Tag Archives: Water Element

COLD

Readers may have noticed that here has been a slight hiatus in blog posts. This has been due to a combination of the muse taking a holiday, and my writing energies being directed to another project. But a gentle prod from a reader (thanks Evelyn) and the unusually cold winter in southern Australia have inspired me to begin another series of posts.

One of the resonances through which the Five Elements manifest is that of climate which is closely correlated with the resonance of season. Here’s how they line up:

WATERWOODFIREEARTHMETAL
WinterSpringSummerLate SummerAutumn
ColdWindHeatHumidityDryness

The resonances are realms of life through which the vibrations of the Elements are expressed. The vibration of the Water Element expresses as the season of winter, the climatic condition of cold, the emotion of fear, the organs of bladder and kidney, and so on. When there is an imbalance in an Element within a person, it is likely to express itself through a number of these resonances. In this post we will focus on the way that the climate of cold can influence other resonances of the Water Element. We’ll explore the other climates in their respective seasons over the next year.

The Chinese character for cold is hán and depicts a man trying to protect himself from the cold by staying in his shelter and covering himself with straw.

Fortunately, we have better ways of keeping warm these days, but for many, the cost of heating is unaffordable, and ongoing exposure to the cold can become debilitating to the health. A recent UK government report stated that living constantly in an environment below 18 degrees Celsius (64 F) begins to affect one’s health, and that negative health effects may occur, such as increases in blood pressure and the risk of blood clots which can lead to strokes and heart attacks. It is well documented that the more severe the winter, the greater the number of deaths, especially in those over 60 years.

From the Chinese medicine perspective, these effects of cold are known as cold invasion. In fact, all of the climatic factors are considered to be ‘external pathogenic factors’. In other words, they are pathogens that invade the body in the way we might consider bacterial and viral infections as invaders.

The risk of cold invading the body is clearly greatest in wintertime, though it can occur in other seasons. Being yin in nature, cold injures yang, causing contraction in the body. This includes contraction of the skin, the muscles, the tendons and ligaments, all of which can produce stiffness and biting pain. When cold combines with wind, this allows for the penetration of viral respiratory conditions such as the common cold. In this case wind is the spearhead of the cold invasion. Other symptoms of cold pathogen can be watery, clear or white discharges, period pain, fertility issues, epigastric or abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

These latter conditions arise when there is penetration of cold into the stomach, intestines or uterus. But the deepest effect is upon the yin organ of the Water Element, the Kidneys which house the jing or Essence. This is especially true for those of a certain age whose Kidney Qi is already in short supply, and who may complain of feeling the cold in their bones.

How can we protect ourselves from cold invasion, or treat ourselves when cold has taken a foothold?

The first thing is to bring warmth. Wear extra layers of clothing to trap the body heat, including a hat or beanie, a neck scarf, and an extra layer around the abdomen to warm the kidneys. Use heating pads and heat the room. A hot water bottle on the belly is a lovely way to bring warmth into the body. Drink warm liquids and eat warming foods and herbs like ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cayenne and turmeric.

 Movement and exercise will help to heat the muscles, tendons and ligaments. A more powerful way of warming the body is through Qigong which cultivates as well as circulates Qi. Try any of the ten thousand forms! An ancient, basic, but reliable form is the Ba Duan Jin or Eight Strands of Brocade. These movements are designed to strengthen all the organs and channels. The sixth of these exercises specifically strengthens the Kidneys.

Qigong is not just movement, but also incorporates breathing to gather the Heavenly Qi. Conscious breathing into the belly centre (lower dantian, or hara) warms the body remarkably and strengthens the Kidney Qi. Tibetan monks have a practice known as tummo, the practice of inner heat. This is a series of breathing and visualisation practices that raise body temperature and metabolism. There are notable cases of competitions to see who can melt the most snow around them or dry the most layers of wet cloth on their bodies. (Don’t try this at home.)

More recently, Wim Hof, known as the Iceman for his ability to withstand low temperatures, has popularised a system breathing practices. This involves forceful breathing followed by breath holding which can strengthen the immune system and resist the cold.

There are acupoints that are known to expel cold once it has penetrated the body. The following are some which we have met over the years in this blog, and I have linked to those posts.

