Monday, 16 August 2021

August 22, 2021 - Full Moon in Aquarius Affecting the Gallbladder Meridian - Visualize a New Direction

The August full moon is AGAIN an Aquarius full moon which will again work on the Gallbladder meridian - a Yang energy, Wood element meridian. The gallbladder is the organ where, according to yogic anatomy, our frustrations are stored – its twin organ is the liver, where anger gets stored. The gallbladder's functions include secreting and storing bile, and it affects the spleen and stomach functions. It assists digestion to keep it moving; it also controls the sinews body flexibility and tendon strength.


The Gallbladder rules sleep, as it is associated with deep sleep from 11pm to 1am - insomnia or waking up in the middle of the night and being unable to fall asleep again may indicate a deficient Gallbladder.

The gallbladder works closely with its twin organ the liver in taking plans and bringing them to realisation. It is also the meridian responsible for choosing between options, good judgment and decision making. What course is right for me to take? It helps us find our direction in life, especially if we find ourselves procrastinating or stuck in indecision. 
The Liver in Chinese Medicine is seen as the General in charge of planning, and the Gallbladder is the liver's right-hand: it uses the Liver's vision to make judgments and important decisions. It transforms Kidney vitality and Liver vision into action.

In below illustrations you can see the path of the gallbladder meridian through the body, with details over the foot. It begins in the outer corner of the eye (one of the tapping points in EFT) and immediately branches into 2 lines. A main branch remains on the surface and winds back and forth across the side of the head and above the ear, before turning downward along the side of the neck. After following the top of the shoulder it then passes under the arm and zigzags along the side of the ribs to the hips.
The other branch goes from the eye corner inside the cheek and descends to the liver and gallbladder. From there it descends further and emerges in time to rejoin the first branch at the front of the hip.
Then in one single line the meridian descends further and runs along the outside thigh and knee until it reaches the ankle. It runs across the top of the foot until it reaches the fourth toe. Another branch leaves at the ankle to run across the top of the foot and join the Liver meridian at the big toe (not in picture).

    
Frustrations might arise in the days leading up to the full moon and just after, and our tolerance may be (severely) challenged. The test is to stay mindful and present throughout, take a breath, and look for any opportunities to expand your patience and exercise your abilities to accept and surrender.

When Qi energy is stuck in the gallbladder meridian, one can have difficulties making decisions, or on the contrary make very rash decisions. The indecisiveness can lead to emotional frustration in yourself and those around you (family members, colleagues, …). 

This is an excellent time to visualise the ideal life situation, partner, workplace, travel, ...

Symptoms of a blocked gallbladder meridian:
  •         Headache on one side of the head
  •      Pain on one side of the body
  •      Neck tension
  •         Hip & lower back pain
  •         Nausea & indigestion
  •         Pain in the shoulder blade
  •         Outside leg pain, sciatica 
  •      Blurred vision
  •      Dizziness
  •      Pains along the side of the body (including eyes, ears, throat)
  •      Indecision
  •      Frustration
  •      Procrastination
  •      Bitterness
  •      Resentment
  •      Repressed anger
  •      Irritability
  •      Depression
  •      Nervousness
  •      Being conditioned to expect criticism
  •      Timidity (but also it's total opposite!)
  •      Easily startled
  •      Indigestion (esp. after fatty food)
  •      Craving greasy foods
  •      Bloating
  •      Flatulence
  •      Gallstones
  •      Acute abdominal pain
  •      High cholesterol
  •      Cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) 
  •      Hypochondria

Tips:
  •         Visualise the colour green
  •         All physical activity is beneficial in this time, especially if it causes you to sweat
  •         Lose extra weight

Things that are good to eat:
  •         Green & sour foods
  •         Homemade yogurt
  •         Drink warm lemon water or diluted apple cider vinegar 
  •         Spelt with vegetables
  •         Sprouts
  •         Corn silk tea
  •      Healthy fats (coconut oil, olive oil, fish oil)
  •      Vitamin C rich foods
  •      Nuts
  •      Buckwheat
  •      Hemp
  •      Turmeric
  •      Beets
  •      Black seed oil
  •      Avocados
  •      Blackberries
  •      Lemon juice
  •      ACV (with the mother, unfiltered)
  •      Dandelion
  •      Fiber-rich foods

