Enhance Your Wei Chi to Increase Your Well-Being

For thousands of years, mystics have known and advocated this truth and for several recent decades, so have quantum physicists: “ALL IS ONE.” Expressed in different words, this truth is fundamental to both religion and science but the core idea is the same.

The truth that all is one is becoming clear to an increasing number of people regardless of their religion or degree of scientific education. Still, this core idea is held as truth by a minority of people.

This is evident given the degree and spread of violence, disease and disparity around the world and the many other forms of man’s inhumanity to man. Peace, vitality, equanimity and justice for all in the world will occur only when enough people understand that hurting anyone else is actually hurting oneself and that hurting the environment including our animals is destructive to ourselves.

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The extent to which we feel connected to or separated from whatever we feel necessary to make us whole, happy and fulfilled, creates the root of all our emotions which, in turn, becomes the driving force in our lives.

If the absolute truth is that ALL IS ONE, the evidence of our physical senses, supported by our mental interpretation of our human situation, points exactly to the opposite. We appear totally separated from each other, and in most instances, from what we desire, be it relationships, material possessions, or conditions.

From the moment of birth, the baby separated from its mother longs to be reconnected physically and emotionally.

This is deeply embedded in all of us. It takes different forms as we grow older but it stays with us. The need to connect with others and to feel like we belong is very much a part of the human experience.

For some, the most expedient and available solution might be to belong to a street gang. But for most, there are a number of connections we feel driven to make, such as with a spouse or partner, a family, a sports or social club, a church or other place of group worship or philosophy, a professional association, or organizations celebrating ethnic or national identity.

All of these are attempts to feel connected. That feeling is key to a sense of self-actualization, contentment, and well-being.

The sense of separation is, of course, the opposite. It prevents personal fulfillment. It permeates all our endeavors and human relationships. And, as we saw in our earlier Wei Chi blogs, emotionally-nourishing human relationships are one of the few natural ways we have to improve Wei Chi, our energetic immune system.

At the same time, we learned that the “5 devils” that attack Wei Chi are the negative emotions associated with the 5 elements of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). And, here again, we are invited to emotional maturity by gaining greater mastery over our emotions. We must avoid negativity and foster positive emotions. It is incumbent on each of us to gain an awareness of our emotions–what triggers and what controls them. That is how we develop our E.Q.–our emotional quotient, commonly known as emotional intelligence.

This sense of separation is pervasive. Mystics are among the few who experience the ultimate connection–communion with their Source, whatever that might mean to each one of them. For Jesus of Nazareth, it is what caused him to say, “I and my father are one.” 

Quantum physicists and others who embrace their conclusion experience intellectual communion and the satisfaction of embracing fundamental truth. Their vision, not unlike TCM’s vision, is that each one of us is made of energy and each with our own energy field that evolves in an infinite energetic substance (or field) that we call space.

A singularity of energy fields is that they can exist as a multitude within any given space. But as energy is polarized in positive and negative phases, there is an interplay between opposite energies while there is harmony with same polarity. More positive energy is elevating. More negative energy is abasing. This is our choice to make.

Now, back to wellness. We learn that we can’t ignore our emotions. They give us a clues on as to how to increase our sense of well-being, by increasing what adds to it and by eliminating what makes us feel unhappy, sorry for ourselves, fearful, or angry.

Once we have gained a fuller awareness of our emotions as a sort of guidance system, there are ways to mitigate the negative and enhance the positive.

PHYTO5 has developed one such exciting method with a new generation of wellness spa treatments. 

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This article was originally published May 2, 2017 and has been updated on March 12, 2020 for freshness and comprehensiveness.

Endnotes:

We are inspired by many authors when writing on the vital energy subject, but in particular, by:

1. Haas, Elson M. Staying Healthy with the Seasons. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 2003. Print.

2. Beinfield, Harriet, and Efrem Korngold. Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine. New York: Ballantine, 1992. Print.

3. Elias, Jason, and Katherine Ketcham. The Five Elements of Self-healing: Using Chinese Medicine for Maximum Immunity, Wellness, and Health. New York: Harmony, 1998. Print.

4. Gerber, Richard. Vibrational Medicine: New Choices for Healing Ourselves. Santa Fe, NM: Bear, 1996. Print.

5. The abundant writings of Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Wei Chi and Your Three Levels of Energetic Defense

According to traditional Chinese medicine (TMC), Wei Chi is protector of your outer energy field (aura). It also protects the superficial layers of the body–the skin. Any pathogen that will eventually attack the physical body needs to first defeat Wei Chi by penetrating your aura and going past it through the skin layers. Wei Chi is the energy of your immune system and guardian of your health according to TCM.

These are the four sources of Wei Chi:

1. ancestral energy over which we have no control;

2. lifestyle over which we have partial control;

3. environment over which we have partial control;

4. our positive emotional relationships over which we should be able to have the greatest influence.

