Innate Health Centre

by Sheela Szymkowiak, Certified Reflexologist and Holistic Health Educator

“Oh soul,
you worry too much.
You have seen your own strength.
You have seen your own beauty.
You have seen your golden wings.
Of anything less,
why do you worry?
You are in truth the soul, of the soul, of the soul.”

- Rumi, 13^th Century Muslim Poet, Theologian and Sufi Mystic

Learn how to enhance your own sexual energy first by practicing these wonderful acupressure points on yourself – meet the Beloved within! Once mastered by you, you can then share these ancient secrets with a Beloved partner.

Third Eye (Governing Vessel Acupoint 24.5)

Benefits: Enhances your relationship with your Higher Self and that of your partner. Boosts your self-esteem in all relationships.

Location: Directly between the eyebrows, in the indentation where the bridge of the nose meets the forehead. Also known as the Third Eye Chakra, and Governing Vessle Acupoint 24.5.

To activate the Third Eye by yourself: As you can see in the photo, bring your hands together in the prayer position, and allow your fingertips to press gently into your Third Eye. Breathe deeply and slowly into this area to ease the worries of The Mind and focus on thoughts of Positive Love.

With a partner: Lightly touch your partner’s Third Eye acupoint with your middle fingertip; encourage your partner to breathe slowly and deeply into this area. Next kiss this area softly and gently suck the skin of the Third Eye area to heighten all sensations that surface here.

Supporting Nourishment (CV 24)

Benefits: Relaxes the facial muscles and enhances the awareness of your lips and your partner’s. A very erotic point when repeatedly kissed here!

Location: In the indentation midway between the centre of the lower lip and chin. Also known as the Throat Chakra and Conception Vessel 24.

To activate CV 24 by yourself: Use your index fingertip pad; gently massage in a counterclockwise direction to release any tension and Chi stagnation while breathing deeply. Don’t be shy with yourself – add a favorite taste of a sensual food to please!

With a partner: To increase the sensual energetic ‘jolt’ along this meridian begin with gently kissing this acupoint, then move into sucking the skin here. Even with your clothes on activation of Chi flow in this way is immensely erotic for you and partner. The intensity of your suction can communicate, without any words, how much you desire your Beloved.

Sea of Tranquility (CV 17) (see diagram above)

Benefits: Gently holding and caressing this acupoint opens the heart’s physical chamber within and its Energy Centre (Chakra), too.  Balance your own and partner’s emotional health, and increase emotional intimacy.

Location: On the centre of the breastbone (4 finger widths up from the base of the bone), just above the nipple level. Also known as the Heart Chakra.

To activate CV 17 by yourself: Press your index and middle fingertip gently on this acupoint, massaging counterclockwise to release any stagnation within this meridian. Keep breathing slowly and deeply into your chest area; if you use both hands over your chest/breasts, you will be touching your nipples with love and care.

With a partner: Taking turns of being on top allows each partner to kiss and gently suck the skin on this acupoint. Snuggling together, breastbone to breastbone, also powerfully enhances the energetic blending of these powerful heart connection acupoints.

Rushing Door (Spleen 12) and Mansion Cottage (Spleen 13)

Benefits: To increase a woman’s sexual desire and libido; Assists the man in healing sexual impotence; Increases Chi, Lymph and Blood flow back to the pelvic region of the body after emotional, mental and physical trauma.

Location: In the pelvic area, in the middle of the crease where the leg joins the trunk of the body. Also known as the Root Chakra.

To activate by yourself: While lying on your back, gently place the palm of your hands, with fingers pointing on an angle down, on the groin crease where your thighs join the trunk of your body. Inhale/exhale deeply and slowly imagining the colour Red bathing and healing this entire region of your body.

With a partner: Repeat what you would do for yourself, with your partner, except you are there to guide them into breathing deeply and slowly, then imagining the colour Red bathing them gently in a healing way. Of course when your hands are placed on your partner’s pelvic area with love and sensual thoughts, all erotic and physical sensations increase.

The bonus of gently taking your time here with these acupoints is assisting the release of built up emotional frustrations from your partner. If we are experiencing pelvic pain and/or discomfort, it may have originated from one of these situations:

• Ongoing resentment in your intimate relationship,
• A work situation in which you deal with frustration and disappointment regularly,
• Living with a sense of dread because of a general psychological tendency to jump to catastrophic conclusions.

For more info: Tantra for Awakening

Further Reading:

Acupressure for Lovers by Michael Reed Gach

The Art of Sexual Ecstasy by Margot Anand

This versatile and common herb (North America and Europe) has astringent, diuretic and tonic properties. Nettle was favoured by European herbalists in medieval times as it was excellent for treating joint and skin conditions such as arthritis, gout and eczema.

Before beginning any herbal remedies, check with your naturopathic physician or herbal pharmacy professional for any contraindications with other medications that you are using.