Foods to avoid:
  •         Sugar & sweets - they weaken the willpower and 3rd chakra
  •         Heavy, fatty or oily meals
  •      Alcohol
  •      Potatoes
  •      Pasta
  •      Rice
  •      Dairy (including cheese!)
  •      Grains

Yoga for the Gallbladder meridian:

  •         All postures to strengthen the navel point/3rd chakra.
  •         Stretch pose 1-5 minutes with breath of fire
  •          All pranayama/breathing exercises
  •         Meditation 1: Sitting in easy pose, left hand on the heart centre, right hand rests on the right knee in gyan mudra. Focus on the third eye. Start breathing in a 4-part breath: Inhale through the nose, exhale through the nose. Inhale through the mouth, exhale through the mouth. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. Inhale through the mouth, exhale through the nose. Continue for 11 minutes.
  •         Meditation 2: Sitting in easy pose, again with the left hand on the heart centre and the right hand resting on the right knee in gyan mudra, focus on the third eye. Long deep breathing through a rounded mouth, whistling on both the inhale and exhale. Continue for 11 minutes or more.


Some Kundalini Yoga kriyas for the gallbladder and/or gallbladder meridian:

Malas/Gemstones that are beneficial for the gallbladder:


By Japjeet Rajbir Kaur @ Shuniya Yoga, www.shuniya-yoga.org .
Expanded from information on www.breathislife.com & www.fiveseasonsmedicine.com .
Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, 11 July 2021

July 24, 2021 - Full Moon in Aquarius Affecting the Gallbladder Meridian

The July full moon is an Aquarius full moon which will work on the Gallbladder meridian - a Yang energy, Wood element meridian. The gallbladder is the organ where, according to yogic anatomy, our frustrations are stored – its twin organ is the liver, where anger gets stored. The gallbladder's functions include secreting and storing bile, and it affects the spleen and stomach functions. It assists digestion to keep it moving; it also controls the sinews body flexibility and tendon strength.


The Gallbladder rules sleep, as it is associated with deep sleep from 11pm to 1am - insomnia or waking up in the middle of the night and being unable to fall asleep again may indicate a deficient Gallbladder.

The gallbladder works closely with its twin organ the liver in taking plans and bringing them to realisation. It is also the meridian responsible for choosing between options, good judgment and decision making. What course is right for me to take? It helps us find our direction in life, especially if we find ourselves procrastinating or stuck in indecision. 
The Liver in Chinese Medicine is seen as the General in charge of planning, and the Gallbladder is the liver's right-hand: it uses the Liver's vision to make judgments and important decisions. It transforms Kidney vitality and Liver vision into action.

In below illustrations you can see the path of the gallbladder meridian through the body, with details over the foot. It begins in the outer corner of the eye (one of the tapping points in EFT) and immediately branches into 2 lines. A main branch remains on the surface and winds back and forth across the side of the head and above the ear, before turning downward along the side of the neck. After following the top of the shoulder it then passes under the arm and zigzags along the side of the ribs to the hips.
The other branch goes from the eye corner inside the cheek and descends to the liver and gallbladder. From there it descends further and emerges in time to rejoin the first branch at the front of the hip.
Then in one single line the meridian descends further and runs along the outside thigh and knee until it reaches the ankle. It runs across the top of the foot until it reaches the fourth toe. Another branch leaves at the ankle to run across the top of the foot and join the Liver meridian at the big toe (not in picture).

    
Frustrations might arise in the days leading up to the full moon and just after, and our tolerance may be (severely) challenged. The test is to stay mindful and present throughout, take a breath, and look for any opportunities to expand your patience and exercise your abilities to accept and surrender.

When Qi energy is stuck in the gallbladder meridian, one can have difficulties making decisions, or on the contrary make very rash decisions. The indecisiveness can lead to emotional frustration in yourself and those around you (family members, colleagues, …). 

This is an excellent time to visualise the ideal life situation, partner, workplace, travel, ...

