Laurie’s Positive Points:  We are meant to process our emotions and set them free so that we are unburdened by recurring emotions other than happiness. Even happiness can be in excess when we forget to stay balanced within it.

Traditional Chinese Medicine says the same thing as the Course- that we are most healthy when we release those old, unprocessed emotions.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) breaks down into a pattern of understanding that there are 5 basic elements, including fire, wood, earth, metal and water. 

These various 5 elements are neatly packaged with other qualities of the element, such as the seasons with which they correspond, and also, the emotions of each element. 

For example, fire corresponds with summer, and joy. The element of earth corresponds with late summer and  with pensiveness.  Then, metal corresponds with fall and the emotion of sadness.  Then, finally water corresponds with winter and the emotion of fear.  

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) masters came to realize that when we do not process our emotions in a timely way, then, we fall into dis-regulation. 

Our health actually is completely and directly affected by the emotions we have, when we simply take the time to observe this. 

In TCM, it was clear that when the emotions were excess or deficient, then the five elements, in all of their own unique ways would become unbalanced. 

We ideally want our  5-pointed star of the five elements to be with elements that are neither in excess or deficiency, because this causes us further problems with our elements’ balance in some way.

For example, if some person is feeling excess fear in the category of water and winter, then, all the other elements are also affected, because the element of water (and winter) will affect all the other elements, within the 5 elements, because of the dynamic nature of the TCM five element theory.  

For example, when someone does lots of overthinking, like with addictions, then, the element of earth, late summer, and pensiveness is dramatically affected. 

If someone starts excessive overthinking, then, they will generally have other symptoms that are unwanted in the process, because the body is trying to compensate for the earth being out of balance.

This is another reason we want to fuel that inner fire of willingness to choose again when we are out of balance, so we prevent further challenges. 

This is always why people go to doctor’s offices, therapists, and other health care providers, because their systems are out of balance. 

We just need to be up for watching those feelings, when they run away with us, because they always occur within a chain of a whole cycle of other feelings and health problems. 

Therefore, we never want to miss a moment in the processing of our feelings, when they come up for us.  This is the best way to serve ourselves.  

Not just from the prospect of wanting to feel peaceful and happy, but also because our emotions directly influence our physical health as well. 

We hear this in the Course, and  Traditional Chinese Medicine agrees as well.

TCM has its origins over 5,000 years ago,  where the masters simply observed nature, and also human-kind, and behavior.  They looked at what the people ate, and how they felt their feelings, and then were able to accurately, over time, record what they noticed.

They explained  Traditional Chinese Medicine to others who were trying to gain ways to understand their own health, as well as live in ways that enhanced their health.  They wanted to prevent allowing their individual health to deteriorate. 

They realized, that health occurs in patterns, which one can observe. 

They collected information about people’s health for a long time.  This is essentially what the people in Western or allopathic medicine did as well, just in a different culture.  

All love,

Laurie Prezbindowski

Licensed Acupuncture