By Jude and Paul Ponton
Greek mythology tells us that Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, in deep mourning over the abduction of her beloved daughter Persephone by Hades, caused the Earth to be frozen and barren. A deal was struck with Hades to allow Persephone to leave the underworld for two thirds of the year, and during this time Demeter allows the plants and crops to flourish. Each year as Persephone returns to Hades the earth experiences winter.
Here, in the Pacific Northwest, more than a month after the official start of winter, we have had an uncharacteristically harsh start to the winter season with lower temperatures sustained for relatively long periods of time. We have escaped heavy snow in Seattle, unlike our friends in Portland. One of the things that keeps our spirits up in this time is the knowledge of the opportunity to tap into the natural cycle that brings with it consolidation of energy. Like the plants, we have the opportunity to revert to our root energies, to pull in and experience deep grounding to the earth. We can use this time to nurture our core energy, our inner being, the seed of the activity that will sprout upward and outward in the spring.
Kidney energy is associated with winter and with our root, core energy, the supportive energy for our being. During this season, we can turn our focus to nurture and consolidate Kidney energy to strengthen the structure and function for all the other energy systems of our bodies. The Kidney energy supports the back and knees. It is not uncommon to see clients with back and knee problems coming into our clinic during the winter months. People with a tendency to be deeply affected by cold (Kidney yang deficiency) will notice this more. In areas where there is less sunshine people may encounter the occurrence of seasonal affect disorder depression. The stress of adapting to colder temperatures of winter may also create feelings of lower energy or fatigue.
Supporting and consolidating the Kidney energy as we experience winter helps to maintain health and well being through the season and often prevents manifestations of deficiency including back pain, fatigue, cold and depression.
Here are some suggestions for supporting and consolidating the Kidney energy to benefit the core and the root.
- UB 23 (Kidney Shu) is a major point for supporting the Kidneys. The Earth Day 5th interval can be used to tonify Kidney qi, the Full Moon 6th for the nurturing of Kidney yin and the Solar 7th to build the yang energy of the Kidneys. Additionally, Saturn/Venus 6th applied to this point consolidates Kidney energy. Low octaves of the Earth Day 5th, Full Moon 6th, and Saturn/Venus 6th go deeply to the root.
- DU 4 (Life Gate) is an important point for tonifying Kidney yang using the Solar 7th interval.
- KID 3 (Great Ravine) is the source point of the Kidney channel. As such it accesses deep energy to support the core. The previously mentioned intervals would be useful here. Sedna could also be substituted for Ohm with the Earth Day, Full Moon or Venus forks to amplify connection to the Kidneys and the action of the interval. The Mars/Venus 5th interval would also be a good choice here to support and balance the yang and yin functions of the Kidney.
- REN 4 (Origin Pass) and REN 6 (Sea of Qi) are powerful points to build and consolidate the root. We suggest use of the same intervals.
- The Ren Mai and Du Mai Extraordinary Vessels are portals to primordial yin and yang energy. For the Ren Mai: Sedna/Full Moon 7th, Sedna/Venus 6th and Venus/Full Moon microtone are good choices to tonify the yin. To tonify yang energy, Earth Day 5th, Solar 7th and Mars/Venus 5th (to direct energy to the Kidney more specifically) would be appropriate for the Du Mai. These extraordinary vessels used in combination activate the microcosmic orbit, drawing together celestial and terrestrial energies to support the core.
- The high frequency Solar 7th interval in the subtle fields is useful to relieve seasonal affect disorder. The Demeter asteroid fork inspires self-nurturance and calls to the promise of spring.
Winter provides a powerful opportunity to recharge. We hope that these suggestions inspire you to actively focus on applying your Acutonics skills for support of both your self and your clients.