Symptoms of a blocked gallbladder meridian:
  •         Headache on one side of the head
  •      Pain on one side of the body
  •      Neck tension
  •         Hip & lower back pain
  •         Nausea & indigestion
  •         Pain in the shoulder blade
  •         Outside leg pain, sciatica 
  •      Blurred vision
  •      Dizziness
  •      Pains along the side of the body (including eyes, ears, throat)
  •      Indecision
  •      Frustration
  •      Procrastination
  •      Bitterness
  •      Resentment
  •      Repressed anger
  •      Irritability
  •      Depression
  •      Nervousness
  •      Being conditioned to expect criticism
  •      Timidity (but also it's total opposite!)
  •      Easily startled
  •      Indigestion (esp. after fatty food)
  •      Craving greasy foods
  •      Bloating
  •      Flatulence
  •      Gallstones
  •      Acute abdominal pain
  •      High cholesterol
  •      Cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) 
  •      Hypochondria

Tips:
  •         Visualise the colour green
  •         All physical activity is beneficial in this time, especially if it causes you to sweat
  •         Lose extra weight

Things that are good to eat:
  •         Green & sour foods
  •         Homemade yogurt
  •         Drink warm lemon water or diluted apple cider vinegar 
  •         Spelt with vegetables
  •         Sprouts
  •         Corn silk tea
  •      Healthy fats (coconut oil, olive oil, fish oil)
  •      Vitamin C rich foods
  •      Nuts
  •      Buckwheat
  •      Hemp
  •      Turmeric
  •      Beets
  •      Black seed oil
  •      Avocados
  •      Blackberries
  •      Lemon juice
  •      ACV (with the mother, unfiltered)
  •      Dandelion
  •      Fiber-rich foods

Foods to avoid:
  •         Sugar & sweets - they weaken the willpower and 3rd chakra
  •         Heavy, fatty or oily meals
  •      Alcohol
  •      Potatoes
  •      Pasta
  •      Rice
  •      Dairy (including cheese!)
  •      Grains

Yoga for the Gallbladder meridian:

  •         All postures to strengthen the navel point/3rd chakra.
  •         Stretch pose 1-5 minutes with breath of fire
  •          All pranayama/breathing exercises
  •         Meditation 1: Sitting in easy pose, left hand on the heart centre, right hand rests on the right knee in gyan mudra. Focus on the third eye. Start breathing in a 4-part breath: Inhale through the nose, exhale through the nose. Inhale through the mouth, exhale through the mouth. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. Inhale through the mouth, exhale through the nose. Continue for 11 minutes.
  •         Meditation 2: Sitting in easy pose, again with the left hand on the heart centre and the right hand resting on the right knee in gyan mudra, focus on the third eye. Long deep breathing through a rounded mouth, whistling on both the inhale and exhale. Continue for 11 minutes or more.


Some Kundalini Yoga kriyas for the gallbladder and/or gallbladder meridian:

Malas/Gemstones that are beneficial for the gallbladder:


By Japjeet Rajbir Kaur @ Shuniya Yoga, www.shuniya-yoga.org .
Expanded from information on www.breathislife.com & www.fiveseasonsmedicine.com .
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, 4 June 2021

June 24, 2021 - Full Moon in Capricorn Affecting the Triple Burner Meridian


June will see a full moon in Capricorn affecting the San Jiao or Triple Warmer/Burner/Heater or Triple Energizer meridian (it goes by many names in English). 

San Jiao refers to the 3 origins in Chinese medicine: heaven, earth, and water. The 3 'burners' are pictured below: the upper jiao or burner receives ethereal influences and is associated with heaven. The middle burner is associated with the earth element, and the lower jiao is associated with the drainage of water. 


The San Jiao or triple burner is/are not a physical organ - it is a matrix of connective tissue or fascia, only recently discovered by Western medicine: membranes that envelop every muscle, bone, organ in the body and that help each part of our body communicate with one another and play a role in keeping open the flow of Qi or Prana. One could say that the triple burner provides a passageway along the primary Yin Yang vertical axis between the fire of the kidney and of the heart (sometimes called the 'ministerial fire').

The picture below shows this meridian's passageway highlighted in red. This yang meridian begins on the backside of the ring finger (the same finger in which its partner meridian, the yin Pericardium meridian in which we had a full moon last month, ends) and runs over the back of the hand, the wrist and lower arm, passes the outer point of the elbow and runs along the back of the upper arm to the back of the shoulder. Then it comes to the front of the body and enters the chest beneath the sternum, where it branches: the main branch runs downwards to the pericardium and continues down through the diaphragm to the 3 burners. The second branch ascends along the side of the neck, circles the back of the ear, and then circles the side of the face. Another small branch emerges from the back of the ear and connects to the Gall Bladder meridian at the outer corner of the eye. 


