Getting to the Root of It

Clients often present with a multitude of sins! Although they might have come for a treatment for a bad shoulder, they often bring with them a hefty 'back catalogue' of aches, pains and conditions. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners are expected to treat both the 'branch' and the 'root' of the condition. What then are the root causes of disease and how do we treat the source and not just the manifestation? 

An example of just how strong this connection is can be found in the book 'Pain'; in it the author describes how in war, survivors of mutilating injuries have recorded lower pain levels than those with less severe wounds. The author reasons that because those with less severe injuries would be returning to the front, a horrific and terrific prospect, their brains flooded with chemicals that increased their pain . Those more severely injured soldiers that were to return home to safety produced bio-chemicals that reduced their pain. Anecdotally this is also evidenced by clients who report that their symptoms "disappear" when on holiday in relaxed surroundings away from their regular responsibilities. Together this evidence suggests that our attitude towards our environment is what instructs the body to produce chemicals that relax or stimulate us and this is supported by findings from the discipline of psychoneuroimmunology. The connection between our bodies and our experiences is further indicated by our language. When we use terms such as "I couldn't shoulder the responsibility" or "it's back-breaking work". We are indicating, consciously or subconsciously where we are experiencing, and potentially storing, our emotions towards our environments.

This relationship between emotion and physicality is present at birth and both positive and negative habits are usually formed in 'kidulthood' and concretised as an adult. In secondary school, during the awkwardness of adolescence, we manipulate our  bodies to gain acceptance and/or dominance. For example, depending on a young person's self-esteem and the culture of their peer group, taller teens may stoop to subconsciously  'fit in better'. The media emphasis on 'perfect bodies' also has teens 'working out' in ways that will compromise their natural growth during their teen years.

The use of postural muscles are used throughout our lives to display dominance and submission in group situations (think office politics). These are often gender specific such as rotation and tilt in the hips to accentuate femininity and over extension in the chest to accentuate masculinity. As well as overt changes we can also store emotions that are literally inappropriate in a work place such as anger or disgust. In clients who are unable to challenge managers or colleagues overtly due to sensibilities in their work environments there can be pronounced tightness in the gluteal muscles (these are the muscles that give our bottoms it's curved shape). I speculate that storing tension in the back of the body is a safer, less visible place than the front of the body which are observable face to face, such as gritting one's teeth or tightening pectoral (chest) muscles . This is not quite as cut and dried as the example implies, but you get the gist.

Disease is clearly experienced physically - through our bodies, our breathing, our skin, our nervous systems and so on. However the relationship between body and mind is such a strong one that the condition of our mind can impact massively on the way we experience disease. Another word for disease, or dis-ease, is discomfort. Being totally (physically and emotionally) comfortable in our bodies, past the age of 7 or so is far rarer than one would think. Or, as the Czech would have it "If you wake up in the morning and feel no pain, it is to be feared that you died in the night". Cheery. So how do we get (and stay) comfortable in our own bodies?

Our bodies are hardwired to react to threats. Evolutionally, this has been a good thing! However a curse (and blessing) of the human condition is our imagination; our ability to think things through before and after they happen. Unfortunately our bodies have a hard time distinguishing between what is actually happening and what we imagine to be happening. Think about a conflict and your heart will speed up, breathing will become more shallow and adrenaline will start pumping through the body. Conversely, thinking happy thoughts will generate endorphins that relax the body. Therefore reuniting our mind with our bodies is the first step to being at peace physically as well as mentally.

Firstly however I would suggest patience and acceptance of whatever physical and emotional states we are in right now! Our bodies have taken on the shape they have to protect us as best they know how. There's no point being angry with ourselves, it only furthers our disassociation from our bodies. Put on a bit of weight? Good. That's the body giving you a layer of insulation from the British weather (or the chill your boss sends up your spine). Getting that rounded shoulder look? Fair enough given the hours you spend at the computer doing your best to meet the rent. But take note, if you do want to change physical and mental habits it is necessary to commit to frequent and regular actions. Small steps will get you there but only if you take enough of them. To create lasting change in the body it is necessary to do it daily - be it exercise, meditation, affirmations or whatever it is you are doing to create change. It can be for as little as 5 or 10 minutes but it is important to create genuine, undisturbed special time  and space for you to be with you - body and mind.

So, how should you change? First of all there's no should! It totally depends on what type of person you are. For example many people find Tai Chi too slow. Now, even if you are the kind of person who would benefit from slowing down a bit, if you kill yourself out of boredom before you've calmed down then we've not really made progress. In my opinion most forms of exercise unite body and mind through the breath.

'Hard form'  or aerobic exercises will benefit cardiovascular and respiratory systems and strengthen wei qi which is the body's first defence against air-born pathogens (i.e. it keeps you more resistant to disease). However it can be harder on the joints and so, after a certain age - which depends on your previous level of physical fitness - I believe it is worth concentrating more on soft form exercises.

Meanwhile stretches develop physical flexibility which can enable us to 'roll with the punches' on a psychic/emotional level. 'Soft form' stretches such as tai chi or chi gong are good for the cardiovascular and respiratory system as well as the connective tissue, or fascia, of the body. Fascia is connected to the autonomic and parasympathetic nervous systems which govern automatic processes such as breathing and digestion as well as the bodies ability to heal.

Ideally, you'll do both (and meditate!) Fortunately I don't have to describe running here and other of my posts will deal with ideas and techniques around meditation so for now I will leave you with a classic Qi Gung posture that is rumoured to be the only one you'll ever need!

Zhan Zhuang (Jam Joong)

Place your legs shoulder width apart with feet facing forwards. The space between your second and third toes should face straight ahead this can make you look a little pigeon toed but that's the Chinese straight for you

Bend the knees slightly. When you look down you should still be able to see your toes (stomach permitting)

Feel the crown of you head suspended as though from a string. Tuck the chin in slightly and feel the back of the neck open.

Sit down. As though sitting on a bar stool with your pelvis tucked under slightly.

Relax. Breathe.

Feel your spine straight and your head, perineum (the bit between genitals and anus) and the point midway between your feet all in a straight line.

Let your hands float up to mouth height, palms face towards the body and slightly upwards (as though there is a coil in your arms). Hands are lower than shoulders. Elbows are lower than hands. 

Relax the shoulders and BREATHE!

Try to practice this once a day building from two-three minutes up to ten-twenty minutes and although you (probably) won’t live forever you will almost certainly experience an increase in physical and emotional resilience.