Earth Element & Spleen Qi
Welcome,
I’m glad to have you here. I’d like to start with a couple of acknowledgements, and then share some nourishing things with you.
My intention with this blog and piece, is that you take and make use of what feels helpful to you, and that I am thoughtful with how I deliver the support I’m offering. Rather than using the term dietary support, which can have associations attached to controlled eating, I’m shifting the focus to talk about eating patterns as part of a network of things that can support your health and wellbeing in a holistic way. My intention is to bring in connections and ideas, and then let you make choices about how you want to use and integrate what’s shared. I also want to find a way of putting information together for people that they find useful and use in their lives that doesn’t feel like another thing they should be doing better at. The more enjoyable and pleasurable something is, the more likely we might want to keep coming back to it.
The second thing to acknowledge is that these offerings of wisdom based in whole systems East Asian medicine that I’m sharing aren’t part of my cultural heritage in any way. They began to inspire me over 20 years ago while I was working in a whole food co-operative at the same time that I was introduced to acupuncture, and I’m particularly inspired by the connections between nature, food and wellbeing. I’ve spent meany years dipping in and out of spaces that grow, make and serve food and medicines, always making connections to the foundational knowledge that inspired me on this meandering pathway of healing. I’ve applied the knowledge to my life, as the seasons keep on passing and yearly cycles keep moving in their rhythm. I’ve carried on reading, listening, observing, learning, This writing will be based in whole systems East Asian medicine, but will have my flavour and way of working woven through it. I’ve also tried and tested most, if not all of the offerings I share here.
As always, I hope you take and make use of what feels helpful to you,
Orley
The Earth Element and Spleen Qi
// the energy of late summer and the still moment before a season shifts into the next // the energy has peaked and is now steady // contentment // feeling steadied and stable // being able to gather everything we need to support ourselves emotionally and mentally // applied thought and intention // the feeling of a caring, nurturing hug when we need one // being part of a community that gives and receives support //
Nourishing The Earth Element And Spleen Qi In Whole System East Asian Medicine
The spleen’s main role in biomedicine is involved in making white blood cells and storing and filtering blood. Within the frame work of whole systems East Asian medicine the spleen is involved with the production of qi/energy, supporting the bodies ability to absorb and put to use the nutrition it takes in physically, mentally and emotionally, in turn supporting the production of blood and embodiment. The spleen qi also holds the energy is the body upwards, and helps to hold and contain the blood. Mentally and emotionally, the spleen is involved in our ability to apply our thoughts intentionally, give and receive care, feeling steady and centred, and being connected to our needs, knowing how and where we can meet them.
With such a central and foundational role, taking care of the spleen qi can have a big affect throughout our body and life.
When the spleen qi is abundant, we have more energy to do the things we love, we keep centred when we meet the needs of others, offering nurturance rather than rescuing, and have the resources to do things we have to do when we’d rather be doing something else. Our immune system can function well, having enough of a response and flexibility to fight infection when it comes in, without too much congestion or inflammation building up. We have enough energy to hold ourselves up (and all of our organs are held up too) and our digestion functions with ease. We tend towards having more of a steady rhythm in our lives, knowing where and when different sources of nutrition will be there for us. We can think through all the work we have to do, and set about things with intention and a settled mind.
Signs And Symptoms Of Spleen Qi Deficiency
Low energy, heavy legs and possibly arms, poor quality of blood and blood deficient symptoms, craving quick release sweet foods for energy rather than planned protein sources, food allergies, difficultly getting up in the mornings, mucous and congestion in sinuses, ears, throat, lungs, urinary tract infections and heavy discharge, bloating,, loose stools, mucous in the digestive tract. Inability to stop thinking, churning over the same thoughts, constant worry, cloudy thoughts and too tired to think properly.
How To Help The Spleen And Its’ Energetic Function
Pleasure and enjoyment really support the spleen, and eating foods that leave you with a feeling of ease and warm satisfaction inside. As it has a central role in digestion, eating in ways that optimise digestion will support the spleen. If food is raw, cold or straight from the fridge, your body has to invest more energy to be able to extract and use what it needs, when food is gently cooked with aromatic spices, your digestion will be able to assimilate quicker. Similarly, if there are a lot more ingredients in a meal, your body will need to do more work processing them, keeping things simpler will help build up energy.
Your nervous system would like to be in it’s rest and digest mode at meal times, think about having more ease in your body and mind while you're eating to help it on its’ way if you can, so take a comfy seat, away from work, electronic screens, difficult discussions and stressors. More of your blood and energy in the body will be focused on digesting, helping you be more relaxed, with more energy, and support the repair of your cells.
Oxytocin producing and bonding activities that can tap into spleen and earth element energy are being close to .people that you trust and care for you, being and feeling seen by people. in more intimate relationships, touch that is slow, sensual, steady and caring. kissing, rubbing feet together, and any other simple things that help you to get the feeling of being cared for, nurtured or supported in your life, like feeling physically comfortable where you are sitting, wearing clothes that you enjoy the feel of, cozy jumpers and blankets when you are feeling cool, laying on the ground outside, feeling the solidity of the earth beneath you not going anywhere, just being there, supporting your body., and also being around animals.
Giving yourself enough time and resources to think through the things you need to think about in your life will also help a feeling of steadyiness too.
Foods Which Help To Strengthen The Energy Of The Spleen Qi
- rice, oats, spelt, pumpkin, carrot, parsnip, sweet potato, squash, string bean, chestnut, corn, broad bean, red lentils, chickpeas, ham, chicken, mackerel, onion, ginger, seeds of fennel, dill and star anise, cardamom, black pepper, jasmine tea, date, cherry, fig and molasses.
Medicinal Mushrooms To Support The Spleen Qi
- Lions Mane (Hericium Erinaceus), Turkey Tail (Trametes Versicolor), Xiang Gu (Lentinula Edodes)