Mar 6, 2022, is the first day of the Yin Water Rabbit month of the Chinese calendar. The Chinese calendar assigns one of the twelve animals, five elements, and the polarity of yin or yang to each year, month, day and hour. What does this mean regarding how Meridian Harmonics approaches health and treatment strategies?
The Yin Water Rabbit refers to one of the sixty-four hexagrams described in the I Ching and used in Feng Shui. Its image represents Water over Wind and signifies the downward movement of Water or rain over the ascending movement of Yang Wood, Thunder. Thunder and Rain create chaotic confusion and difficulty. Fortunately, this energy state will not last and will lead to a more calming state.
This hexagram is the image of Water sinking downward against the sinking energy of Yin Wood or The Well. The image derives from the pole-and-bucket well of ancient China. The wood represents not the buckets, which in ancient times were made of clay, but rather the wooden poles by which the water is hauled up from the well. The image also refers to the world of plants, which lift water out of the earth by means of their fibers. The well from which water is drawn conveys the further idea of an inexhaustible dispensing of nourishment.
Neglecting this time for consolidation and preparation can result in the following general disorders:
nervous system and some digestive system problems: headache, dizziness, epistaxis, pain and weakness of the lumbar and leg, sciatica, hemorrhoids, weakness of the joints, aching and dysfunction of the elbow, warts
disorders of the head, chest and rib cage and lower limbs: eye pain, night blindness, blurring of vision, weakness, numbness, and pain of the lower extremities, distention and pain of the breast, febrile disease, headache, redness, swelling, and pain of the eye, tinnitus, deafness, pain in the hypochondrium, spasm and pain of the upper extremities
urinary, respiratory, circulatory, and nervous system disorders: retention of urine, enuresis, constipation, hemoptysis, asthma, dementia, pain in the heel, sudden loss of voice, stiffness of the tongue, pain in the wrist and arm, and palpitations
We’re at the beginning stage of moving from the winter season into springtime. It’s still a good time to remain vigilant against unexpected changes in the environmental pathogenic factors such as windy cold or windy heat settings that can trigger the various conditions listed.
Here at Meridian Harmonics, during this month we will supplement our treatments to support these systems of each patient. This can be accomplished using specific acupuncture and herbal therapies. Each patient is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all treatment for every patient. We will assess each patient, individually, on what strategies are best suited for them.
Modifying one’s lifestyle can support this period and the winter season in general. This transitional period in the year brings varying weather patterns. Climatic pathogenic factors are always transported by the wind. Protecting yourself from the wind cold of winter or the wind cold of indoor air conditioning is a must. Likewise, the occasional wind-heat from warmer weather or from indoor heating from furnaces can also manifest internally in the body with diverse symptoms, depending on the individual. Overexposure to the wind, cold, or heat causes external climatic pathogenic factors to invade the acupuncture channels and leads to the energy of Qi within the channels being inhibited or blocked. In the Yin Water Rabbit month, the wind pathogen is predominant and invades the organs leading to the various internal medical conditions listed.
This transitional period allows us to be more flexible with our meals while remaining mindful that the undercurrent of the winter encourages us to continue consuming more warming foods and fluids, which are more beneficial to the internal organs. While the previous months have focused more on exercise for building and recovery, we’re moving into a period where we can begin introducing more cardiovascular exercises. The wind of springtime moves us to be more active.
Clinic hours: Tue - Fri 8:00 - 12:00, 1:30 - 6:30
Closed: Sat, Sun, Mon
Meridian Harmonics Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine
www.mhaom.com
