Winter

Winter is synonymous with the water element, the most yin of the five elements, which, when in balance flows effortlessly and helps nourish our original qi and our deepest wisdom.

The organs of the water element are the kidney and bladder.

Here are a few points that can help promote restful sleep and help us feel calm and grounded at this time:

Kidney 1 – Bubbling Spring: the only point on the sole of the foot, it connects us to the Qi bubbling up from the earth below. It can calm the spirit and nourish the kidney energy because of the location it can bring energy down from the head. It helps with insomnia and anxiety. It’s important to keep this point warm, so that cold doesn’t travel into the body.

Bladder 1 – Bright eyes: can help regulate hormones and benefits the eyes. Can help us see a way forward when we are fearful or can’t look at what is before us. These points lie at the inner canthus of each eye, lie your little finger tips at the inner corner of each eye, just above where they close. With gentle pressure feel for the Qi or energy here.

Kid 27 – Spirit Storehouse – one of the kidneys functions is to grasp the Qi from the lungs and bring it down into the body. When we feel fearful our breathing can become shallow, this point is calming and opens up the chest. It also helps stimulate our immune systems and can soothe a cough or chest infection.

Images kindly reproduced with permission from: A Manual of Acupuncture, written by Peter Deadman, Mazin Al-Khafaji with Kevin Baker.

Acupressure Instructions:

  • If you are doing this on yourself, find the points gently and feel for a tender spot or ache, when you are ready inhale through your nose for about 4 counts and on the exhale press on the point, breathing out through your mouth for 5 counts.
  • Each time you inhale visualise you are breathing in revitalising energy or Qi through your nose and taking your breath down to your belly. On each exhale sigh out the breath through your mouth and press down on the points feeling for the tender spot. On each inhale release the pressure.
  • Do this for about 6-10 deep breaths either bilaterally or one foot at a time. If you are doing this for another, use a lighter touch to begin, holding their foot in your hand, feel for the dip and gently massaging the point for 1-2 minutes on each foot.
  • You can add one drop of essential oil such as jasmine, juniper or rose to your finger tip to activate these points.