Wei Chi has natural enemies.

The first group of Wei Chi’s natural enemies traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) calls the five “devils.” These are essentially climatic conditions over which we have limited to no control.

The second group of enemies is composed of the negative effect of any of TCM’s five fundamental emotions. Negative points to an excess or imbalance in that emotion.

Each of the five emotions corresponds to one of the five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water). Each emotion is like a coin with two faces. It has a positive and a negative side.

This is key: The negative aspect of each emotion diminishes Wei Chi while the positive side of each one of them becomes our greatest opportunity to strengthen our wei chi.

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The source of Wei Chi we have the most control over relates to our emotional intelligence.

It encompasses an ability to minimize the negative while increasing the positive aspects of our emotional life. This nourishes our Wei Chi and ultimately, our immune system.

Good Wei Chi flow literally keeps us out of the doctor's office.

In the late 70s, PHYTO5 was foundedon the slogan, “Beauty is health made visible.” Updating it for today we say: “Beauty is well-being made visible.”

This motto is an expression of the PHYTO5 philosophy and mission. It’s the logical outcome of its deep roots in TCM that take into consideration all the elements that make up our being. 

Poor eating, poor breathing, lack of movement, climatic aggressions, or destructive emotions, significantly weaken Wei Chi and our immune system to the point it might no longer be able to prevent pathogens from reaching deeper into the physical body.

Fortunately, as TCM tells us, there are not one but four different energetic protection levels.

If the first level of wei chi fails, the second level of protection is the chi which flows through the body along meridians or pathways of vital energy.

There are five basic functions attributed to Chi:

1. movement

2. warmth

3. protection

4. transformation, and

5. support.

When pathogens pierce through Wei Chi to attack your chi, the illness becomes more stubborn. You experience more pronounced physical and emotional disturbance although it’s not life-threatening.

Once the illness goes deeper, it affects the vital energy of the third level of defense, the blood.

According to TCM, blood functions energetically. This function goes beyond arterial and venous circulation. It includes the movement of other fluids from the hormonal glands and the transport of nutrients, among others.

Should this master transportation system break down, the body enters a chronic illness level with severe health and emotional consequences. Pain is deeper and more prolonged.

From this one and the next level, the body might never return to full health. Containment and mitigation might be the best available outcome.

Any worsening leads to an attack on the fourth level of defense, the energy of the organs.

What’s at stake at this level is organ survival. A defeated organic chi creates a domino effect or negative spiral since each organ affects the proper function of all the others. When any organ is under siege, it deeply affects how we feel in all aspects of life.

At all levels, but particularly the third and fourth, illness is not limited to the physical aspects.

Addressing psychological, emotional, and spiritual issues are the only way to bring all aspects of our being now under siege into restored healthy alignment. 

In this state, achieving wellness might be a distant dream.

At the fourth level, survival becomes the ultimate objective.

Pain management is a moment-to-moment concern. Healing through the restoration of chi within the entire body requires appropriate holistic treatment.

In other words, a comprehensive holistic approach to getting well is absolutely required. 

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Sources:

We’re inspired by many authors when writing on the vital energy subject, but in particular, by:

1. Haas, Elson M. Staying Healthy with the Seasons. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 2003. Print.

2. Beinfield, Harriet, and Efrem Korngold. Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine. New York: Ballantine, 1992. Print.

3. Elias, Jason, and Katherine Ketcham. The Five Elements of Self-healing: Using Chinese Medicine for Maximum Immunity, Wellness, and Health. New York: Harmony, 1998. Print.

4. Gerber, Richard. Vibrational Medicine: New Choices for Healing Ourselves. Santa Fe, NM: Bear, 1996. Print.

5. The abundant writings of Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Best Practices for Living In Harmony with Energetic Spring

Energetic Spring begins February 5 according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). But the weather still feels like Winter. This is because of the remnants of the Water energy of energetic Winter remain well into energetic Spring. Nevertheless, when a new energetic season begins, we should shift our lifestyles to live in harmony with the new season.

In TCM, the element represented by Spring is Wood.

To live in balance with the 5-Element Theory of TCM and indeed, to live in balance with nature of which we are an inherent part, we’ll want to embrace the following attributes, characteristics and specific organ activity for the Wood element and Spring season.

1) The color for the Wood element is green. Bring green into your life in all sorts of ways–in your diet and even in your home decor.

2) Liver and gall bladder are the organs associated with the Wood element. If you have liver or gall bladder issues and/or you have a Wood element imbalance, incorporate more of what is outlined in this post and in the post to follow into your daily life. Click here for complete best eating practices.

Indications of too much Wood chi, a Wood imbalance, include stiff muscles and joints, liver troubles, sallow or yellowish skin, panic attacks, hysteria, neck pain, and stroke. Emotion-oriented displays of Wood imbalance include anger, resentment, bitterness, lack of compassion, erratic behavior, low self-esteem, shouting, complaining, arguing, violence, abuse, incessant arguing. These indicate strong Wood imbalance.