The triple burner meridian controls our prana (life force -- what in Chinese medicine is called Qi) as well as the distribution of energy in three main areas: 1) the chest, which is responsible for breathing (heaven association); 2) the abdominal cavity which controls digestion (earth association); and 3) the pelvic area which is in charge of elimination as well as reproduction (water association).
The triple warmer is a Fire element meridian in the Chinese system. Fire energy goes up, against gravity. The Fire element is concerned with moving from the material realm to the spiritual realm through purification (alchemy through fire). But guidance is needed to succeed, which is why we need a Guru. The triple burner also controls appetite, thirst and body temperature and coordinates digestion, communicating with the Spleen and Stomach.
Moreover, the triple burner rules body liquids to keep them moving. It aids in transforming body fluids and it balances the Prana or Qi between the upper, middle and lower areas. Most importantly, the triple burner delivers Original Qi to all organs.
Importantly, Capricorn and the triple burner meridian rule the glandular system -- the guardians of health and emotional well-being, and of stability in infinite consciousness. Our glandular secretions determine the blood chemistry, which in turn determines traits of our personality, our moods and our emotions, including surges of pleasure and displeasure. If, e.g., your thyroid is not functioning well, you will likely find yourself lacking in patience and tolerance.

Physical symptoms:
  • Weak Prana or Qi
  • Low energy
  • Shoulder pains
  • Headache
  • Migraine
  • Ear problems such as deafness, ringing in the airs (tinnitus), pain, eczema and waxy ears
  • Facial paralysis
  • Toothache
  • Sore throat
  • Pain in the corner of the eye
  • Pain and stiffness along the arm, elbow and wrist
  • Neck rigidity
  • Nerve pain
  • Arthritis and nails with ridges or white spots on the third finger, as well as the fourth finger
  • Glandular imbalances playing up
  • Problems with the adrenal glands and thyroid in particular
  • Chills and fevers
  • Excess mucus
  • Digestive problems
  • Bloating
  • Urinary difficulties
  • Elimination problems
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Difficulty shaking off negative thoughts

Tips:
  • Ishnaan (cold shower) daily keeps your glands healthy and functioning properly -- see here for a blog post on how to take yogic cold showers correctly.
  • Eat more healthy foods and in more relaxed and quiet environments. How you prepare your food and how you eat it is just as important as what you eat, to the extent that yogis would say that if you cannot eat in a graceful and relaxed environment, then don't eat at all.

Things that are good to eat:
  • Red & bitter foods: red beets, brussels sprouts, radicchio, rucola, rosemary, oregano, basil, paprika, turmeric, grapefruit, watermelon, quinoa, rye, buckwheat. Cherries, red grapes and strawberries are not included due to their sweet taste.
  • Drink green tea (washed first) and (dark) chocolate in moderation, and best in a moist environment.

Yoga for Triple Burner:
  • Back platform with the toes pointed away, fingers facing back and long deep breathing. 3-5 minutes
  • Long Deep Breathing. 

Some Kundalini Yoga kriyas for the Glandular System:


By Japjeet Rajbir Kaur @ Shuniya Yoga, www.shuniya-yoga.org .
Expanded from information on www.breathislife.com & www.fiveseasonsmedicine.com .
Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, 22 May 2021

May 26, 2021 - Full Moon in Sagittarius, Affecting the Pericardium (Heart Protector)

Wednesday 26 May 2021 will bring us a full moon in Sagittarius which will affect the Pericardium meridian, also known as the meridian of the 'Heart Protector' , 'Heart Helper', 'Spirit Protector' or - very poetically - 'the King's Bodyguard'. 

The pericardium is the protective sheath or sac that surrounds the heart organ. Together with the heart and the blood vessels, the pericardium runs the circulatory system. Energetically its function is to protect the heart from damage and disruption caused by excessive emotions from other organs and/or external sources (think how in English we’d say that our heart is “bursting with joy” or how we experience “heartbreak”). In the Chinese 5 element system, as in the Ayurvedic system, extreme emotional outbursts (both positive and negative) are seen as powerful disruptors of balance and a major cause of disease. Without the pericardium to protect it, the Heart could be gravely injured by every-day emotional commotion. 

