During the transition between spring and summer, the humid and muggy weather makes people feel sticky and uncomfortable. Do you also feel particularly heavy and fatigued? In this humid and rainy weather, many people experience health issues such as heat rash, eczema, athlete's foot, etc., which can be very distressing! Fortunately, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Qigong offer effective solutions to help you cope with these problems.
Common Skin Problems During the Spring-Summer Transition
Qi management expert Master Bai Yin points out that when the body’s internal and external dampness cannot be properly discharged, it easily leads to deterioration of skin conditions. Especially for those with poor Qi and blood circulation, who do not sweat easily, the dampness in their body is even harder to expel, making them particularly prone to skin problems such as heat rash, eczema, athlete's foot, tinea versicolor (sweat fungus)
tinea manuum/pedis (hand/foot fungal infections) and shingles (herpes zoster)
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the root cause of these skin conditions lies in the body's inability to properly discharge the dampness. For example, heat rash occurs when damp-heat pathogens block hair follicles; eczema is due to excessive damp-heat pathogens affecting normal skin metabolism; athlete's foot is caused by trapped damp-heat in the feet that fails to disperse. Clearly, all these skin disorders are linked to unresolved internal dampness.
How External Dampness Leads to Internal Dampness and Triggers Health Issues
In fact, dampness accumulation in the body not only affects the skin but may also trigger a series of other health issues. As the ancients said: "Internal dampness causes Qi stagnation, obstructs meridians, and impairs organ function. When dampness lingers in the body, it disrupts Qi circulation and hinders the organs' normal metabolic processes.
For instance, the spleen governs water-dampness metabolism. If spleen Qi is deficient, the body cannot properly transform and eliminate dampness, allowing turbid dampness to accumulate. Over time, it will affect the function of other organs, causing symptoms such as insomnia, anaemia, skin allergies, menstrual disorders, bloating, abdominal pain, body swelling, and organ prolapse.
Insufficient Yang Qi Leads to Spleen Dampness and Spleen Deficiency
Why does dampness accumulate in the body? According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the root cause lies in insufficient Yang Qi in the body. When Yang Qi is strong, it drives the body’s fluid metabolism, preventing dampness from stagnating; but when yang qi is deficient, body fluids cannot be properly transformed, allowing dampness to remain.
In addition to causing internal dampness, insufficient yang qi also leads to spleen qi deficiency. The spleen is considered the foundation of postnatal life, responsible for the production of Qi and blood in the body. Once the spleen is weakened, digestion and absorption capacity are greatly reduced, and the generation of qi and blood is impaired. This is similar to a factory facing issue with raw material supply problems, making it difficult to complete production on time.
Spleen Deficiency, Impaired Digestive and Metabolism
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the spleen is responsible for transforming and transporting the essence of food and fluids, distributing nutrients as Qi and blood throughout the body. If the spleen is weak, the body cannot properly transform and distribute food and fluids, making it difficult to eliminate dampness. Over time, the metabolism of fluids slows down, leading to internal dampness.
In addition to affecting fluid metabolism, spleen deficiency also weakens digestive function. We know that the spleen governs the transformation of fluid and also manages the digestive organs in the abdomen. When spleen qi is insufficient, the peristalsis of the stomach and intestines weakens, and the secretion of digestive fluids is insufficient, leading to symptoms such as poor appetite, easy fatigue, and difficulty with bowel movements.
From the perspective of Qi theory, when spleen and stomach qi are robust, it not only promotes the metabolism and transformation of fluids but also directly affects the production of Qi and blood throughout the body. The spleen is the foundation of postnatal life, responsible for the metabolism of Qi and blood. When the spleen is strong, Qi and blood are abundant; when the spleen is deficient, the production of Qi and blood is impaired.
Once the spleen is deficient, the generation of qi and blood is impaired. Over time, the functions of other organs will gradually decline due to insufficient supply of qi and blood. For example, heart deficiency leads to insomnia, lung deficiency causes breathing difficulties, and kidney deficiency results in weakness and soreness in the lower limbs. Therefore, it's important to nurture spleen qi; as a deficiency in Qi and blood can lead to various diseases.
Methods to Maintain Physical and Mental Balance During Seasonal Transitions
To get through the special season of spring-summer, maintaining abundant yang qi in the body is crucial. So, how should we go about this?
Practicing Qigong helps to unblock the meridians and regulate the flow of qi and blood.
The most effective method is to practice qigong to regulate the body, unblock meridians, and regulate qi and blood. This enables the body to eliminate excess dampness, ensuring smooth operation of the organs and thereby achieving a state of physical and mental balance.
