Liver Qi - Stagnant/Sluggish, How To Move It?

[alchemystical]

Greetings folks, been having some digestive issues of late and a swift TCM appraisal suggested that along with damp heat I have some stagnant/sluggish liver qi.

 

How would one go about mobilzing it?

 

Any recommendations in generally improving digestive health would also be appreciated.

 

 

Thanks

[dawei]

two quick thoughts to test some of it.

 

1. Form your hand in a cupping manner and slap the liver area... move outside of it a bit and keep slapping for about a minute...  Does it sting?  Afterwards, does it vibrate?   Finish that with an inner smile to liver... think green.

 

2. massage your stomach in the direction of digestion working from the start to finish line... slow, deep and push around... see if you feel any pain/discomfort or anything releases... you can do that a few times a day.

[Gerard]

What things do you do that make your liver qi stagnant? Could you please list lifestyle habits? Removing them plus a couple of things you'll need to do will hopefully correct the problem but it isn't an easy task, if your kidney qi is next to zero according to:

 

http://www.universal-tao.com/InnerAlchemyAstrology/

 

See, water is the mother of wood and generally speaking liver imbalances are a result of someone born under a fire animal (horse, snake, sheep) and in a fire year but depending of the month and hour of birth and whether it is a water horse (not likely to develop that condition) or a fire horse (prone to liver qi stagnation).

 

Ultimately lust, anger, resentment, attachment are the major determinants of liver fire which are compounded by an imbalanced Zi Wei Dhou Shu reading.

 

Lifestyle habits that cause liver qi stagnation:

 

1. Not enough physical activity

2. Excess physical activity

3. Stress

4. Alcohol/recreational drugs consumption

5. Poor diet, consumption of junk food

6. Overwork

7. Excessive computer use

8. Excessive sexual activity and not complying to the following rules which are MANDATORY:

 

http://www.hps-online.com/tsy4.htmhttp://www.hps-online.com/tsy4.htm

 

9. Eating after 6pm/sunset.

 

Also harming/draining kidney qi will lead to liver qi stagnation:

 

1. Stress

2. Overwork

3. Excessive physical activity

4. Excessive sexual activity

5. Exposure to chemical agents (recreational drugs, alcohol, antibiotics, analgesics, tranquilisers, food additives, air pollution)

7. Inadequate sleep pattern

8. Exposure to cold (weather or air conditioning)

9. Ingestion of iced or refrigerated foods and beverages

10. Inadequate water intake

11. Too much bitter, salty, hot and spicy food

Edited June 9, 2015 by Gerard

[alchemystical]

@dawei - Thanks for raising those points, I have implemented them on a daily basis.
 

@Gerard - I’ve been under pretty much constant stress for the past few years as well as working up to 80 hours some weeks. I find time to meditate and engage in tai chi and have learnt how to psychologically manage my stress but it seems my body says otherwise.

Thank you for that link as it provided some very interesting insight:
 

 

 

My Western astrology chart also has a lot of fire in my makeup.

It appears that I do breach more than half of the points that you’ve raised and will take steps to remedy that situation and bring myself more into alignment with the daoist principles.

Could you tell me more about the kidney qi? Also, I noticed that on the astrology chart my values for organs listed gallbladder and large intestine as 0 and that is also where I intuit the issue to be. Other points:

 

Liver: 2

Lung: 0

Stomach: 5

Spleen: 2

Heart, Pericard: 2

Small Intestine, Triple Warmer: 2

Bladder: 1

Kidney: 2

I have recently quit my job and am attempting to carve out a new career that is more in line with my needs as opposed to my desires. I intend to strip my food right back to basics (any recommendations for the lifestyle change?) and then rebuild it up from there by adding in a regular sleep/wake cycle with a circuit of bodyweight exercises each day along with some yoga and a qigong practice (any tips? I do like 8 pieces of brocade but am unsure if it creates any energy bar the calisthenic aspect).

Also, is there anything I can do in terms of herbs or supplementation to help out? I was thinking of taking milk thistle which helps with the liver along with a probiotic to help balance my gut flora.

My thanks to you for your illuminating words and to those that are reading and intend to chime in with their wisdom to help me on the way.

Edited June 12, 2015 by alchemystical

[dawei]

@dawei - Thanks for raising those points, I have implemented them on a daily basis.

 

Just to extend this idea...  The Middle Dan Tian houses lots of emotional issues.  The slapping technique can be applied to the entire area.   IMO, people should slap the liver, spleen, stomach, heart, lungs... AND the rib cage.

 

The rib cage is not talked about much but it grabs emotional energy.  Use your finger and poke around the rib cage and see if anything is tender.  And the upper chest lung area also does this.  Find them. Deal with them.   A healthy dose of medicine is to know yourself.. that includes slapping yourself too

[alchemystical]

Just to extend this idea...  The Middle Dan Tian houses lots of emotional issues.  The slapping technique can be applied to the entire area.   IMO, people should slap the liver, spleen, stomach, heart, lungs... AND the rib cage.

 

The rib cage is not talked about much but it grabs emotional energy.  Use your finger and poke around the rib cage and see if anything is tender.  And the upper chest lung area also does this.  Find them. Deal with them.   A healthy dose of medicine is to know yourself.. that includes slapping yourself too

 

That is a fantastic idea, I will give that a spin too - thanks.

 

Also, how does one release and tap into these stuck emotions in these energy centers in order to become pristine and clear again? Can you recommend any exercises, methods, books, courses or other avenues of research please?

[dawei]

That is a fantastic idea, I will give that a spin too - thanks.

 

Also, how does one release and tap into these stuck emotions in these energy centers in order to become pristine and clear again? Can you recommend any exercises, methods, books, courses or other avenues of research please?

 

I did learn exercises for each area but in the end, it seems to me that there is a lot to be gained from focusing, poking, slapping and smiling.  Self diagnosis and inner focus on the body will get you really in tune with your body. 

 

The next step would be if you find a really tender area or know you have an energy center issue, to put your hand about 1 inch over it and just feel it.   DO you get heat, tingle, itch, prickly, etc...  Just get used to feeling an area... Later you can even feel another person's area well enough

 

A simple trick is to remember that sound purges and colors tonify.  So if you focus on an area, you can use that idea.

 

So you could use the appropriate sounds with slapping at the same time to breakup stuck energy... then breath through the crown and out the feet, feeling like you are washing away any bad Qi... see it carry outside of the body and out of the house.  The tonify with focus, smile, color.

 

Some threads you might find interesting:

 

Liver Qi Stagnation

 

Questions about the Six Healing Sounds

 

Yin/Yang Healing Sounds?

[alchemystical]

The beauty of synchronicity, eh dawei?

 

I was just looking in to the healing sounds at this very moment and came on here to search about them when you'd replied.

 

Please allow me to browse what you've linked and I shall get back to you in a few, many thanks.  

[Gerard]

Also, is there anything I can do in terms of herbs or supplementation to help out? I was thinking of taking milk thistle which helps with the liver along with a probiotic to help balance my gut flora.

 

 

 

Method to cure everything (it deletes all the damage you have done to yourself) and return you to the spirit/primordial nature: Baguazhang. It will also teach you about your body, your mind and underlying the complex internal energetics. You become a TCM doctor.

 

Book to learn the basics of Chinese Medicine and fix your diet (plus many other facts): Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine

 

Puerh tea is great for the liver.

 

Here's a good source: Yunnan Sourcing

 

 

Best of luck.

Edited June 16, 2015 by Gerard