News from Shiatsu Ireland
A time to cry
by Joanne Faulkner
Shiatsu practitioner Specialising in the energy of food in Traditional Chinese Medicine
We are currently in transition from Winter (Bladder/Kidney energy) to Spring (Liver/Gallbladder energy). It’s time for Spring Clean, for a detox, for a fast and, because I live in Ireland, it is almost the time of Lent, where giving up something becomes part of the collective consciousness. All this denial is good for the liver which can become congested with the overindulgence of Christmas. When we eat, drink and are merry there are consequences; January comes and we can feel low in energy, dark in mood, sometimes poor in spirit and pocket.
The positive emotion of the Liver/Gallbladder in Chinese Medicine is creativity and flexibility but the flip side is anger, depression, and frustration. Having a big cry will help the liver. Physically and emotionally it will help clear out the Liver Channel. The Liver opens out into the eyes, think of when a person has jaundice, the whites of the eyes turn yellow or if the liver is congested you can often see fatty lumps or stringy deposits in the eyes. To hold the tears and suppress our emotions means our body will become tense. On a long-term basis in Chinese Medicine, this can lead to disorders of wind-heat which manifest as depression, stroke, and severe nervous-muscular disorders such as MS and Parkinsons. Sometimes emotions feel so overwhelming that if we let them out they will never stop, they will break us or leave us destroyed and weak. I have found that this is not the case. Breaking down and expressing how we feel does leave us vulnerable but this is healthy for the body. It allows the body to release, let go and become flexible to possible avenues that before were unseen. So just as important as giving up chocolate, alcohol or coffee is to connect with how we are feeling. To tap into and touch some of the buried feelings we have parked or put aside so that we can function on a day to day basis. This process sometimes requires support so find a group, use your journal, go dancing, take a walk, set aside time to explore how you feel – make your emotional health a priority in your day.
If you want to learn further what supports, clears and cleanses the Liver/Gallbladder in a safe, supportive, all women environment; join us for the
WISE WOMAN RETREAT – FEMININE HEALTH FOR VIBRANT ENERGY
23, 24 AND 25 MARCH 2018
BOBBIO CENTRE, BRITTAS BAY, CO WICKLOW
Teaching, experiencing, nurturing and encouraging the feminine energy within us.
The Cooking Classes and Tai Chi/ QiGong sessions effortlessly improve health, bringing a balance between passionate fire and flowing water.
Within this retreat we will address symptom such as insomnia, palpitations, loss of libido, painful heavy breasts and periods, weight gain around the middle, hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings without medication, just using the food you eat, gentle exercise, breathing exercises and potent acupressure points.
Take time to develop and nurture a loving connection with your body and mind – Click here for info
or you could……………… Make like a new spring shoot and practice yoga, Makka-ho stretches or Qigong to help the liver move stagnant energy. Also eating sour foods such as lemon, lime, and green leafy vegetables will stimulate the gallbladder into producing bile which will help clear a congested liver. This meridian channel is related to vision and decisions. So for clear, flexible thinking you can visit my online course site and receive the free lesson covering the Makka-Ho stretches
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Featured Practitioner
07/11/2017
Meike completed the three-year Diploma course with the Shiatsu College Dublin in 2012 with distinction, is a member of The Shiatsu Society of Ireland (SSI) and holds clinics both in New Ross, Co. Wexford and Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny.
From 2001 till 2007 she studied Mindfulness and Compassion Meditation under the guidance of Tibetan Buddhist Teacher Lama Tschaglung Tulku Ngawang Gelek in Berlin.
Meike has a background in Biology and received a Master of Science from Osnabruck University in Germany. She has a keen interest in unifying scientific research and eastern philosophy and applying this knowledge into body work. For her, practising and teaching Shiatsu gives her the opportunity to further explore and develop this.