Lifecycles and Qi
In Chinese Medicine there are different stages of life that determine your tendencies and challenges as well. We are born with all of the pre-natal qi we will always have, determined by mothers health, environment and behaviors during pregnancy. That is our finite qi store, it’s stored in what is considered the deepest part of the body, the kidneys and is known as Jing. Post-natal qi comes primarily from food and partially from breathing air. Life runs in cycles, 7 years for females and 8 for males.
There are 4, 7 year cycles for women. The first is completed at age 7, the 2nd age 14 and so on. The first 4 cycles are considered growing toward your peak, after which there begins a decline in life energy. This is to say that women are at full maturation about age 21 and 35. With transitions and phases come their own challenges and depending on cultural and familial background some may be easeful and others stressful. Adapting oneself to new roles is often challenging and can take a toll, draining qi storage and making things even more difficult.
Acupuncture and herbs has specific ways it handles each life transition, babies sometimes need treatment or kids and it’s good to be gentle with the qi of children and to know that they don’t need much treatment because they are bubbling over with energy that a little goes a long way. Adolescence is the start of phase 2 and being so complex and loaded with all the potential for life this can be a time of feeling frustrated of stuck. There may be emotional challenges or for girls the first signs of cycle balance or imbalance. Phase 3 is when fertility challenges may arise and life as an adult becomes routine. Women having children need special care before, during, and after. Acupuncture as a cabinet of medicine will offer solutions to different health conditions and challenges, as well as help you to retain some Jing that can be lost through stress.
Living in accordance with the seasons of life and drawing on the wisdom of the ancient indigenous is believed to bring a flow of health into your body. Being a conduit for qi and life to flow through as you as you live out your destiny is the goal. Many problems in life are caused by a stagnation, like a stream that has impeded flow, it begins to run less clear and reflective of life’s purpose. Through acupuncture, movement practices such as Tai Qi or yoga, journaling, prayer and meditation seeing your life’s purpose and flowing through that with relative ease is our wish for you. To have an overall evaluation of your Qi and an acupuncture session to even out your energy, please call to book an appointment with one of our qualified acupuncturists.