Some benefits of Stinging Nettle (Uritca dioica)

• Diuretic – Nettle Leaf used as a daily infused tea is a gentle but effective diuretic
• Nettle Root has been found to increase a protein in the blood to which hormones bind thus reducing levels of ‘unbound’ hormones
• Nettle Root tincture benefits those with weakened bladders from chronic Cystitis – bladder infections
• Improves Kidney function and clears toxins from the blood
• Can ease dry and itching skin
• Cardiovascular health – has be known to assist in lowering blood pressure
• Eases the pain and swelling of hemorrhoids

For more information, visit http://www.allnatural.net/herbpages/stinging-nettle.shtml

By Sheela Szymkowiak, Certified Reflexologist and Holistic Health Educator

If you experience lack of balance, sciatica, lower lumbar pain, stiffness in the hips, neuralgia, calf muscle spasms, pain and stiffness in the knees, ankle or foot – Traditional Chinese Medicine suggests that it could be due to a blockage in the flow of energy (Chi or Qi) in your Urinary Bladder (UB) Meridian.

Upper Body and Head Conditions.  Particularly in Winter, a blockage in this Meridian may have you feeling lung & sinus congestion, eyebrow and top of head pains, dry eyes and overall emotional and mental fatigue.  In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this meridian is associated with the autonomic nervous system.

The UB Meridian is the partner Water Element and Winter organ to your Kidney Meridian (see Part I in December’s blog).  Besides numerous physical aliments, mental strain is also seen as being linked to blocked energy along the UB meridian because it begins in the head and face areas.  This is the body’s longest meridian with 67 acupoints in total from the head to the baby toe!

SELF-CARE TIPS

Since some of the UB acupoints below are located on the back, you will need to learn and practice with a partner.

This excellent acupoint helps relieve bladder infection (cystitis), intestinal cramps with flu and low back discomfort, especially sciatica.

Bladder 60: Locate this point on the outside of the ankle (baby toe side), halfway between the outside anklebone and the Achilles tendon. Caution – do not use Bladder 60 during pregnancy.

This website demonstrates a variety of great acupressure points for colds and flus, including:

(please link to the website for pictures to help locate the acupoints below)

To Relieve Colds, Sinus Congestion, Frontal Headaches & Tired Eyes – Bladder 2 (Drilling Bamboo) Location: On the face, in the indentations of the eye sockets. On either side of where the bridge of the nose meets the ridge of the eyebrows.

To Strengthen the Immune System, Alleviate Low Back Pain & Overall Fatigue – Bladder 23 (Sea of Vitality)  Location: These acupoints are found on the back, 2 finger widths in distance from the spine, both sides and level with the 2^nd and 3^rd lumbar vertebrae. To locate them easily, start at the 5^th lumbar at the base of the spine and count up to the 2^nd and 3^rd vertebrae. Benefits: strengthening the Immune System, alleviating low back pain and overall fatigue, fortifying the digestive system.

To Relieve Coughing, Breathing Difficulties, and Respiratory Problems – Bladder 38 (Vital Diaphram) Location: On the back, between the shoulder blade and the spine at the level of the heart.

By Sheela Szymkowiak, Certified Reflexologist and Holistic Health Educator

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the focus for Winter is on the Kidney and Bladder, which are both of the Water Element. This month, we’ll tell you how to boost your Kidney energy.  (Keep posted: in January, we’ll focus on Bladder Meridian health).

The Kidneys control the growth and development of bones and nourish the marrow, which is the body’s source of red and white blood cells. Weak kidney energy is therefore a prime cause of anemia and immune deficiency.

TCM doctors view the spinal cord and the brain as forms of marrow, and therefore poor memory, inability to think clearly, and backache are all regarded as indicators of impaired kidney function and deficient kidney energy.

The Kidney’s positive emotional attributes are wisdom, rationality, clear perception, gentleness, and self-understanding. The negative attributes are fear, loneliness, insecurity and shock.

Kidney Acupressure Point (Caution: do not use if pregnant or with low blood pressure)

Locate Kidney 1 in the crease of the ball of the foot, where the colour changes from the ball to the sole. Massage slowly with your thumb or have a partner tonify (rest gently on acupoint with gentle pressure) this point with their elbow. Dispersing stagnated kidney flow can assist all the other meridian flows in the body to balance as well. (Caution: do not use Kidney 1 if pregnant or have low blood pressure)

Best foods to boost your Kidney energy

Vegetables and fruits - Dark, leafy green vegetables are the best choice. Other Kidney Qi boosting veggies include asparagus, cucumbers and celery. Include these fruits: blueberries, blackberries, mulberry, etc. – all being dark blue or black hues, the colour of the Water Element.

Black beans and kidney beans are excellent examples of kidney shaped foods that nourish and benefit Kidney energy (Qi).

Seeds and nuts – Flax, pumpkin, sunflower, black sesame seeds, walnuts and chestnuts

Suggested websites:   http://www.naturalnews.com/027908_Chinese_Medicine_kidneys.html

http://www.yinyanghouse.com/acupuncturepoints/kidney_meridian_graphic