Moving through Fear
Fear in today's world is palpable.
It's everywhere; people are hurting. From the news to social media, in clinic spaces and in personal conversations - the common shared experience of being human today can feel heavy and complicated. The physical isolation and new dynamics of every day living is uncomfortably foreign, and sometimes, new and unknown can feel downright scary.
In the article "Emotions & TCM", we discussed emotions in Chinese Medicine and briefly discussed how they can affect health. If you haven't read it, you can find it here.
Let's get more specific and talk about fear.
Exercise
If it feels safe to do so, imagine a time in your life that you felt the emotion 'fear'.
What did it feel like? Where did you feel it?
What sort of reaction did you have? Did you feel in control?
Did other symptoms arise during this time for you?
Take a breath in, and allow an extra moment for your exhale.
Chinese Medicine relates fear to the kidney systems and water element. Fear causes qi to scatter and dissipate, and at times it can weaken the kidneys to a point that the qi actually descends. An example of this is when fear causes urination or incontinence, or other disfunction in proper sealing of fluids.
The kidneys and their post-heaven (genetic) connection largely affect who we become. They command growth, reproduction and development and are responsible for our constitutional strength.
The orifice of the kidneys is the ears. This relates to responding to a sound with fight or flight. Fight would be considered the adaptive response, that is, doing something about it. Fear is considered maladaptive, like the person who freezes and is unable to respond. A healthy balance in the fear response will help guide you to decide when is the best time to fight, or flight. It can warn you of danger, but it can also lead you in the right direction.
Consider your own life for a moment; Are you moving through the world lugging around fear?
An excessive amount of fear or prolonged fear response will inevitably damage the kidneys and deplete Jing essence. Fear can be subtle, almost flying under the radar at times. It is important to be aware of the signs and pay attention to stress levels, anxiety, panic attacks and trauma responses that keep coming up so that you can design your own personal mitigation strategies to cultivate balance. Without this mindfulness, you might not notice until the damage is done.
Feeling fear? Try these.
Feel your feet on the ground. Spread your toes. Place one hand on your belly and the other on the top of your head. Feel the surface of your hands and the soles of your feet simultaneously. Take a few breaths into your belly, allowing your centre to press into the palm of your hand. Repeat. Do this a few times, ensuring longer exhales than inhales.
Auricular massage : Massage your ears. The ears are the orifice of the kidneys. Do this a few times a day for 2-5 minutes until they are pink and warm.
Fascial massage : Massage the space between your eyebrows. Soften your forehead. Move towards your temples. Reach towards the back of your ears. A gentle tapping with your finger pads can also be helpful. Do this for as long as you need.
Counselling is an excellent tool to work through fear, fright, shock and trauma. There are also a variety of ways Chinese Medicine can safely help soothe, move and transform your experience with strong emotions. Acupuncture, cupping, other body therapies along with herbal medicine are just some of the tools that are helpful to work with. Speak with your local practitioner today to decide what the right path to balance looks like for you.
If you are curious or inspired to work with Yanaroot in designing a strategic health care plan individual to your needs, let's connect.