3) In addition to food, Wood element fragrances like lavender, orange, citrus, grapefruit, and chamomile can be used and enjoyed to uplift and strengthen Wood chi and help create more balance in Wood.

4) The green gemstones of green jade, emerald, and green opal may assist the flow of Wood chi. 

5) TCM-advised sound and breathing exercises for each element also help to bring imbalance to balance. 

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For Wood, the healing sound is easy. It’s a long “Shhhh” – as in telling someone to be quiet. On the exhale of a deep breath, this sound will help to release anger and frustration. It can help to soften the person suffering with anger and at the same time assist to quell ailments in the liver and gall bladder. 

The five element healing sounds are actually breathing exercises that are best done every day at least five times a week, taking at least six deep breaths, the deeper the better. It is most beneficial to do the exercises outdoors where chi is fresh, preferably in the morning, with the sun shining on you from the East but they can most definitely be done indoors too.

You will want to inhale through your nose until your abdomen is full of fresh air and then exhale out through the mouth making the soft healing sound Shhhh. On the inhale, imagine positive chi entering your body and cleansing the negative chi and ailments in your body. On the exhale, imagine pushing out the negative chi and ailments.

6) It is important to practice mindfulness and meditation at this time of year to bring clarity of vision, because the liver governs the health of the eyes and the clarity received applies both literally and figuratively. 

7) The time is energetic Spring! Rise early with the sun and take brisk walks. Live in harmony with Spring!

Check out PHYTO5's Wood element skincare line to address imbalance in the skin such as oiliness, blackheads, hyperpigmentation, and issues of vital energy circulation.

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Sources:

Nguyen, Phil N. Feng Shui for the Curious and Serious. New Jersey: Xlibris Corporation, 2008. Print.

Thunderhawk, Denise, L. Ac. The 5-Element Guide to Healing with Whole Foods. N.p.: Lulu, 2016. Print.

Balance Chakras by Giving Them the Energy They Lack

The seven colors that compose natural light also correspond to the energy of the seven major energetic centers of Ayurvedic medicine, or chakras. You can balance your chakras by giving them the energy they lack. There are a number of ways to balance chakras. PHYTO5 does it by applying certain energetic essential oils or specific colored light to the chakra.

In holistic living, we think of the body as an energetic system:

• Vital energy powers and directs the body.

• Vital energy sources include ancestral energy from our parents and energy transformed in our bodies from the air we breathe and the food we eat.

• We are also subjected to the energies of our environment from:

  • heaven (in the sense of cosmic energies) and

  • earth–called telluric energies (from the Latin ‘tellus,’ meaning ‘earth).

Energy is constantly transformed and flowing within each of us, and it also flows in and out of each of us.

Ayurveda also has energy points known as marma points that correlate highly with acupuncture points, and energy channels called nadis.

There are also chakras, or energetic centers. Each chakra receives and sends out energy, creating an energy distribution system not only within the body, but also between the body and our energy field. Each chakra has its own range of energy vibration that corresponds to one of the seven colors of the rainbow. Energy blockages can also occur in chakras.

Chakras are numbered from one to seven, starting at the root chakra and ending at the crown chakra. It is best to simultaneously balance chakras by pair, determined by their symmetrical position relative to the middle or heart (fourth) chakra.

Note that the sum of the paired or complementary chakras is always eight: 7 + 1, 6 + 2, and so on.

To each chakra corresponds certain organs and for some, one or two of the eight hormonal glands. The health of organs and hormonal glands depends on the energetic quality and quantity of the corresponding chakra.

A healthy hormonal system requires a healthy chakra system, thus the importance and practicality of working with light and oils to energize and balance them.

Chakras go deep into the body in a funnel shape and extend outward several inches beyond the skin level into the layers of our energy field—the aura around the body. See illustration, right column.

When our chakric energetic centers are in balance, meaning they are neither transmitting nor receiving too much or too little energy, they are in balance. This energy center balance assists in the creation of good mental, emotional, spiritual and even, physical health because each of these aspects affects all the other ones.

Each individual aura has its own blend of vibrations, energy and color combination, specific not only to each individual but also subject to changes from moment to moment and particularly according to emotions felt.

The closer we live to nature or in harmony with it, our energy fields and centers align to the energies of the earth and we consequently experience more balance and better health. Because of the challenges our current modern world presents to us, we must find ways to ensure our chakric system stays in balance.

The chakras are divine, subtle energy centers from which all experiences in life originate. They have been described as spinning vortices of subtle energy through which the individual receives, transmits, and processes the universal life-force energy… They form a subtle and psychic network of energy through the body, mind, and spirit operate as one holistic system… The sole purpose in gaining awareness of the chakra system is to assist the individual in achieving a state of harmony within her.

–Seidman, Maruti. Balancing the Chakras. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic, 2000. Print.