Articles by

Shoshanna Katzman, M.S., C.A., Dipl. Ac. & CH

What can we do to avoid sickness, debility, and senility in our lives? What can we do to help ourselves heal from diseases or afflictions already a part of our lives? What can we do to create a longer, healthier, enjoyable, and more productive life? I suggest we look toward the ancient wisdom of the Chinese people who have studied the phenomenon of longevity for over 5,000 years to find these answers. A vast body of Chinese medical knowledge has accrued from these efforts, providing a viable alternative to unhealthy, destructive life habits.

This Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) view of health emphasizes the influence of emotions, nature, electromagnetic forces, and energy on the human body and spirit. The system is built on the belief that energy flows throughout every living thing and health depends on how and where this energy is flowing. It greatly emphasizes the importance of prevention as a necessary first step toward the creation and maintenance of good health.

The ancient Chinese medical texts are filled with information about how to prevent disease and degeneration combined with numerous guiding principles for how to create a healthful and long life. A basic tenet of these teachings holds that we are born with an abundant supply of “the three treasures” which are essence, energy and spirit. These three treasures are believed to have a direct affect on the aging process. Through proper cultivation, preservation, and protection of these three treasures, we can create a greater chance for a long and healthful life.

A fundamental relationship exists between essence, energy and spirit whereby an accumulation of one, in turn, creates abundance in the other. To retard the aging process, it is, therefore, essential to maintain balance and harmony within not just one, but all of the treasures. Understanding how these three treasures work together to promote proper body function provides a compelling impetus for making healthier choices in one’s life.

Essence, also known as Jing, forms the initial substance from which the body is created and determines genetic make-up and constitution. The quality of Jing determines longevity and resistance to degenerative disease.  Strong Jing generates a long life free of degenerative disease. Weak Jing manifests in children as failure to thrive and in adults as premature aging.  Tooth decay, arthritis, hearing loss, lack of sexual drive, osteoporosis, and senility are all examples of the physical and mental deterioration that occurs with diminishing of essence.

A finite amount of Jing exists within the body at birth, when it is ultimately used up, one dies.  To allay this process, extra energy left over at the end of a day can be transformed during sleep and used to protect Jing from being consumed too quickly. Since we tend to have less excess energy as we age, our bodies can be depleted of Jing more quickly during this time. For this reason, it is best to conserve energy each day, go to bed and rise at a reasonable time, and avoid chronic stress throughout life, but especially in our later years. In addition, Jing receives its nourishment after birth from food and water. Consuming the purest and most potent foods and drinks available is thus essential to maintaining strong Jing.

Essence is mostly related to the kidneys, the primary organ that controls growth, maturation, aging, and natural death. This explains why strengthening, protecting and cultivating kidney essence is a primary focus in Chinese longevity practices. The kidneys are considered to be the root of the body’s energy and spark the energy of other vital organs. Maintaining proper amounts of kidney essence, therefore, has a profound effect on the energetics of the body.

Chinese tradition dictates that the kidneys are nourished by warmth, yet injured by cold. It is also believed that they are depleted from excess sexual activity. What constitutes excess in this case varies for each person, but in general no more than once or twice a week is the usual recommendation.

Energy, also known as Qi, refers to the life force flowing throughout every cell and tissue of the body. Qi motivates all vital functions and transformations and thus sustains life. Ultimately, everything in Chinese medicine is based on the concept of Qi.

After birth, Qi comes from the digestion and transformation of the food, water and herbs we ingest and the air we breathe. This means, it not only important to eat right to have strong Qi, but to live in a well-ventilated environment and to get plenty of fresh air.

The ancient Chinese exercises of Tai Chi and Qigong are excellent ways to cultivate Qi, thereby supporting the welfare of the physical body. These slow, rhythmical, and meditative movements permit the entire body to relax, opening and restoring the proper flow of Qi within the energetic pathways (meridians) of the body. The free flow of energy created through these movements promotes blood flow, which transports nourishment to our vital organs, glands, and tissues.

Tai Chi and Qigong movements are often synchronized with a slow, rhythmic, and deep breathing technique to not only increase lung capacity, but to cultivate and balance vital energy (Qi), calm the emotions and spirit (Shen), and to nourish vital essence (Jing).

The following Qigong exercise Fluffing White Clouds can be practiced to strengthen your Qi and thus nourish all three treasures.

To begin stand with your feet parallel, shoulder-width apart with your knees slightly bent. Your hands are resting open at your sides with your pinky fingers next to your legs and fingertips facing the earth. As you inhale, straighten your knees and lift your hands to shoulder height in front of you with palms facing upward and elbows slightly bent.

As you exhale, turn your palms downward and bring your arms down, drawing your wrists back in toward your body and bending your knees again. The heel of your hand leads and fingertips follow. End with elbows slightly bent, palms face downward, your hands by your sides stretched out flat as if gently patting white clouds. Turn your palms upward and continue from the beginning. Coordinate the movement of your hands with the bending and straightening of your legs.

The sensation of Qi during this exercise can be extraordinary. As your palms move upward, you may feel they hold a heavy weight. This is abundant Qi from the universe. By contrast, when your palms turn down and float back to your sides, it may feel as if there is a light, fluffy pillow beneath them. The power of these sensations increases with every repetition of the movement and your deep, rhythmical breath.

Spirit, also known as Shen, represents all aspects of consciousness and mind. This includes awareness, cognition, thinking, feeling, will and intent as reflected in our personality. The Chinese principles for nourishing spirit suggest an open and peaceful way of being combined with a balanced emotional life. The more you can flow within your own mind, the more things will flow around you and the brighter your Shen will be.

Self-Help Hints to protect kidney essence: