The Depth of Lungs - A journey into our Lungs with Kinesiology
Since its first inception back in 1960’s Kinesiology has been renowned for its ability to resolve many long standing health issues with people. When two New York based chiropractors John Thie, DC and George Goodheart, DC discovered that there was a connection between muscles and acupuncture meridians they never realised that they were onto something so big and profound in healing arts that would open up a new dimension in understanding how our body works. Since that time Kinesiology has helped thousands of people worldwide and emerged as a leading health modality in natural and holistic medicine in its own right.
Today we all know that there is much more to our life than what it meets the eye, and that many things contribute to our health. An absence of pain doesn’t mean that we are healthy as there are many levels of us which come together to form a complete Human Being. After all we are sensing, feeling, spiritual Beings who have physical experience in this three dimensional reality that we call our World. Kinesiology with its many procedures combined with the art of muscle testing technique, allows us to examine and correct many issues at its root thus allowing body to self-heal. To explain really how it works we would have to delve deep into quantum physics and holographic model.
Through our body there is a network of energy channels or meridians which run on the surface of the body and also inside of the body where they cross on many places forming a perfect hologram of our body. The energy which runs through these meridians is called Chi which not only supplies every organ, tissue or cell of the body, but also every molecule and atom that form the above. Chi energy is divided into Yin and Yang flow where Yin supplies organs that function 24/7, and Yang supplies organs that work as per need. For us and our body to be healthy all meridians and holographic intersections must remain in balance with constant flow of Chi.
When Chi becomes blocked some of the meridians become over-energy and others under-energy. Generally in medical terms an over-energy meridian will create an inflammation (itis) whereas an under-energy meridian will create degeneration (osis). We can also use the term that one meridian “attacked” other meridians. In order to regain the health we must identify and unblock the offending meridian.
We are now in autumn/winter which are Yin seasons so it seems appropriate for this issue to explore our Lung Meridian. This meridian deserves our attention due to the fact that it is deeply involved in many health conditions and at the root cause for many imbalances in our society today. In my experience as a Kinesiology Practitioner I worked almost exclusively on this meridian with so many patients. This gives a clear view not only into individual patterning, but also of the Group Conscious of our society in this part of the world.
Lung meridian by its nature is Yin energy flow because our lungs work non-stop 24/7. Lung meridian primarily supplies Chi to our lungs, but also to all other cells in our body. Its position in Five Element Flow of Chi is in Metal element where it receives Chi from Spleen/Pancreas Meridian, feeds Kidney Meridian, controls Liver Meridian, and is controlled by Heart and Circulation/Sex Meridians. An over or under energy in Lung Meridian will have direct impact on all these meridians with immediate effect. Lung Meridian runs along our arms, both on left and right sides, and it has 11 acupuncture points.
Physiologically the Lungs are part of Respiratory System of our body and they are primarily responsible for gas exchange, the intake of oxygen and release of carbon dioxide. In the Lungs blood and air meet through the medium of extremely thin and delicate lung tissues. They also regulate along with kidneys, the acid/base balance in the body, as well as playing a role in red blood cells creation. Control of breathing is regulated by Medulla Oblongata, a structure which connects our brain with spinal cord, according to the pH of the blood. The Lungs are rhythmic regulator of life. The body’s energy cycle begins with the Lungs from where it is distributed to all parts of the body. Oxygen is needed by every cell to keep it alive, and to metabolise and release the energy. In the process of gas exchange our Lungs release approximately 60% of toxins through expiration which also make them one of the main elimination organs.
The conceptual Lung as opposed to physical Lung somewhat give a different story and give a twist to our approach to healing the human condition. As we breed in and out we mark the exchange of energy with our universe, how much we receive (breathe in) and how much we give (breathe out). As everything in nature that exists must abide by the laws of the Universe, we too must function in the same way, receiving and giving in a balanced way. When our exchange with the Universe is in balance we feel the attributes of Lung Meridian as in Tolerance, Humility and Safe Existence. The sign of imbalanced energy exchange with the Universe shows as Sadness, Oppression, Intolerance, Haughty, Neglected, Forgotten, Unappreciated and Resentment. That give rise to physical symptoms as Coughing, Tiredness, and Shortness of breath. If we take that above the individual level and apply to a Group Conscious of our society, the picture of “us and them” start to appear, with the cause for many tragic divisions and conflicts through our history. The smell of the air in the city can tell you much about the health of Group Lung Meridian, the way the society functions and even words they pronounce in every day conversations.
The depth of the issue we find in a holographic approach to the Lungs and their interaction with other meridians. This is part of the imbalance in our astral level of energy and it contains our life attitudes which give rise to our feelings which then give rise to our thoughts. Identification with the thoughts creates a body reaction which is an emotion. The emotion then overloads the energy system and the body goes into compensation described as 3 stages of stress where each stage presents a number of specific symptoms and body adaptation signs.
A Negative Self Talk Approach
This is the first sign of awareness that our Lungs perhaps need some balancing. Below is the most common negative self-talk that occurs
Position of Hostility
“Why try if you are only going to fail? My way of staying in control is not to do anything at all. But that’s just my way. I’m hostile toward myself, not you. I’ll applaud your success – just don’t look for me to have any. I’ve checked out. The enemy is me.”
Position of Separation
“I dwell on my mistakes and failures. Actually, they obsess me. It’s as if I can never perform as well as I want to. Other people tell me I set my sights too high, that my ideals are unrealistic. They don’t understand. When I do achieve my ideals, I’ll find myself. Until then I can only go on trying – no matter the cost of fear and guilt. I must attain perfection. Anything else is like dying without being dead.”
