One of the valuable gifts Yoga has to offer us, is the way it helps open our eyes to whole new ways of moving, breathing, and even living and eating. For many of us, beginning a yoga practice is just the start of a long journey of discovery, inviting us to look beyond familiar routines and rules we may have grown up with, and learn from the wisdom of other healing traditions. If you’ve ever practiced Yin Yoga, you may have come across the concept of meridian lines, which is part of the ancient knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine. When we stretch along the various meridian lines, we open and stimulate the flow of Qi, Prana or ‘life force energy’ that maintains the health of our physical organs and subtle energy. Meridian lines are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to TCM however, and in this blog, we’ll explore what TCM has to share with us when it comes to caring for the lungs.
Love Your Lungs
Physically, our lungs absorb oxygen from the air we breathe, and transfer it to the bloodstream, so we can nourish our organs and muscles. They also expel carbon dioxide, which is considered a ‘waste gas’ that builds up in the body simply by going about our everyday actions. Attached to the diaphragm and vagus nerve, the lungs also work in harmony to constantly send messages to the brain about how we’re feeling; fast, shallow breathing indicates we’re stressed, whilst slow, longer breaths relax the nervous system. People with a larger lung capacity are able to send oxygen around the body faster, promoting mental clarity, and improving overall physical health. Yogic breathing or ‘pranayama’ techniques can help improve lung capacity, and you can learn how to practice them effectively with books like Light on Pranayama BKS Iyengar and A Life Worth Breathing by Max Strom. From the perspective of TCM, the lungs inhale fresh, new Qi, and expel old, stale Qi, regulating our balance of overall vitality.
Lung Energetics
According to TCM, each organ holds a particular emotional and energetic quality. Whilst anger is said to be stored in the liver and fear in the bladder, the lungs store grief, sadness, detachment and loss. If any of these emotions are left unprocessed within us, they can manifest as problems relating to the lungs, such as shortness of breath, a ‘heavy’ feeling in the chest, asthma, pneumonia, coughs, and congestion. Releasing the pent-up emotions, stuck or stagnant energy is one of the ways a TCM practitioner may advise a patient to help settle problems with the lungs. Using your voice is a powerful way to release pent-up energy from the lungs – tap into the power of sound by picking a few favourite chants from Everyday Kundalini: Yoga, Meditation, Mantras and Breathing to Empower and Transform Your Life and sounding them out ‘at the top of your lungs’ in a place you feel comfortable to. Use the Untethered Soul Guided Journal by Michael A. Singer to help release emotions you may have been holding on to. If it’s difficult to describe or express the emotion you feel, use the School of Life Box of Emotions card deck, complete with 80 cards containing a mini essay on a different emotion to help you learn more about yourself, and about how others may be feeling too.
The Lung Meridian Lines
Stretching the lung meridian lines can help open up tightness in the physical body, but also boost the flow of Qi and subtle energy too. Meridian lines carry energy through the body, but if they become blocked or stagnant, this can cause an imbalance in our physical, mental or emotional health. A useful analogy to understand this is thinking of a garden hose; usually, water flows through a garden hose uninterrupted and can nourish the plants, but if there’s a kink in the hose or it becomes blocked, it’s more difficult for the water to flow, and the plants and vegetables in the garden may suffer. The same goes for our bodies; a kink or block in the meridian lines means we don’t receive all the Qi and life force energy we need.
The lung meridian lines run from the outer edges of the chest, down the arms and to the thumbs, so stretching and massaging along these lines can help replenish the flow of energy. Practice chest-opening yin yoga postures like seal or sphinx, as well as stronger stretches like Prasarita Padottanasana C – a wide-legged forward-fold in which the hands are clasped together behind the back. If you’re unable to clasp the hands, using a hemp yoga belt is a sustainable way to make the asana more attainable. For your restorative yoga practice, use the Yogamatters Organic Herringbone Bolster and pair of cork bricks to support your back, whilst resting your arms on the pair of cork blocks. For an extra dose of relaxation, use the ultra calming Yogamatters Hemp Eye Pillow and organic cotton yoga blanket.
You can learn more about yin yoga postures to benefit all the meridian lines throughout the year in books like Serenity Yin Yoga by Magdalena Mecweld and the popular classic Relax & Renew by Judith Hanson Lasater.
Herbal Help
All holistic health systems have specific herbs for different ailments and issues, and when used on a regular basis, these herbs can be an effective way to prevent seasonal illnesses, improve immune health, and boost our overall wellbeing. For thousands of years, India’s system of holistic medicine known as Ayurveda has advised the use of herbs like peppermint, pippali, ginger and bibhitaki to improve lung health, whilst Traditional Chinese Medicine advises astralagus, fangfeng, and atractylodes. Western herbalism advises herbs you may even be able to grow at home or find in your garden to improve respiratory health, such as rosemary, oregano, thyme and sage. Ensure you always have the guidance of a trusted herbalist, and combine your fresh herbs and cover with boiling water in the sustainable portable W&P Porter Mug, or opt for Pukka Herbs’ ‘Breathe In’ organic tea with eucalyptus to soothe your lungs. You can also use rosemary and eucalyptus essential oils to improve respiratory health, which have been derived from the plants and converted into a concentrated form. Remember to never ingest essential oils, but to only use them for their wonderful scents by popping a few drops into the Sanatio Naturalis Ultrasonic Porcelain Aroma Diffuser.
Breathe To Boost Lung Health
There is of course no better way to improve your lung health than working on what your lungs are made for – breathing! Yogic breathing techniques have been used for thousands of years to calm the mind, enhance energy, and balance the body. Small breath holds are often used to help with wheezing and asthma, a method known in yogic terms as Antara Kumbhaka. To practice this, take a small breath in hold for 3 to 5 seconds, then exhale slowly and repeat 5 times. More vigorous breathing practices like Bhastrika Pranayama and Kappalabhati breath, where the air is forcefully pumped through the nasal passages are also said to improve respiratory issues. It’s important to work with a qualified teacher when exploring pranayama techniques for the first time, but when you do, ensure you have the props to support a posture conducive to heathy breathing. The Yogamatters Organic Cotton Pranayama Pillow is a wonderful prop to help open the lungs, chest and abdomen to support your breathing practice . Explore the abundance of yogic breathing techniques to choose from in more books like Pranayama for Beginners and Breathwork: How To Use Your Breath To Change Your Life by Andrew Smart.
Choose any of these practices to start your lung-loving self-care practice this Autumn, to help you breathe better all season long!
