INNER CAUSES OF AN ILLNESS
The inner causes of an illness are due to emotional stress. Traditionally, the inner, emotional root causes of an illness, influencing the internal organs, immune system, nervous system, and brain, are themselves influenced by external, environmental factors that affect the outer body first.
The inner root causes of an illness are:
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Anger
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Joy
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Sadness
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Worry
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Pensiveness
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Fear
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Shock
HOW CHINESE AND WESTERN MEDICINE LOOKS AT EMOTIONS
Western and Chinese medicine both view emotions in a different way. Western medicine also recognises the link between mind and body, but western science looks at it in a completely different way in comparison to eastern science. The brain is at the highest point of the mind-body triad. The limbic system is responsible within the brain for processing emotions. Emotions not only affect the nervous system but also the immune system and the brain and hormonal apparatus down the hypothalamus to the adrenal glands. This system is also called the PNI system or psychoneuroimmunology. The nervous system sends impulses triggered by emotions that are transferred to a relevant organ.
On the other hand, in Chinese medicine, the body-mind relationship is like a continuous cycle of interaction between the organs and their emotional side. Western medicine doesn’t consider emotions as the primary cause behind the illness; they give it secondary importance. Eastern medicine sees emotional trauma and imbalance as interlinked entities behind the disharmony between mind and body.
Chinese medicine has beautifully explained the concept of mind-body through three treasures: essence (Jing), Qi (Energy), and mind (Shen). Essence is the material substratum of energy and mind and the very basic foundation of a happy, harmonious mental and emotional life.
WHEN DO EMOTIONS CONVERT INTO AN ILLNESS?
The word emotion is derived from Latin, and it is known as ‘e-movere’ (to move out). It is the sensation or energy separate from the cognitive and willpower faculty of the conscious mind. So, anger, fear, hope, desire, pain, and pleasure are referred to as emotions. My opinion about it as I contemplated it is that passion is the right word to describe intense emotions and mental suffering. The word “passion” in Latin means ‘pattire’ which is translated as “to suffer”. It was René Descartes, the French philosopher well known for “I think, therefore I am,” who separated the mind-body link. His above statement placed importance on the thinking and cognitive aspects but not on the feeling aspects. Thus, the emotions were replaced by passions. Emotions become the root cause of an illness when we are unable to process or control them. Feelings and sensations produced by the emotions are called “Ci ji,” which means ‘to stimulate’ and especially ‘ji’ which means to surge like water. So, we surge or are stimulated by emotions that overwhelm us.
Emotions can only turn into illnesses when they are repressed or suppressed for a long period of time, or the person is unable to cope with them due to their intensity. When we say ‘he took it on his/her heart', it means the emotion influenced his/her heart. In the same way, in Chinese, ‘emotion’ is called 'qing', which in its extreme sense is referred to as ‘to invite’, ‘to ask', or ‘to engage’. So, in another sense, it is we who invite or ask emotions to reside in our hearts and control us.
All emotions indirectly affect our hearts, as we are the ones to invite them into our house or the residence of consciousness and spirit, ‘the heart’. In Chinese medicine, the seat of consciousness lies not in the mind but in the heart. It is the heart, which is the residence of the mind, that is responsible for feeling and identifying the influence of emotional stress.
EFFECTS OF EMOTIONS ON ENERGY
ANGER: MAKES ENERGY RISE
SADNESS DISSOLVES ENERGY
WORRY: KNOTS ENERGY
Joy: SLOW DOWN THE ENERGY
Fear makes energy decline.
PENSIVENESS—KNOTS ENERGY
SHOCK: ENERGY IS FRAGMENTED
FOUR POWERFUL ACUPOINTS FOR EMOTIONAL IMBALANCE
UB.52 ACUPRESSURE POINT is very useful in strengthening will power, determination, and motivation to cope with the adverse effects of emotional trauma and inability to cope with difficult or intense emotions due lack of will power, initiative and determination. This point can pressed or massaged to calm oneself.
LIVER.3 is another wonderful point to counter bad effects of repressed and suppressed anger. This point should be pressed in circular motion or massaged on the both sides for good results.
PERICARDIUM.8 also known as ‘palace of weariness can process emotions in a safe way for a person suffering from inner turmoil, shame and social stigma. Acupressure and massage can both be done on this point. Essential oils can be used according to your liking on this point. Bach flower remedy suited to your particular personality and coping style can be rubbed (2-3 drops in water) on this point.
After these three powerful point comes the third eye called as ‘YINTANG’. This point will help your intuition and strengthening your power to look through your emotions and reflect on the positive side of them.
BY, DR ABID KHAN ACUPUNCTURIST
