Shock and What To Do

Today we get news of more distress. For many of us the news is shocking to our body. Difficult news, death, accidents all create shock in the body.

In Chinese Medicine, shock affects our Kidney Qi. Kidney Qi rules hearing, low back, knees, hair, teeth. The primary emotion of Kidney Qi is fear. When Kidney Qi is weak we crave quiet. Kidney Qi works with Heart Qi. Heart Qi processes all emotions in Chinese Medicine, but the primary emotion for Heart Qi is anxiety and it affects our sleep. All the shock also creates stress, depression and anger which is part of Liver Qi. When Liver Qi is not flowing, our digestion is harmed. Spleen Qi in Chinese Medicine rules digestion. The primary emotion of Spleen Qi is over-thinking.

Now we have an emotional and physical knot. We suffer poor sleep, poor digestion, poor appetite. Our emotions are preventing our Qi from being balanced and flowing. Shock at its worst causes our bodies to feel cold. Cold bodies mean Qi and Blood are not flowing. Emotional shock is a root cause of many problems in our body. When my mother’s mother passed away, my mother’s hearing weakened and has never returned. When my father passed away, I needed a root canal within a few months. Fear for our children has caused many parents to suffer insomnia. Shock has caused some to lose their hair or cause premature gray hair. You see how Chinese Medicine wisdom overlaps our personal experiences and creates a new understanding of what is happening in our body.

To balance shock we must be gentle, with ourselves and others. Trauma created shock. The trauma can’t be reversed, we must now begin a healing path from the trauma.

· First step on the healing path is to realize you are in shock and adjust life accordingly. Create quiet, warmth, safety. Plan extra time for naps and good sleep if possible.

· Eat foods that feel and taste good and are easy to digest. Drink plenty of water. One of my teachers would prescribe crab with red wine for dinner to balance the shock.

· Get extra vitamins and minerals, especially potassium. Emergen-C is a favorite choice for me for the extra vitamin support. It can be mixed with warm water, making it easier to digest.

· Bach Flower Rescue Remedy is a wonderful tool for shock and trauma. Bach Flowers are vibrational medicine with very few contraindications. Carry it with you to use often. The effects are gentle. See http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-information/ for me information.

· Take time to take care of yourself. Schedule acupuncture, massages, meditation time, counseling. Sit and journal your emotions while drinking warm tea. This step may take a year or more to really help.

· Your acupuncturist may prescribe herbs to help unknot your emotion and Qi flow. You may need a few different formulas to create abundant and flowing Qi and Blood. Communicate with your practitioner to create the best healing process.

· Keep your feet flat on the floor to ground your energy and take deep breathes. Inhale through your nose to the count of 3. Breath into your belly, making it big with the breath. Exhale through your mouth to the count of 6. This simple exercise can be done in sets of 3 many times a day.

· Essential oils applied to your inner wrist and soles of your feet also help. Lavender, frankincense, ylang ylang and neroli are all good choices. Smell them and see what works for you.

· Fill your heart with love and gratitude for all the good you can find in the world. This step may be difficult, but the best antidote to fear is love. Find something to be grateful for each day.