The process of practicing qigong is also an opportunity for yang qi to rise. As we know, during qigong practice, we absorb the qi of heaven and earth and distribute it throughout the body through movements. This not only supplements existing yang qi but also helps yang qi circulate freely within the body, thereby dispersing internal dampness and eliminating excess dampness turbidity.
Qigong helps to promote the rise of yang energy and the release of dampness. As for how to incorporate this aspect into your practice, let me introduce a few powerful techniques for eliminating dampness and strengthening the spleen.
Effective Qigong Technique for Expelling Dampness
EnerQi Dayan Helps Raise Yang Qi
EnerQi Dayan combines both hard and soft movements into light and graceful flow, taking in good qi from heaven and earth while expelling turbid qi from the body. This can effectively increase the body's oxygen levels, enhance the effects of expelling dampness, cold, and heat, stabilize the immune system, invigorate the muscles and bones, and achieve mental and physical relaxation.
During the spring-summer transition, yang qi in nature rises, which also affects the body's energy. Rising yang qi represents an increase in energy, which can help the body expel cold and dampness. This is very beneficial for our health, strengthens the body’s immunity and improve resistance.
At the same time, the rise of yang qi can promote the activity of body organs, increasing the body's energy and vitality. It is particularly suitable to practice EnerQi Dayan to help yang qi rise and regulate energy balance in the body.
When practicing Enerqi Dayan, imagine yourself as a wild goose soaring in the sky. Each movement contains the essence of yang energy, such as "Spreading Wings," "Upper Trembling," "Swooping Over Water," "Flying Across the Sea," etc., all of which allow you to feel the surge of yang qi. The movements are connected, just like the continuous flow of yang qi in the body. Persistent practice of EnerQi Dayan can help yang qi rise, enhance yang qi, and expel internal dampness.
The Five Elements Techniques - Monkey Form to Regulate Spleen and Stomach
Besides raising yang qi, we also need to regulate the spleen and stomach to enhance the ability to transform liquids and dampness. In the Five Elements Technique, the Monkey Form is specifically designed to nourish spleen qi.
Monkeys are agile and nimble, so Monkey Form mimics the movement of monkeys with light, agile, and nimble actions that stimulate the qi of the spleen and stomach. Movements such as "Scratching Head, Rubbing Ears," "Swaying Head," "Curling Up Limbs," and "Rock Your Shoulders, Tuck In to Massage Your Abdomen" can activate the middle burner, promoting the circulation of qi and blood of the spleen and stomach. This practice nourishes the spleen yang, and facilitating the transformation of liquids and dampness from the body.
When practicing Monkey Form, the key is to mimic the form and characteristics of the monkey, combining both appearance and innate nature. Vividly imitate monkey-like movements while keeping the mind constantly focused on the spleen and stomach area, feeling the flow of qi there. Regular practice can nourish spleen qi, enhance digestive function, transformation abilities, and help in removing dampness from the body.
YoungQi Rejuvenation clears the yang meridians of the back and promotes the circulation of yang qi.
The back of the human body has the Du Mai (Governing Vessel) running through it. The Du Mai governs all the yang meridians in the body, and it can be said that this meridian gathers all of the body’s yang qi; It plays a crucial role in promoting the circulation of yang qi. Therefore, clearing the meridians along the back is also an important part of eliminating dampness and pathogenic factors.
Our YoungQi Rejuvenation specifically focuses on adjusting the spine, with special emphasis on the back area, which is where the Du Mai flows. From the "Rejuvenation" basic movements to actions such as "Dragon Swaying Tail" and "Dragon Sea Explorer", these movements unblock the back’s meridians, enhancing the circulation of yang energy. YoungQi Rejuvenation also emphasizes the strength of the waist and legs, ensuring the smooth movement of the internal organs and unobstructed distribution of yang energy.
By practicing these techniques and combining them with breathing exercises, yang qi can circulate freely within the body. The dampness is naturally eliminated by the fire-like energy of yang. With consistent practice of YoungQi Rejuvenation, one can achieve the effect of restoring balance and expelling pathogenic factors, revitalizing yang qi in the body.
Summary: The elimination of dampness from the body is crucial for maintaining the balance of the internal organs.
These qigong techniques are truly interesting to practice. EnerQi Dayan makes yang qi flourish, Monkey Form regulates the spleen and stomach, and YoungQi Rejuvenation unblock the yang meridians in the back. The three techniques complement each other and aid in eliminating dampness.
By persistently practice these techniques, maintaining abundant yang qi, and eliminating dampness, you can have a healthy and comfortable body. The internal organs will function in harmony, with smooth and unobstructed circulation of qi and blood. This will naturally allow for a harmonious body and mind, helping you easily navigate through the special season of spring and summer, a time when illness is more likely to arise.
