Don't burn out: Take care of your kidneys... and of your wrinkles

Fear is a theme that surfaced in the life of several clients, friends and my own this month: fear of the cold; fear of starting a new relationship; of ending a long-term one; of creating a new identity after life-changing circumstances; of showing publicly a side of the self that had been private for a long time.

Experiencing fear occasionally is normal. However, living with fear or an accumulation of anxiety on an ongoing basis is NOT. Whether you are conscious of it or not, it creates a lot of physical stress, wrinkles and eventually serious problems. Burn out is high on that list.

One thing is clear, organs are more affected by certain emotions than others, and as I was discussing this with these people, I realized in a very concrete way that the organs most affected by fear or worry are the kidneys. They either feel cold through the skin, asleep, hardened or atrophied, and the person needs to urinate more often than normal.

Fortunately, there are many ways we can support our kidneys.  

-During winter, keep your kidneys warm by dressing warmly; eg, a long parka,  warm pants, dry boots, long johns, hat, mits and scarf.
-Get warming treatments for the kidneys , eg. moxa on kidney marmas and nadi (see picture on the left), ginger compresses; warm castor oil massage

-Eat foods with vitamins A, B6, B12 (vit. B supplements if you are vegetarian), C, D, K and folic acid, or supplements

-Do yoga sets specific to the kidneys; available in good yoga books and the Internet
-Manage your emotions and thoughts with a daily meditation practice (see the upcoming self-development courses on http://www.facetograce.com/).

-Ask yourself: Right this moment, is there reason to be fearful? To be worried? Stay in the moment and listen to what your inner voice answers.

-Seek help from a trusted teacher/guide/practitioner to help you develop a toolbox of self-help methods.

Author Danièle Laberge says that ``fear of pain, of being weak and of not being able to survive kills strength and faith.... Strength and hope are our immunity. The best vaccine is to trust life, strength and energy.`` You probably also heard the saying: “Where there is fear, there is no love.” What a price to pay!

I created a technique for myself once because I paralyzed with fear in front of an important decision-. I drew my fear as a ``wall of opportunity``. What was on the other side of the wall? I talked to it, listened, drew a couple of characters on it, a window and other items as insights came. Asked what it wanted and needed. Something clicked. That was enough to regain my decision-making power and self-confidence. Fear left. I took action. It was not fun but soooo freeing.

Ultimately, awareness of the emotion is key. Another technique is to observe the fear without attaching to it, to the story that gave rise to it. This helps create enough distance to realize you are not that emotion. Do nothing. Be patient and neutral. Something will click. Ahhhhh... 

RECIPE:

Fear being a cooling emotion, here is a wonderful warming massage oil recipe to support your kidneys:

In 1/8 cup of warm sesame oil (or almond oil for those of you with a Pitta constitution) blend a mix of the following essential oils (e.o.):

6 drops ginger e.o.

3 drops cassia or orange e.o.

1 drop bergamot e.o.

1 drop of sweetgrass or frankincense e.o.

Warm up your hands and massage your whole body, with special care to your back and keep that area warm to help the oils penetrate deeply.