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Abdomen; The abdomen is the seat of Adolescence. The Small Intestine absorbs vital nutrients and the Large Intestine mainly absorbs water as the liquefied food, called chyme, the stomach makes works its way through. Abdominal problems, cramps, diarrhea, constipation etc. indicate difficulty absorbing nutrients and Life sustaining water. Blockages occur on the walls of the Intestines when they become encrusted with retained fecal matter. In the realm of ideas and consciousness, we become stuck in adolescence, which I describe as the 'me, me, me,' time of Life. 'Me, me, me,' was more or less appropriate at the time as we strove to create our own identities and separate from our parents. In our culture, adolescence is a significantly long period of time. Previous to the last half of the Twentieth Century, it almost didn't even exist as a significant life space. The passage from childhood to adulthood was a specific event like the first kill, a Bar Mitzvah, or similar ceremony, a first menstruation, leaving the parental home. Today, adolescence just seems to go on forever. Its beginning and its end are indeterminate. For this reason it is a time of great confusion, emotional turmoil as we strive to act like an adult (without really knowing the rules) and are treated like a kid, or act like a kid (while being told to grow up). In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Kidneys, the Stomach, the Spleen, Chong and Ren channels all flow through and converge below the Navel. Ren 6 (Qi Hai or 'Sea of Qi), the Second Chakra,
and the Lower Dantian are all names for this point of power located
just below the Navel. Fear, Anger, Worry, are all concentrated
here, as well as the Female principals of giving birth and creativity
as represented by the Ren and Chong channels. The energy here, just like Adolescence is very strong, very dense, and difficult to control. Yet it is an extremely important centre of energy in the human body and a great deal of time and energy is devoted to cultivation and mastery of this energy centre in eastern medical and meditative practices. Metaphysically, letting go is a very important process to good health. Retaining waste materials in the Large Intestine or retaining toxic ideas from our adolescence have the same toxic effect on the body. Old ideas that should have been discarded long ago, stick like barnacles and prevent new ideas from being absorbed. Often we are unaware of the toxicity residing in our intestines, hidden beliefs, which we come to accept as unassailable truths, slowly poison us. This area is also traversed by the Chong channel, which in TCM governs the Uterus. For women, retention of adolescent beliefs has a
profound effect on conception and childbirth. Louise Hay suggest the abdominal cramps come from Fear; stopping the process of Life. Sexual Organs; The sexual organs represent the Masculine and Feminine Active principals. Real health relies on and is expressed by how well we accept the opposite gender. Spiritual wellness depends to a large degree on how well we connect with the opposite gender in ourselves. We each have within us the actual and the potential to be both. Sex change operations prove that. On the Metaphysical level, the Male principal is active, aggressive, above, light, Yang. The Feminine principal is passive, submissive, below, dark, Yin. We may speak of 'Father in Heaven' and Mother Earth. Creation occurs when the Male Principal or Light, penetrates the Female Principal or Dark and illuminates the Truth. The sex act to produce orgasm and children reflects
this metaphysical principal. Sexuality and Spirituality are a paradox; two apparent opposites that are simultaneously true (at least at the point of orgasm). What is created is neither yet both. We need both principals for the creation process to occur at both the physical and metaphysical levels. Sexual energy has great healing and creative properties if that energy is harnessed and guided upwards. There are two kinds of sexual dysfunction. One is depletion from overindulgence and the other is stagnation from inactivity. The latter seems more prevalent in North American society. Examples of stagnation include Cancer of the Cervix, Prostrate, & Uterus, menstrual dysfunction, Migraine Headaches and even Acne. Symptoms of the former include chronic backache, phobias, weak and painful knees, hair loss and premature aging. And yes, there is some evidence that vision can be affected. These dysfunctions are quite apart from those that result from sexual guilt, abuse and confusion. Failure to understand and accept the Male and Female principals means that we will always feel incomplete and most often looking in the external world for Mr. or Ms. Right, who will complete us. Metaphysically that is something to look for deep within. Arms; Arms generally represent the ability and capacity to embrace Life. Dysfunction at the different parts of the arms represent different aspects of this principal. Dysfunction comes mainly from Fear. Upper Arms; Upper Arms represent the strength or lack of strength to fully embrace Life. Pain or discomfort represents resistance to and separation from your surroundings. If you lack the strength to fully embrace Life you will find yourself more and more isolated. Elbows; Elbows represent Jealousy. Pain or discomfort represents our inclination to elbow others out of the way rather than draw them in. There is a fear that someone else will get there first and you will miss out. Elbow problems are sign of competitiveness that is unwarranted and unfulfilling. Who or what are you competing with? What is the effect on you or others of winning or of losing? Elbow creases represent Life's priorities. Problems mean either priorities need to change or to be embraced. Wrists; Wrists represent flexibility in grasping and holding onto things in Life. Problems like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome represent resistance to grasping onto those things that are important or a feeling that the important things are slipping away. Like breathing, Life is a process of drawing in and letting go. Metaphysically, we need to understand this rhythmical and cyclical process. The more we try to hold onto things that ought to be let go, the less flexible we become and problems arise. The more we let go of things we ought to be embracing the more we lose strength and life slips away. Hands/Fingers; Hands
and Fingers are similar to wrists but are more concerned with
the details. It is said, that the palm itself represents our attitude
toward success. For the Palm Reader, the lines in your palm tell
your life story, both actual and potential. Fingers represent our ability to grasp and hold onto the important things in Life and also to let them go. Many things have a habit of 'slipping through our fingers'. Perhaps this is because these are things that do not serve or no longer serve. Painful and stiff fingers mean that we are holding on to things too tightly for fear they will escape. Maybe it is time to let go. Life is constantly changing. Healthy hands are constantly opening and closing to take things in, to let things go. Painful, stiff or numb fingers (Raynaud's Syndrome) represent great difficulty connecting with your world. The first or index finger points the way; tells people what to do; problems represents loss of direction; time to stop and consider alternatives. An infection means you've taken the wrong path (for you) or have been seduced. The second finger, sometimes called the 'bird' finger or 'swear' finger, or the New York 'hi, how are you?' finger, represents the sentiment 'I don't need you... I can do it myself.' If you have a problem it means 'I do need you... I can't do it myself.' The third finger, is the finger of commitment (engagement/marriage). It takes some doing to injure this finger without damaging the ones around it. The process of commitment involves a lot more than than saying 'I do.' Injuring this finger represents a fear to take the next step. The Fourth finger represents sexuality/spirituality. These cannot be separated. To embrace the Divine, all Chakras must be open. Sexuality is the anchor and provides the base energy to propel one up through to the crown and into the realm of Spirit. Problems represent a separation or a break in the flow or insufficient appreciation of the Life one has. Metaphysically it is necessary to appreciate the Life one has in order to appreciate the Life one could have.
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