The Secret Lives Of Our Internal Organs

The health of the internal organs is a primary focus of any acupuncture treatment. In Chinese medicine there are twelve internal organs that are of interest, five of which serve as the foundation of a person’s health: the Heart, Spleen, Lungs, Kidneys and Liver.

Each organ lives what might be called a double life - a life in the world of the physical body as well as a life in the world of subtle energy. In the world of the physical body modern medicine has achieved a detailed understanding of how each of the internal organs functions, and has discovered many methods for assessing the health of the organs. For modern medicine, however, the lives that the organs lead in the world of subtle energy remains mostly unknown.


In the world of subtle energy each of the internal organs functions much like a digestive organ - taking in coarse material that it refines and transforms. Once transformed, this material is then transmitted back out into the world or passed on to another organ for further processing. The material that each organ processes in the world of subtle energy is not what we ordinarily think of as material, and corresponds to things like sounds, tastes, colors and emotions.


The health of the internal organs is affected by what takes place in both the physical world as well as the world of subtle energy. If an organ is injured as a result of an accident or weakened by a chronically poor diet, that organ’s functioning at a subtle energetic level will be affected. Similarly, if an organ’s subtle energy is disrupted as a result of an emotional disturbance, the organ’s functioning at a physical level will also be affected. 


The body's subtle energy both influences and is influenced by what takes place at the physical level, and each of the internal organs could be said to serve as an intermediary between these two worlds. When deciding how to treat a patient, an acupuncturist assesses how well the major organs carry out their functions in each of these worlds. It may be that an organ seems to function quite well on a physical level, but is weakened by an imbalance at a subtle energetic level. If the energetic imbalance is not corrected, it will eventually affect the organ's functioning at a physical level. 


I encourage patients to get acupuncture as soon as possible after suffering an illness or injury. This is because a recent problem at the physical level is less likely to have disturbed the body's subtle energy as compared to a long standing problem. With injuries and illnesses of recent onset, acupuncture can help bring about a swift recovery by guiding the patient's subtle energy to correct the problem at the physical level. 


For more information about ORI LEVY Dipl. Ac. click on the link: www.healingwithacupuncture.ca

Spring Liver Detox

With the coming of spring some may be considering a liver cleanse of one kind or another. It's interesting to consider that in acupuncture and Chinese medicine there really is no such thing as a liver cleanse. True, spring is the time when the energy of the liver awakens, so indeed this might be an excellent time to consider the health of your liver. Yet clearing the liver of toxins is unlikely to be the main focus of an acupuncture treatment.


The liver is a very complex organ which is involved in storing and cleansing the blood as well as ensuring the free flow of subtle energy throughout the body. Under certain conditions the liver can become congested and a state of toxicity might result. Liver congestion is often associated with hormonal imbalance and heat toxicity. Restoring liver health can involve clearing heat, freeing the flow of subtle energy, moving blood as well as ensuring that the supply of blood to the liver is sufficient. It is a complex organ to treat that may involve treating other organs alongside the liver, such as the spleen or kidneys. For this reason one is unlikely to come across simple one-size-fits-all prescriptions or cleanses for the Liver in the context of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. 


Any attention we give to our bodies is probably helpful, so indeed it might be quite beneficial to undergo some kind of liver cleanse as we approach the change of season this year. The view in Chinese medicine, however, is a broader one that considers how the state of each of the major organs, not just the liver, contributes to a person's overall health. Sometimes focusing one one organ or one aspect of a person's health without keeping the larger picture in view can create more problems than it solves.