TCM question

[Old Man Contradiction]

What is the kidneys' role according to TCM? I know good qigong for kidneys but I am not sure what kind of energy the kidneys relate to.

 

also, what could be the cause of social anxiety?

 

I'm going to go see a TCM doctor next week about my social anxiety and chronic tonsilitis, and I was just curious and wanted to start a topic about this.

[UTI]

What is the kidneys' role according to TCM? I know good qigong for kidneys but I am not sure what kind of energy the kidneys relate to.

 

also, what could be the cause of social anxiety?

 

I'm going to go see a TCM doctor next week about my social anxiety and chronic tonsilitis, and I was just curious and wanted to start a topic about this.

 

the kidney stores the primordial qi (true water/fire) and Jing, and is the root of the body's qi. Without healthy kidneys, no growth. Also, without good kidneys no refining the kan and li of the body, nor storing of the jing, both quite essential factors in cultivation.

 

I'm just in the upstart of my education, so I don't know much about that diagnosis, but it could be a number of things depending on other symptoms. A TCM doctor will likely check your tongue, pulse, generally look you over to see what kind of person you are. Social anxiety could be any number of yin/yang deficiency/excess. It's good to go to a tcm doctor though, here in Sweden the psychological aspect is completely overlooked, people have just barely accepted that tcm is a good way of treating disease, but don't really consider psychological problems a "disease" in the same way -so they don't often look for a cure. Seriously, the "this is just the way it is" attitude is really belated. And very Swedish.

[markern]

I know very little about the TCM aspects of it but I have read many times that the kidneys relate to anxiety and fear but that the lungs also have a role in anxiety (the lungs are also involved with confidence and depression). The spleen is connected to worry and thinking to much. The solar plexus center a lot connected to self esteem and self worth.

 

Belly breathing and mindfulness of the breath is very good for anxiety and often the only cure needed. The breath rules anxiety. By perfecting it through belly breathing anxiety should be reduced a lot and through mindfully meditating on the free and uncontrolled flow of the breath you free it up further and learn how to be mindfull with whatever sensations there are. When anxiety comes you try to be mindful of it in the same way. Aceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness based cognitive therapy are two new styles of therapy that have shown much more promising results in treating anxiety than any other therapies. You can find a very good book and aceptance and commitment therapy on amazon (the mindfulness and aceptance workbook for anxiety). This line of therapy is inspired by both budhist mindfulness practice and western cognitive therapy (also an efficient treatment by the way). These therapies will support your spiritual practice and be supported by it because they are based on meditation and the psychology of meditation and non-atatchment. Acupuncture can help somewhat and I belive there are some quite good herbs for this, certainly for strengthening the kidneys. I am pretty sure all kidney practices are not created equal when it comes to what aspects of the kidneys are helped. I do one footslapping technique for the kidneys and that certainly energizes them but forward bends calm them and as such do much more for anxious feelings. The kidney sound is good chhoooooooooooooo, also the lung sound ssssssssssssss and the spleen sound wwhoooooooooo (listen to them on youtube).

 

Any sort of practice that makes the body properly aligned is very good for anxiety although this is slow work and hence a slow cure. 12 sessions (its a standard series for the spine) of cranio sacral therapy will realy make your spine head and sacrum properly aligned and should calm you A LOT in addition to disolving trauma. IF you find someone who works acording to the anatomy trains principle and what is called the social engagement protocol they should be particulary good at balancing your fight or flight responce henced removing unnecessary anxiety.

 

The inner smile and or the secret smile could also be perfect meditations for you. T e secret smile makes you calm, confident, happy, loving and blissful, removes blockages in the meridians quickly, balances your hormonal system and prepares you for raising kundalini much more smoothly. You can find instructions if you search for the secret smile at thetaobums.

 

Grounding and rooting should also be good for anxiety. Anxiety puls your energy up and disconects you from the ground. Rooting of course counteracts that and makes you feel very safe and powerful.

 

The book unwinding the belly could also be good for you because it helps disolve tensions in the stomach.

 

Best of luck.

[Riyue]

What is the kidneys' role according to TCM? I know good qigong for kidneys but I am not sure what kind of energy the kidneys relate to.

 

also, what could be the cause of social anxiety?

 

I'm going to go see a TCM doctor next week about my social anxiety and chronic tonsilitis, and I was just curious and wanted to start a topic about this.

 

the first thing one should check is nutrition.

Without a balanced nutrtion - giving your body everything it needs - qigong, acupuncture and herbs cannot have the effect they could have.

In either case a consultation of a doctor should be done. Not only a TCM-doctor. It is fine that there are people who are convinced that both - western medicine and TCM can complement each other.

 

Behind these problems a more severe illness can be hidden

Edited November 27, 2009 by Riyue

[Aetherous]

Here is info on the kidneys...

 

http://www.itmonline.org/5organs/kidney.htm

 

It's great you're going to a TCM doctor, because the subject is much more complicated than it seems at first. Self diagnosis is not a good idea.

[Old Man Contradiction]

My training is helping, and since I started I've noticed that the anxiety is less stuck... like it will flood my body and then it will flow away and there will only be traces of nervous tension left. As opposed to before training when it would flood my body, and it would stay there, my heart would be racing, I'd be sweating, etc...

 

I have changed my diet in the last month. No bread, sugar, salt, dairy, or fried foods. High fiber and protein. Mostly vegetables, fruit, and meat.

