Let’s talk about fear. With the pandemic and the uncertainty, it’s brought, we’ve all grappled with this emotion. Fear can result from an actual physical threat to our bodies or can be drummed up from our past experiences; today we’re going to discuss the latter. Fear can cause a myriad of physiological changes in the body and dictate how we react. Thanks to our well-developed amygdala’s, who is responsible for our fight, flight, or fright response, we as humans are primed for this emotion. It’s very important to discern what the threat is; are we in danger or are we panicking about events that have yet to happen? It’s time we open a dialogue with our fears; they’re here for a reason, to help us.
When afraid, your body pumps you up with the hormone adrenaline, produced by little glands which sit atop your Kidney’s. Suddenly, your heart pumps faster, raising your blood pressure to ensure your lungs and muscles are ready to run or fight! This will happen if you’re confronted by a ravenous tiger or if you’re being chewed out by your boss. Your Kidney’s give you that Drive to Survive.
Fears that cannot physically harm you will cause your body to react as if they could. Please, read that again. In order to keep our Kidney’s deepest reserve of our life energy intact, we must find ways to hijack our amygdala’s when we are not in actual danger. Fear is associated with the Kidneys in Chinese medicine. As our body’s deepest reserves of energy, it makes sense that such a primal emotion crucial for our survival would be linked to this Water organ. As our amygdala’s constantly assesses for potential threats throughout our day, it’s important that it strikes a balance. When our Water element is balanced, we take action swiftly and deal with threats immediately. We continue to protect ourselves until we are safe. Reacting in real-time, we are clear and present. But when our fear gets the better of us, we either can’t act because we’re too afraid, i.e., paralyzed with fear or we embody a hyperactive state, anticipating and acting upon perceived threats before they even happen. It’s time we sit with our fears, drowning out the noise & listening to their wisdom
The Zhi is the spirit of the Water Element, translated as will or willpower. Even its pinyin character possesses an air of being strong, upright, and present. The Zhi can be seen in those who stand their ground, are ambitious and motivated. Partnered with the Kidneys, the Zhi represents our deep personal will and power. The Zhi, like the nature of the Water Element, needs goals and uses this powerful determination to push us consistently towards our desires. It’s that inner strength that reaches beyond our limits to achieve great heights
The adrenal glands, responsible for producing the powerful hormone adrenaline, sit atop the Kidneys. Adrenaline fuels us during our flight or fright response, flooding us with fear or determination. The Zhi or Willpower represents that deepest reserve of energy; when you have nothing left, but convince yourself, “I can do this’… Mastering fear is no easy task. It is the sages among us, gathering wisdom gradually over time, seeing the interconnectedness of their experiences, who possess a complex & fearless understanding of our world. This arms them with an unshakable inner knowing. It keeps them upright, balanced, and poised. They watch carefully and act precisely at the right time, riding the thunderous waves of life as effortlessly as a bird gliding upon a breeze. This is the power of Water