The Chi
Below we will discuss the blockage of Chi in terms of relationships between Lung and other meridians:
Lung → Lung and Large Intestine
Our attitude towards life becomes full of self-doubt and confusion. We lose our ability to clearly distinguish what actions or expressions are in harmony with our essential nature. We fall under the influence by ideals and other people’s projections which we and/or others have created about ourselves, even though they don’t fit our essential nature of who we really are. We start to seek sources for guidance or self-validation from outside of ourselves. This situation leads towards feelings of lack of exhilaration, we become overly modest, and stagnant in arrogant world.
The healing occurs when we clearly distinguish our unique soul pattern and purpose so that we can select forms of self-expression that are in harmony with our inner nature. We see our true Self through projections of others and their life experiences.
Lung → Kidney and Bladder
Our attitude towards life takes a form of deep doubt about our capabilities. We are depressed and pessimistic about our ability to succeed. This leads to feelings of intense desire, we are unsettled, we feel that we are pushed and start mistrusting the world.
The healing occurs when we make a commitment to learn from each experience and start acting with confidence using our inner direction.
Lung → Liver and Gall Bladder
We develop a victim attitude towards life. We become victims of the frailty of life. We are in a state of darkness and dissociation brought about by absorbing negative energies without being rooted and grounded. We are impotent and inadequate in the face of God, and our nurturing and caring female receptive principle becomes distorted or blocked. We feel suffocated and hampered, unnurtured and rejected by our world.
The healing occurs when we experience the blissful power of deep seeing behind life’s dramas, understanding, feeling and sensuality.
Lung → Heart and Small Intestine
Our attitude towards life changes to aimlessness and lack of direction. We feel despondent and our emotions become flat. This leads to feeling of losing faith. Troubles loom. To protect ourselves we go numb and become sarcastic.
The healing occurs when we attune to our life’s purpose, act with motivation and direction, and express our love fully and freely.
Lung → Circulation/Sex and Triple Heater
Our attitudes towards life become dangerous to ourselves and our society. This position is at the bottom of all wars, conflicts and divisions in the history of our Mankind, right from the very beginning to this very day. This is the position of ultimate duality which was well described in Pink Floyd’s song “Us and Them”. The attitudes of pride, racism, nationalism, jealousy, narrow mindedness and comparing ourselves with others is a true killer of millions of fellow human beings. This ignorance of our true Self is evident in the history of Mankind which serves as nothing but a detailed reference of human crime against each other. This leads towards lack of boldness, we feel leery. Claustrophobia is common with feeling trapped.
The healing occurs when we make the commitment to kindly, gently and supportively cooperate with others and acknowledge the true humility as the willingness to see only the best and highest in other fellow human beings.
The peace that is fought by war is not a peace worth dying for as it is only a subdued war. The real peace is deep within us, in our inner spaciousness and depth of our being. That peace is an eternal peace which heals all wounds and connects us with joy of living.
Lung → Spleen/Pancreas and Stomach
Our attitude towards life becomes unrealistic. We blame ourselves for all mistakes and become overwhelmed by obligations. Our sense of responsibility is unrealistic, we become increasingly fatigued as we slip into depression. This leads to feeling of over-disciplined, we feel we are speechless with no ability to articulate ourselves, pretending to be “holier than thou” to cover up our destructiveness.
The healing occurs when we take on those responsibilities which are in the best interest of ourselves and others. We can then assess our accomplishments and failures realistically and with love. Every failure is a win and every loss is a gain.
Lung → Central and Governing
Our life attitude changes to over-extension and exhaustion because of making things difficult for ourselves. We muddle and tangle in situations, we have nervous tension as we succumb to old patterns, habits or situations no longer appropriate. We feel hurt and unworthy, we feel dead as we start to question our world.
The healing occurs when we accept a present moment, here and now. As we start living in the present moment we experience the calm centre that allows us optimism and movement in innovative directions. The past is past and the future doesn’t exist. We have never been stuck, we realise that having no choice is already made choice as we discover the freedom in the power of choice. As Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj says “here is everywhere and now is always”.
In order to look after our Lungs and their amazing function which supports our life every second of our life, we can engage in some form of cardio exercise of choice like running, cycling, swimming, brisk walking, hiking, etc. Drink plenty of water as Lungs are very much dependant on clean water. We should drink at least 0.3l of clean water for every 10kg of our body weight, per day. As for the nutrients, eat foods which are rich primarily in vitamins A, C, and carotenoids.
Homeopathy also offers a number of very effective remedies for Lungs, the major one being Tuberculinum. The indication for Tuberculinum is for people who fit this picture: romantic, unfulfilled, "cosmopolitan" patients. Need change and excitement. Frequent changing of jobs. Desire for travel. Passionate about travel. Irritability and even violence. Hyperactivity. Behaviour disorders of children. Obstinate and disobedient children. Fears of cats, dogs, animals. Disgust of furred animals. Compulsive and ritualistic behaviour. Constant feeling that he/she has forgotten something. Shrieking in sleep, difficult concentration.
For those of you who wish to explore Lungs through Yoga, here is the list of Yoga asanas which can be practiced more often in order to enhance Chi flow and reinforce the Lungs. This list is from Yin Yoga:
Anahatasana or Melting Heart
Camel
Reclining Twist
Snail
For those of you who are more akin to Chakra oriented Yoga asanas, you can practice asanas and mudras for reinforcing Throat, Heart, and Navel Chakras.
So to heal the Mankind we must heal the one first, so start with yourself and let the world be. Why not begin with your Lungs. After all, our life on this planet started with breathing in, inhaling the Life Itself.
In health and joy of living.