This ‘Chinese Medicine Emotional Wheel’ diagram was created based on the Chinese Medicine five element system with a hint of ‘Plutchik’s wheel of emotions’. It can be used as a tool for navigating emotions for well-being. The arrows and lines shows us that the nature of human emotions are interconnected (for ex. sadness may be connected to anger), that one may give rise to another (ie. worry to sadness), and that each has it’s gift, for example the virtue of fear is wisdom. We can also see that each section resonates with an affected organ system.
Emotions in Chinese medicine are a form of energy that flow through the body in health and stagnate or block functioning in imbalance as they get held in the body. The word from latin translation means ‘to move outward’ and in French, ‘to stir up.; emotions as energy movement therefore propel change. From an energetic perspective emotions are messenger guides that light the path toward self cultivation. The variety of vibrational frequencies engage the whole person (mind, body, spirit) while having the potential to facilitate learning and positive change.
Acupuncture can help with blocked, stuck, or held emotions. Once a blocked emotion begins to flow, we experience a renewed sense of well being. Points on acupuncture meridians and vessels are used to move stuck qi and to nourish deficiency.
Why navigate your emotions?
1) To understand your needs. All emotions have specific roles and functions to elicit survival behaviours on a subconscious level. For example, the need for reaching out for support and guidance, safety, connection and belonging, intimacy, validation, boundaries, work-play balance, creativity and expression, and blood sugar regulation, to name a few.
2) To bring awareness to past trauma, behavioral and thought patterns, social programming and conditioning. To cultivate healthy awareness beyond over-identification toward learning, mindfulness, acceptance, forgiveness, peace and gratitude.
3) To learn how the energy of presidposed emotions can be directed positively: As acupuncturist Lillian Bridges explains, “Extremely strong liver Qi may predispose someone to misuse alcohol like an alcoholic parent or grandparent, but it may also give extra athletic ablity, enhanced drive, passion or aggressiveness that can be channeled productively instead of destructively.”
4) To work at resolving for the health of your physical body; and to learn to ‘listen to the whispers of your body or emotions before they become screams.’ Intense, prolonged, suppressing, or numbing emotions can cause disease through the immune, nervous, and CM organ systems. Also, a constitutionally weak organ system can give rise to emotions.
5) To learn about the gifts and transformative powers of emotions that can give us energy and help us return to our original nature. Each can help us develop mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Often, emotions arise as fuel for our future, guiding the way towards our ‘life’s purpose or plan’ in service of others with similar hardships.
6) Emotions as rediscovery and strength Emotions help us rediscover how to rise above, forward, and inward, toward nurturing our natural inherited traits, creative talents and abilities, and activities that are a part of who we are and facilitate enjoyment of living in the present moment. “Going back to the things we authentically always loved doing is very healing.” - Lilian Bridges
7) Light-heartedness, gentleness, and trust: Despite the healing that understanding can bring, it’s also important to not take anything too seriously. Sometimes things happen and it’s just the way it is, sometimes we won’t be able to understand and it’s a matter of accepting and letting go, and most of the time it’s about trusting that wherever we are is where we’re supposed to be and that things will unravel within our own timeline.
If you're interested in acupuncture for emotional balancing I’d be happy to guide you along! Please visit www.vcaspa.com to book online or call 250-590-4341. To learn more about my acupuncture practice, follow @hayley_stobbs on Instagram.
Wishing you love, health, & happiness,
Hayley Stobbs R.Ac, CNC.