Tag Archives: Water Element

Eyes Turn Inward

Eye problems, Meditation, Vision, Water Element, , , ,

Jingming – Bright Eyes – Bladder 1

Looking inwardWinter is here. While it might not feel like the deep of winter just yet, the seasonal calendar marks the start of winter as May 6th, the midpoint between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice. The ambient energy of the Element of any season is strongest at its beginning. Right now Water is in its flood. Time to catch the wave.

Winter and Water invite us to go within. Indeed the fundamental movement of the Water Element is inwards. This means turning our gaze from the outer to the inner. Of course most of us need to earn a living so we cannot totally retreat from the world and hibernate for three months. But if we are to live in accord with the seasons, our predominant focus during winter will be on our inner terrain.

The acupoint  Jingming – Bright Eyes, first point of the Bladder meridian, is one that can help us make this inward turn. Traditionally it is used for physical problems of the eyes and is very good for tired eyes, redness, pain, itching and excessive or deficient lacrimation of the tear ducts. It helps with blurred vision, visual dizziness, colour blindness, photophobia and near sightedness. And when eye problems are the result of an external pathogenic invasion, by cold, wind or heat, this point is ideal.

Jingming has an influence far beyond its role as a Bladder point. It is like Grand Central Station in that many other channels and vessels pass through it. It is a meeting point with Small Intestine, Stomach, Gall Bladder and Triple Heater meridians; it is also a point of the Yin and Yang Motility Vessels. And as the entry point of Bladder meridian, it receives Qi from the Small Intestine exit point SI 19. Therefore when we hold it, we are having an effect on many energetic pathways.

You have probably seen a person take off his glasses and place thumb and forefinger to the inner corners of the eyes as a way of soothing tired eyes. This is the body’s innate intelligence at work to touch points that are needed at the moment. And you may have noticed people adopt this same posture when going within to ponder a problem.

Which brings us back to the notion of the inner eyes, for it is here that the deeper power of the point can be mined. Jarrett refers to its capacity to ‘empower the accurate perception of truth’, suggesting we can turn our bright eyes to the conceptual level of seeing what it true. This requires inner reflection and examination, things that are profoundly supported by the deep yin of winter when there is less going on in the outer world to distract us.

The more we can plumb these inner depths, contemplate the fears, dark memories and traumas that have been secreted in our inner cupboards and hidey holes; and the more we can clarify and perceive what is true about our nature, the greater will be the strength and clarity of purpose and vision that will sprout with the spring.

 

Location of Bladder 1

BL 1

 

 

Medial (inside) and superior to (above) the inside corner of the eye. Use light pressure. The little finger is good for this point because of the proximity to the eye.

Healthy Bones

Eye problems, Headache, Low back pain, Neck pain, Planning, Transitions, Vision, , , , ,

Shugu – Bone Binder – Bladder 65

10 Bones copyThough we are still in winter, spring is just around the corner. So I decided to choose an acupoint that will help us to make the transition between these seasons. Shugu is the Wood point on a Water meridian and so serves this purpose nicely.

In Five Element Acupuncture and Acupressure, we pay a lot of attention to the different Element points on the meridians. Every meridian has the five Element points on its pathway. These points are found between the fingers and elbows, and between the toes and knees. These points, sometimes called command points, are tools for moving Qi from one Element to another. Shugu is one such point. As the Wood point on a Water meridian, it moves Qi from Water to Wood. Specifically it moves Qi from Bladder to Gall Bladder, thereby sedating Bladder and tonifying Gall Bladder.

In doing so, this point harmonises the relationship between Water and Wood. We might use the metaphor of a tree whose deep roots are able to access the water and nutrients in the soil in order to grow and stay healthy. Shugu likewise enables us as humans to make wise use of our inner resources for optimum growth. It allows us to utilise these resources in service of our vision for the future. It is like hooking up the driveshaft (Water) to the wheels (Wood) so we can go somewhere. When there is drive without vision, will without plans, seed without growth, this point will serve.

As a distal point on the Bladder meridian, Shugu can treat problems of the urinary bladder such as difficult urination and cystitis. Jarrett points to its use in helping kidney stones to smoothly exit the body. The point also treats conditions along the pathway of Bladder, including lumbar pain, neck pain, headache and sore, painful eyes. Furthermore, it helps clear heat from the body, including fever and the heat-related condition of haemorrhoids.

But what of the reference to bones? The bones are governed by the Water Element because they are the tissues that are deepest in the body. As the Wood point of Bladder, Shugu encourages the healthy growth of bones and supports the healing of fractures, hence the name Bone Binder.

In the Chinese Tongshu calendar, spring begins at the point midway between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox. For us here in the southern hemisphere, that means August 7th. You might try holding this bony point to smooth your passage into springtime.

Location of Bladder 65

BL65

 

On the outside of the foot in a depression posterior and inferior to the head of the 5th metatarsal. Run your finger up the side of your foot from the little toe until you find the large bony prominence half way along. Now go back towards the toe until your finger falls into a depression.