 

My training style is yiquan/tai chi/hsing-I, so I am developing root. For my age (19) I don't have a very high level of energy. In other words i'm boring and not charismatic. I'm not too sharp. So my main focus right now is waking up my energy and breathing right to supply enough oxygen to sustain that high energy.

 

It sounds like all of these things in addition to the TCM doctor will do good for me.

 

must go, will post back later.

 

Happy thanksgiving everyone!

[C T]

The Chinese translation for kidneys is "San or Shen".

 

When someone is full with vitality the Chinese would say such a person is "Jing San", which could also be used to describe how a person feels after a good rest or sleep, or after a nice vacation, or a general state of feeling rejuvenated.

 

When I was a teenager, about 18 or 19 I'd say, i went with a few friends to visit a famous Chinese fortune teller, just for the fun of it. When it was my turn to sit in front of him, he gave me a nice reading, and towards the end, he said to me, "Young man, let uncle here give you some advice: No Jing(semen) no San!" After that, i kinda woke up to the awareness that if i needed to stay fit and healthy, i have to treasure my *Oats*.. I am not a Daoist practitioner, but from this little run-in with the fortune teller, it does appear there is a looped connection between kidney health, semen bounty, and rejuvenation.

 

Your post reminded me of this encounter with 'uncle', so i thought it might be a good place to share the tale. (Btw, Uncle, or Tsok-tsok in Cantonese, is the affectionate and respectful term the younger Chinese use to greet the older menfolk).

 

All the best!

[markern]

My training is helping, and since I started I've noticed that the anxiety is less stuck... like it will flood my body and then it will flow away and there will only be traces of nervous tension left. As opposed to before training when it would flood my body, and it would stay there, my heart would be racing, I'd be sweating, etc...

 

I have changed my diet in the last month. No bread, sugar, salt, dairy, or fried foods. High fiber and protein. Mostly vegetables, fruit, and meat.

For my age (19) I don't have a very high level of energy. In other words i'm boring and not charismatic.

 

 

 

What you describe is very similar to what mindfulness will do to anxiety. At first it will come and you will almost feel it as before but then it will just flow through your system much earlier because mindfulness cuts away the resistance to what is happening which then blocks the anxiety and makes it stuck. When this is done enough times the anxiety should then more or less stop coming.

 

If you feel boring an not very charismatic then this might be perfect for you:

 

charismaarts.com

 

It is a very nice form of pickup. Natural, free flowing positive and based on good conversation skills. Regardless of energy levels it will make you charismatic and not boring.

[Old Man Contradiction]

What you describe is very similar to what mindfulness will do to anxiety. At first it will come and you will almost feel it as before but then it will just flow through your system much earlier because mindfulness cuts away the resistance to what is happening which then blocks the anxiety and makes it stuck. When this is done enough times the anxiety should then more or less stop coming.

 

If you feel boring an not very charismatic then this might be perfect for you:

 

charismaarts.com

 

It is a very nice form of pickup. Natural, free flowing positive and based on good conversation skills. Regardless of energy levels it will make you charismatic and not boring.

 

hell yeah dude Juggler is rad! I just got out of a two year relationship, in which time I found out about him so I haven't really tried to internalize his approach, which I think is very down to earth and very cool.

 

and about the mindfulness, they say that yiquan practice is a standing zen. When the anxiety came on, I became aware of it without taking a mental position about it, and I just payed attention to it like I pay attention to my body when I practice Yiquan. Soon after is when it flooded away.

[markern]

hell yeah dude Juggler is rad! I just got out of a two year relationship, in which time I found out about him so I haven't really tried to internalize his approach, which I think is very down to earth and very cool.

 

and about the mindfulness, they say that yiquan practice is a standing zen. When the anxiety came on, I became aware of it without taking a mental position about it, and I just payed attention to it like I pay attention to my body when I practice Yiquan. Soon after is when it flooded away.

 

What you say about mindfulness sounds exactly right. You should after sometime also start seeing some of the thinking that underlies the anxiety and then let that just pass by as well.

 

Great that you like Juggler. Learn from Timmy he will give you the best results, especially if body language is an issue, if you like picking up in loud bars and clubs or if you like picking up girls on the dance floor. He has got some great stuff to teach you about game on the dance floor aparently.

[Old Man Contradiction]

What you say about mindfulness sounds exactly right. You should after sometime also start seeing some of the thinking that underlies the anxiety and then let that just pass by as well.

 

Great that you like Juggler. Learn from Timmy he will give you the best results, especially if body language is an issue, if you like picking up in loud bars and clubs or if you like picking up girls on the dance floor. He has got some great stuff to teach you about game on the dance floor aparently.

 

I'll pay attention to the underlying thoughts.

 

Is Timmy a charisma arts guy? I'm 19, so bars and clubs aren't really an option for me. Plus, my last girlfriend partied all day long, I think I'm looking to meet some girls with slightly different energy.

[Secrets Of Longevity]

The Kidneys in TCM include more than just the kidney (without a capital) organ itself. The Kidneys (with a capital) refers to the kidneys, bladder, adrenals, bone marrow, bones, much of the endocrine system, ears and genes! They mostly just refer to the kidney and bladder but the other areas listed all fall under the category of being a part of or storing the Jing energy. If you think about it, all those things listed ARE foundational to our health as we know it (except maybe the ears ).

[Gerard]

Go and see your TCM doctor. It is impossible and non-advisable giving this sort of advice without performing a pulse diagnosis, which your TCM doc will perform.

 

I wish you good luck.