The energetic Winter season is associated with the element of Water according to traditional Chinese medicine, and Water’s associated organs are the yin kidneys and the yang bladder.
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In traditional Chinese medicine, the kidneys are where our core vital energy is located so when kidney is strong and in balance, we promote regeneration of the body, youth, vibrancy and vitality. We could say that the kidneys contain our blueprint for health. They are considered to be the body’s most important receptacle of essential energy, known in traditional Chinese medicine as the “Root of Life.” The kidneys are also the root of all yin and yang energy in the body.
Consider how important the kidneys’ function is by the following:
They filter waste metabolites from the blood.
They control sexual and reproductive functions.
With the large intestine, they control the balance of fluids in the body.
They regulate the pH balance (acidity/alkalinity) of the body by either retaining or filtering out certain minerals.
They control the growth and development of the skeletal system and nourish the bone marrow.
Kidney chi is approximate terminology for the functional combination of kidney energy. It is almost never in excess but it is frequently deficient.
A good lifestyle helps ensure good kidney health.
Simply do all the things you would think are good for you and refrain from the things you know are not:
Keep hydrated.
Eat healthily, especially fresh organic fruits and vegetables; aside from their nutritional content, they tend to have a high water content beneficial for the kidneys and entire body.
Get an appropriate amount of exercise that is enjoyable to you.
Get friendly flora into your intestinal system by eating naturally fermented foods.
Drink green juices and smoothies.
Detox in epsom salt baths to help detoxify the kidneys.
Moderate your use of over-the-counter drugs.
Refrain from smoking.
Don’t overdo sugar, salt and fat.
Moderate your alcohol consumption.
Physical stressors compromise the Water energy and lead to imbalance. This can then exacerbate the fears and mistrust that lie under the calm waters of the well adapted Water Type person. Do not physically overextend yourself through excess of exercise, sleep, sports, or work.
Causes of kidney deficiency may include:
overwork over a long period of time
too much brain work
a long vitality-draining illness
overindulgence in sexual activity
acute fever
prolonged hemorrhage
overconsumption of drugs
“During the winter months all things in nature wither, hide, return home, and enter a resting period, just as lakes and rivers freeze and snow falls. This is a time when yin dominates yang. Therefore one should refrain from overusing the yang energy. Retire early and get up with the sunrise, which is later in Winter. Desires and mental activity should be kept quiet and subdued. Sexual desires especially should be contained, as if keeping a happy secret. Stay warm, avoid the cold, and keep the pores closed. Avoid sweating. The philosophy of the Winter season is one of conservation and storage. Without such practice the result will be injury to the kidney energy…”
The Spirit Quality of Water
Water’s spirit quality is known in traditional Chinese medicine as zhi. It may be expressed as the mental abilities of will and intent including the concepts of will power, ambition, and self-actualization.
Zhi, the energy of will, purpose and destiny, is the will we tap into in order to survive ordeals, persevere through challenges and overcome obstacles. With zhi we utilize our will to overcome our greatest fears, to transform ourselves and to create healing. It assists us to persist in life against all odds.
The Water element is considered the root of our constitutional energy. It correlates with having adequate energetic reserves bringing us the potency to overcome obstacles. Strength, determination and persistence arise and thrive in the Water element.
The Water element requires quiet and stillness to flourish. In traditional Chinese medicine, the kidney energy is considered the most interior and yin with the greatest power and potential for change. Tapping into that energy gives the courage to try, even when the outcome is unknowable.
Emotions of the Water Element and Kidneys
Fear is the primary emotion associated with the Water element and the energetic Winter season which runs from November 8 to January 7 every year.
While fear is the negative emotion of Water, will power is the positive emotion of the kidneys.
The kidneys control our short-term memory and provide us the capacity for strength and industriousness.
When the kidney energy is strong, we’re able to work hard and diligently for long periods of time. We have the will power to live life with focus and a good sense of direction.
When kidney energy is weak, we lack strength and endurance. We become susceptible to fear and anxiety.
The Water element stores the memory of who we are and the potential of who we can become. All of our accumulated experiences are stored in the Water element and therefore enhance our survival, adaptation and balance.
“In a sense, this element contains stories of survival and triumph passed down through the generations that can be used to ensure our own adaptive powers.
With any chronic condition, loss of the memory of wellness complicates recovery. Deep in the pool of the Water energy are the renewal and revitalization needed to recover wellness. Deep within the brain lies potential for change, knowledge, and wisdom.”
The Water element corresponds to determination, energetic reserves, faith and trust.
On a physical level, it’s important to note that having a strong sense of faith affects regulation of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol release is necessary but left unregulated, it directly and negatively impacts our health and even our weight.
By connecting to our zhi, the power of the kidney energy and the root of life, we reconnect to the spirit of life and are better able to restore our enthusiasm, confidence, and sense of direction in life. Connecting with the power of the kidney energy and our zhi may also assist us to recover from trauma or medical challenges.
Spirit storehouse that kidney is, it provides us with a reservoir of energy we can tap into to regain self-assurance, trust, and faith in surviving our challenges in life.
For zhi to flourish, we must have a strong trust and faith in the process of life, in ourselves and in other people. When we are balanced in the energy of the Water element, our zhi assists us to overcome abnormal fears.
Some fear, as we know, is necessary to reinforce our survival instinct. It simply must be used wisely and in balance with heightened awareness but not hypervigilance, otherwise that hypervigilance will lead to imbalance.
If you feel you lack faith and trust, search your daily experiences to see how often the mistrust and fear you have felt were actually unjustified. We can all recall a times when we were fearful about something only to find out afterwards that there was nothing to be afraid about after all. Coming to this realization will help rebuild your faith and trust. This simple practice will prove especially valuable for when the next situation arises.
We can also dispel doubts and fears through meditation, prayer, and practicing self-awareness. In meditation, conjure a connection to your deep reserves and potential of the Water energy. Doing so can reinforce the faith you need to overcome obstacles and trust that you’ll not only survive but flourish in life just as Water does.
Another way to strengthen your faith and trust is by accepting reassurance from others. It can help to neutralize the fear-based experience and will strongly encourage all the positive attributes of the Water element within you.
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Endnotes:
This blog was originally published November 21, 2017 but has been expanded here for freshness and comprehensiveness.
Sources:
Clogstoun-Willmott, Jonathan. Western Astrology and Chinese Medicine. Aquarian, 1985.
Ni, Maoshing. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine: a New Translation of the Neijing Suwen with Commentary. Shambhala, 1995.
Moss, Charles A. Power of the Five Elements: The Chinese Medicine Path to Healthy Aging and Stress Resistance. United States, North Atlantic Books, 2010.