The liver meridian begins at the big toe, runs up the inner leg, it enters the torso through the groin, through the liver and gallbladder, into the lungs, up the throat and the head, circling the lips then ends at the eyes. The gallbladder meridian begins at the outer corner of the eyes, internally in to the neck and chest through the liver and gallbladder, then externally moving down the lateral side of the body to the outer hip and knee ending at the fourth toe. In practice, positions which focus in the inner and outer parts of the legs, the groin, the front of the torso and lateral sides of the body. I will present either a video or a series of photos at the end of this series of the yin postures. I hesitate to name the postures as a reader informed me that he tried to put himself in a position he looked up on the internet that I named which was not the position intended. Safety first! If you do decide to test the waters beforehand, remember that when resting in these postures to remain for at least a minute to begin and work up to three to five minutes, that is how the chi is stimulated. Moving on...
The liver is the largest gland in the body. It is located on the right side of the abdominal cavity, below the diaphragm. The liver holds vitamins(A,B-12, D and K), minerals and glycogen. Substances in the body that are not broken down for energy end up in the liver for processing. So, your liver works to detoxify you body. Also, the liver produces bile. Bile is a substance that is stored in the gallbladder that helps the body break down fats. The gallbladder secretes the bile as needed for the digestive process. Imbalances in the liver can manifest as arthritis, cramping, types of paralysis, muscular weakness or stiffness, fatigue, vertigo, dizziness, dimmed vision, astigmatism, cataracts and blindness. The sense organ for the liver is the eyes. As you can see in the list of ailments, there are many concerning the eyes. When I read this I had a real "ah-ha" moment. My mother had developed cataracts in the last year of her life. A month before she passed we discovered her well advanced cancer. The cancer began in her colon and moved to her liver. If I had this information maybe we could have done more to help her or at least make her more comfortable. My point is that the body's symptoms and conditions are so interrelated. In western medicine I think that this is overlooked. We tend to treat symptoms instead of looking deeper for the cause. Anyhow, I present this information to you with the hope that you and yours will live with greater health and vibrancy.
As for the energetic qualities of the liver, it regulates the movement of chi in the entire body which creates a easygoing inner atmosphere. In the prior post I discussed the kidneys which house our essential energy, an inner energy that is responsible for giving life to all things, such as your organs. I want to make a distinction so no confusion arises. It follows that if our chi is not flowing in a healthy way throughout the body we will not feel easygoing. Emotionally, the liver, when imbalanced, can be the cause of anger, impulsivity, defensiveness, irritation, annoyance and uneven emotions. Whether the emotion is the extreme of rage or on the other end of the spectrum where there is no anger, all shades of this spectrum indicate liver chi imbalance. A special note for the ladies(and those in their lives) is that during menstruation the liver is working harder to flush out toxins therefore making menstruating ladies more irritable. Also, ladies may feel more discomfort in the liver and gallbladder meridians that run along the outer hips and inner thighs. Practicing yin yoga during menstruation can also feel more difficult and frustrating. Knowing this can help us treat ourselves more kindly during this time. Instead of getting more frustrated, take the opportunity to look at the feelings with a loving eye.
Mentally, liver chi imbalances can be making rash decisions, not being able to go with the flow, on the other end of the spectrum this can appear as timidity and hesitation. The element that corresponds to this meridian pair is wood. Wood needs to be strong and flexible, like a mighty oak tree. When balanced, we can sway in the wind effortlessly, perhaps even joyfully. When out of balance we lack that easygoing quality that makes life more enjoyable. Our gallbladder corresponds to our path in life so when the chi is out of balance we have trouble discerning the proper reaction to situations and this can throw us from our path. Noticing how we act and react can help to see where we may be out of balance so we can address it with care and kindness. Stay mindful and stay tuned for more meridian theory and yin yoga.
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