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August, 2004
Liver
The Liver meridian is responsible for detoxification, and this is not just on the physical level, but also includes clearing out emotions. It also stores the blood, and governs the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body. Being related to the eyes and vision, the Liver plays an important role in our ability to plan. The Liver is said to house the Hun, the ethereal soul, which can leave the body during sleep and therefore affect our dreams. A person with an imbalance in Liver may experience uneven emotions, problems with the tendons and ligaments, vision problems, insomnia, lack of flexibility, and difficulty in putting plans into action. The Liver's partner in the Wood element is Gallbladder.
The correspondences for the Wood element and the Liver meridian are:
Partner: Gallbladder |
Sound: Shouting |
The Liver channel begins on the corner of the big toe (pinky toe side), and travels over the top of the foot and along the inside edge of the shin bone, continuing up the inner thigh to the torso, and ending on the lower ribs, just below the nipples. There are a totalof 14 points on the Liver meridian.
LV 3 (Bigger Rushing or Tai Chong) is a powerful point, used for headache, dizziness, vertigo, insomnia, hypertension, depression, hernia, and urine retention. It should not be used during pregnancy. This point is located on the top of the foot, at the top of the depression between the bones that line up with the big toe and second toe.
Stretching – Wood Element Makko-ho
Begin by sitting on the floor with your legs spread apart, your knees and back straight, and your toes pointing towards the ceiling. Bring your arms up overhead and twist your upper body to face one of your feet. Then bend at the side, towards your other foot, keeping the twist in your upper body. Hold this stretch for several slow breaths, and then repeat for the other side. Finish by bending straight forward with your hands out in front of you on the floor.
Book of the Month
Tao and Dharma
by Robert Svoboda and Arnie Lade
This is an introduction to the concepts used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and those used in Ayurveda. These are the two oldest continually practiced medical traditions in the world, and there are many similarities. The book is divided into three sections, the first about Chinese medicine, the second about Ayurveda, and the third part compares the two systems. The authors' goal is to foster more understanding between the two systems, and perhaps inspire a merging of the two.
This Month's Quote
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare;
It is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
—Seneca
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