• My favourite point to treat cold is Governor Vessel 4 Mingmen Gate of Life. This point strengthens Kidney Qi and addresses the balance between the Fire and Water Elements.

• Stomach 36 Susanli Leg Three Miles, was my very first blogpost in 2014. This highly versatile point can in this case, expel cold if it has penetrated the Stomach.

• Stomach 25 Tianshu Heavenly Pivot for cold invading the intestines.

Triple Heater 5 Waiguan Outer Frontier Gate. This point strengthens the exterior and rebalances the body thermostat.

• When cold with wind has affected the head and neck, use Gall Bladder 20 Fengchi Wind Pond and Governor Vessel 16 Fengfu Wind Palace.

As we navigate the second half of the southern winter, I encourage you to find ways to protect and defend against the cold. I’ll be back in the Spring with a look at the climate of Wind.

How Cold is Cold?

It has seemed a colder winter than usual in the Adelaide Hills. So it was a surprise when I looked at past records for July and discovered that the mean temperature in this area has been a degree warmer than last year, and indeed warmer than most previous years. It must be that my years are catching up with me, since a person’s Kidney Qi declines with age, and that is a factor in one’s resilience to the cold. Indeed, when I rug up to out walking and see young people in shorts and tee shirts, I am reminded that cold is a relative condition.

One of the best acupoints for expelling cold invasion in the body is Governor Vessel 4, Ming Men, Gate of Life. I wrote about this point in The Way of the Five Elements and that article can be accessed here. It revitalises and reinvigorates by strengthening Kidney Qi. It can open the gate to reconnect with our real reservoir of energy, the Jing or Essence.

I’ve been using this point a lot in clinic over the course of the winter in combination with other points. In keeping with the theme for the year, I share here some of my point combinations with Governor Vessel 4.

The first is to combine with Conception Vessel 5, Shimen, Stone Gate. This is the front mu point of the Triple Heater (San Jiao), a place where Qi collects and stagnates if there is an acute imbalance in that channel/organ. One of the functions of Triple Heater is to regulate the heating system and the defensive Qi of the body. In this way it mirrors some of the features of Mingmen. This combination also illustrates a key principle of point combining in Five Element Acupressure, that of holding points that are in the same segment of the body, both front and back. In this case the focus is on the lower abdomen. Gentle pressure on the front pushes towards the back, and pressure in the back pushes towards the front, creating an effect on the fascia of the region, softening and loosening all of the fascial structures and facilitating the flow of Qi throughout the segment, not only in the points themselves.

The second combination is to hold GV 4 with Bladder 40 behind the knee, first on the left side, then on the right. The reasoning behind this combination is that the Divergent Channel of the Bladder meridian breaks off at Bladder 40 and moves up the back very close to the centre of the spine. Treating the Bladder also treats cold in the body. By holding this combination, you can facilitate the movement of Qi through both the Bladder meridian and Governor Vessel, strengthening resistance to the cold.

The third combination I learned very early on in my career and its sources have been lost to memory. With one hand you hold GV 4, while with the other you hold, in sequence, Bladder 62 on the left ankle, Kidney 6 on the left ankle, Kidney 6 on the right ankle, and finally Bladder 62 on the right ankle. Usually, when this final point combination is completed, it feels like a circuit has been connected and there is a rise in the perceptible level of Qi. Bladder 62 and Kidney 6 are important points on channels that treat cold. Furthermore, they are the master points of the Qiao Vessels which support movement, grounding and balance. Here is another article referencing these points.

These three combinations provide a nice off-the-shelf protocol for supporting a person (like me) who is feeling the winter cold more keenly.

Location of Governor Vessel 4

On the spine in the junction between the 2nd & 3rd lumbar vertebrae. It is level with the navel.

Location of Conception Vessel 5

Conception Vessel 5 is 2 cun below the navel, or two-fifths of the distance from the centre of the navel to the top of the pubic bone.

Location of Bladder 40

Bladder 40 is in the middle of the posterior knee crease.

Location of Bladder 62 & Kidney 6

Bladder 62 is half an inch (cun) below the base of the outer ankle bone. Kidney 6 in one inch below the tip of the inner ankle bone.