   

The Pericardium meridian is a Yin meridian of the Fire Element (in the Chinese 5 element system) and is paired with the (yang) Triple Burner meridian. The longest branch begins in the chest and connects to the pericardium, and runs (on both sides of the body, left and right) out from the pericardium, horizontally across the chest, surfacing at the ribs from where it then moves up and around the armpit, down the front of the biceps, along the forearm to the palm and finishes in the tip of the middle finger. A small side branch runs from the palm into the tip of the ring finger where it connects to its paired Triple Burner meridian. A last branch of this meridian runs down from the pericardium connecting the 3 burners that give their name to the Triple Burner (San Jiao) meridian.

The Pericardium meridian is the mediator between the water tattva and the fire (agni) tattva if we look from the Ayurvedic point of view -- between our emotions in the second chakra and our passion in the third chakra, then rising up into the Heart. The fire tattva is purifying and transforming – its energy is not bound by gravity but rises up towards the heavens.

The Pericardium protects the Heart from emotional trauma but also helps to express the Joy of the Heart. It rules our relationships and the emotional issues around them. Emotionally, pericardium energy is related to the loving feelings associated with sexuality, thereby linking the physical and emotional aspects of sexual intimacy. It does so by moderating the raw sexual energy of the 2nd chakra with the all-embracing love generated by the 4th chakra. 

A balanced Pericardium meridian allows us to be generous, warm, kind-hearted, loving and compassionate to those around us, and allows us to be able to receive both criticism and love from others.

An imbalanced Pericardium meridian makes us feel unprotected in the heart centre and will cause us to look for other ways to protect the heart (e.g. by rounding off the shoulders, keeping our distance from others, building protective walls around us which are meant to keep others out but only end up making us feel separated and isolated within that fortress we have built).


Physical symptoms of a blocked or imbalanced Pericardium meridian:

  • chronic damaging relationship patterns
  • relationship fears
  • excessive vulnerability
  • problems around self-acceptance, self-love, self-expression and the relationship with oneself 
  • the inability to smile
  • guarded behaviour
  • problems with or pain/soreness in the hips
  • stiff neck
  • poor blood circulation
  • cold extremities (hands and feet) due to poor blood circulation
  • low sexual joy or sexual perversion
  • inappropriate intimacy or fear of intimacy
  • profound sadness or even depression (i.e. pericardium deficiency)
  • too much joy and/or incessant laughter or giggling in inappropriate circumstances (i.e. pericardium excess)
  • rounding off the shoulders to try and protect the heart
  • armoring
  • many stress-related problems
  • pain in the heart area & chest discomfort due to inflammation or liquid build-up around the heart
  • stomach problems
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • mental disturbances
  • phobias
  • vertigo

 

Things that are good to eat & drink for this meridian:

 

  • oatmeal (contains silica which is good for the pericardium)
  • a drink of boiled oatmeal. Recipe: boil 1 cup of oats in 3 litres of water for 20 minutes. Strain. Drink 4 cups a day.
  • red and/or bitter foods: beetroot, Brussels sprouts, kale, karelay (bitter gourd), bitter melon, radicchio, rucola, rosemary, oregano, basil, paprika, turmeric, grapefruit, watermelon, quinoa, rye, buckwheat, dandelion leaves, …
  • dark chocolate, green tea (washed first), matcha tea, Yano or another grain coffee.


Yoga postures for the Pericardium meridian:

 

  • Archer pose is the best posture for this meridian. It helps to develop a clear and powerful vision. Do 3 to 11 mins on either side with long deep breathing or breath of fire. Chanting can also help to keep up.

 


  • Any hip opening exercises
  • Sit in butterfly pose

Do some butterfly stretches first (bouncing the knees up and down for a few minutes) to stretch the hips open. Then start bringing the torso and head slowly all the way down, leading from the navel with a straight spine, with long deep breathing, allowing tension to be slowly released.

 

Slowly allow the hips to open up.

  • Alternate leg stretches



 

Kundalini Yoga Meditations for the Pericardium (with links):



Some Gemstone Malas that will help with the Pericardium, Heart and above described symptoms:

Do check out the webshop as there are so many more, and you can search on key words.


By Japjeet Rajbir Kaur @ Shuniya Yoga, www.shuniya-yoga.org .
Expanded from information on www.breathislife.com & www.fiveseasonsmedicine.com .


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