or life has been unfair to you. This can include feeling out of control or victimized. The pancreas can also be affected by the emotion of shock. Pancreatic imbalances might affect the left shoulder and the wrists. Because the pancreas is part of the digestive system, it is wise to think about what in your past is too painful to digest and forgive.
Tip: Refer to the solar plexus (third) chakra for more.
Pineal Gland— This small endocrine gland produces a number of chemicals and hormones, most notably melatonin. Melatonin modulates the body’s circadian rhythm, which regulates sleep. The pineal gland can be connected to sleep disturbances. It is also linked to being unable to balance the cycle of light and dark, metaphorically. This may show up as moods being very high or low, with no balance or rhythm in between.
The pineal gland is also called the third eye because of its connection to psychic sensitivity, intuition, and spiritual dimensions. Refusal to open up to our intuition can affect the pineal gland. Fears around the unknown and what’s out there can also affect the pineal gland negatively. These imbalances often show up as migraines, specifically those involving the eyes.
Tip: Refer to the crown (seventh) chakra for more. Note: This can be confusing, as the pineal gland is referred to as the third eye but it not part of the third eye chakra.
Pituitary Gland— This gland, located at the base of the brain, regulates hormone production in the endocrine system. It is like the control center of other glands such as the thyroid, ovaries, testicles, and adrenals. The pituitary gland is responsible for activating adolescence and the beginning of sexuality, so many times, experiences and emotions from pre-adolescence and adolescence should be looked at. The pituitary gland produces a hormone to prompt the kidneys to increase water absorption, so this gland can be linked to dehydration.
The pituit
ary gland is affected by confusion, difficulty making decisions, and constantly changing your mind because of doubt and fear. Part of the pituitary is responsible for regulating emotional thoughts, so it is also impacted by emotional instability.
Tip: Refer to the third eye (sixth) chakra for more.
Reproductive Organs— The reproductive organs are all about creativity, being comfortable with feeling your feelings, security, and joy. When we do not allow our childlike selves to be expressed (as in being “too responsible”), this can block energy. Similarly, when we are afraid to express ourselves creatively, whether artistically or otherwise, energy can get stuck in these organs. When we have issues and fears related to parenting or being parented, they often affect the reproductive organs as well. Fear or guilt around creating our lives as we wish will affect these organs. Feelings of insecurity (the opposite of feeling secure in the womb) and an inability to turn inward for comfort will affect this area. Other emotions that affect the reproductive system are humiliation, shame, and worthlessness. Repressed emotions about sexuality or energy from past sexual trauma can also show up here. When the reproductive system is imbalanced, it can affect the hips and lower back. I often find that imbalances in the uterus cause discomfort in the shoulder blades.
Tip: Refer to the sacral (second) chakra for more.
Shoulders— Shoulders, metaphorically, carry weight. Your body might be talking to you about carrying the weight of others, shouldering a burden, giving or being given the cold shoulder, or trying to shrug something off to please others or avoid conflict. Shoulders can also be linked to feeling pushed around.
The energy of the liver is connected to muscles between the shoulder blades and specifically in the right shoulder. Liver imbalances are linked to anger, frustration, and resentment, so these emotions might be worth examining when looking at shoulder symptoms. As mentioned earlier, I have seen imbalances in the uterus manifest here.
Tip: Refer to the heart (fourth) chakra for more.
Skin— Your skin acts as a barrier between you and the world. When symptoms show up on the skin, they can be linked to feeling like someone is getting under your skin, feeling unprotected against something or someone, feeling that you are itching or burning to release something, and holding hurts right under the surface. Skin rupturing such as blisters can be bubbling-up agitation.
Rashes are sometimes an indication of a burst of anger/expression that you’ve been holding on to, or the body having a big or sensitive reaction. Skin issues are often linked to the fight, flight, or freeze reaction (panic). Your skin is linked energetically to your lungs, which are connected to the primary emotions of grief, sadness, and confusion. The energy of congestion can also show up in the skin—feeling congested or stuck with emotion and unable to move it out.
Tip: I often interpret skin rashes as feeling unsafe and needing to be defensive or protective, so it might be beneficial to refer to the root (first) chakra for more.
Spleen— Your spleen metabolizes energy, thoughts, and emotions and is important to immune function. Your spleen is linked to the concept of nourishment and self-support. Issues with the spleen show up as always seeking outside nourishment and not being able to achieve that internally. The spleen is one of the most important organs in Chinese medicine because it’s responsible not only for digestion and metabolism but also for the distribution of energy to other areas of the body. The spleen meridian is closely linked to the triple warmer meridian and the fight, flight, or freeze response. When the triple warmer meridian is in overdrive, it borrows energy from the spleen’s reservoir, creating a situation where the spleen meridian can’t do its job. The spleen is very affected by stress, low self-esteem, and an inability to turn inward. Excessive thinking, worrying, and dwelling drain spleen energy. The emotions connected to the spleen are failure, worry, and helplessness. Imbalances here can affect the left shoulder and mid back.
Tip: Refer to the solar plexus (third) chakra for more.
Stomach/Intestines— Imbalances in the stomach and digestive system are often related to being unable to “digest” an experience, being sick with worry/guilt/fear, feeling disgusted about something, being gutted (really upset), hating someone’s guts, having something eating away at you, feeling stuck or unable to let go of the old (constipation), being unable to metabolize or process something (thoughts, emotions, a situation), or having difficulty slowing down your reactions (diarrhea).
Imbalances in the lower digestive system—such as the large intestine (colon)—are linked to difficulty in letting go and often affect the lower back and hips. Because the small intestine’s function is to absorb nutrients, imbalances here can represent being unable to receive and absorb (love, nutrients, etc.), and are sometimes linked to feeling undeserving of those things. Imbalances in the small intestine can affect the lower back and knees.
The neck muscles are linked to the stomach. The stomach is associated with the energy of worry, so if you are a worrier, it will often be your neck and/or stomach that delivers that message.
Tip: Refer to the sacral (second) and solar plexus (third) chakras for more.
Throat/Thyroid— The throat symbolizes communication, expression, and metabolizing energy. Symptoms that manifest in the throat can be pointing you to energy around choking on words, swallowing emotions (anger, pain, grief), feeling choked by someone else, being unable to swallow the truth, feeling afraid to speak up, or being choked up and unable to express your feelings. The throat and thyroid can also be imbalanced by speaking, giving advice, and feeling the need to express or defend yourself beyond what feels comfortable or healthy for you.
Thyroid conditions, tonsillitis, and other mouth and throat conditions are most often linked to these types of metaphors.
Tip: Refer to the throat (fifth) chakra for more.
Systems of the Body
While there are many systems in the body, the only two that I interpret as a whole are the nervous system and the immune system. These two are so connected to the functioning of the entire body that I tend to focus on them for a trickle-down effect. The rest of the systems (such as digestive, muscular, lymphatic, and more) are best interpreted by looking at where in the system or in what part of the body, organ, or chakra the dysfunction is manifesting.
Immune System — This system is in charge of keeping you safe—keeping foreign invaders out. Symptoms that show up in the immune system are often linked to defensiveness and protection. Do you feel angry and defensive? Do you feel vulnerable and defenseless? What or whom do you feel like you need protection against? (Others, or maybe even yourself ?) Or do you feel like you have no protection at all? The immune system is your protector. If you feel unsafe being vulnerable, have no way to protect yourself, or feel defensive all the time, it can wreak havoc on this system.
Nervous System— The nervous system is probably the system I focus most of my attention on with clients because its health is so essential to helping them heal. The nervous system is most affected by feeling nervous or anxious about something, being suspended in the fight, flight, or freeze response, waiting for the other shoe to drop, and feeling on the brink of something bad happening all the time. This is related to the triple warmer meridian, which governs the fight, flight, or freeze response. The health of the nervous system is vital to our overall well-being. The nervous system is connected energetically to the bladder, and the bladder is symbolic of being nervous (as in a “nervous bladder”). Because being pissed off is another message the bladder sometimes sends, it’s worth looking at feeling nervous about making others upset, which may affect the nervous system. Being too hard on yourself can wreak havoc on the nervous system by creating a situation in which you can never relax (imagine that someone is picking on you all the time—and it’s you!). Twitching, spasms, tingling, and stabbing pain that seems to come out of the blue are all messages about energy affecting the nervous system.
Health Conditions
Allergies, Sensitivities, and Intole
rances— Allergies are all about feeling fearful and defensive. The body is misdirecting its fear by trying to protect you from things like food and substances that are perfectly safe. This is often a whole-body fear response but can also be connected to strong emotions you were feeling when exposed to particular substances, which then made the body “blame” those substances for the upset and caused an allergy to protect you from them. Working on fear and learning to feel safe will be your biggest assets when working with allergies.
Tip: See chapter 10.
Autoimmune Conditions— Autoimmune conditions are all about attacking your own body or self. These conditions are often signs of self-criticism, attacking yourself or your past (regrets), and feeling completely out of control. They can be particularly affected by patterns of carrying guilt or shame and feeling unworthy or undeserving.
Fatigue-Related Conditions— Fatigue is symbolic of feeling drained and not having “enough” for yourself. It can be linked to feeling tired of life or of a specific situation, being without passion, holding heaviness or sadness, feeling exhausted from never saying no, people-pleasing, and being overwhelmed and drained from cycles of worry and fear. Energy around despair, feeling lost, being stuck with no way out, and overwhelm are commonly seen with fatigue-related conditions. The adrenal glands and their connected patterns are particularly relevant to fatigue.
Immunodeficiency Conditions— An underactive immune system can be interpreted as feeling attacked by others or the outside world and not having any self-protection; not being able to defend oneself.
Inflammatory Conditions— While pretty much all conditions have a component of inflammation to them, conditions that are specifically inflammatory in nature include arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, skin issues, allergies, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. These can manifest as being angry or inflamed, letting old hurts build heat, feeling agitated, being critical toward the self or others, being hypersensitive, or having a sense of impending doom.