Exploring Chinese Medicine: Chinese Medicine and Highly Sensitive People
High sensitivity is known in the scientific community by the biological name of Sensory-Processing Sensitivity. This biological difference exists in hundreds of species, including humans, at around 15-20% of the population.
Yes, that's approximately 1 in 5 people who are Highly Sensitive.
How might Chinese Medicine offer insight, understanding and benefit to Highly Sensitive People (HSPs)?
In Chinese Medicine there are a large number of energy channels which run throughout the body, known as meridians in the West. These meridians carry energy throughout the system, supporting the body's functions and its higher intelligence to maintain balance at physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels.
Let's focus on two of the main meridians: Central and Governing meridians. And wonder whether it is possible that Highly Sensitive People have more sensitive Central or Governing meridians?
It is important for these meridians to be in balance, because they are both involved with the energy storage, usage and release throughout your whole body. They are vital for overall integration of your entire system, working in a global sense with the 5 elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.
The Central meridian is related to the functions of balanced energy, internal wisdom, doing more than one thing at a time, and releasing subtle or small things that are no longer useful. Taking an overview, this could be seen as flowing with the natural changes of life in a way that supports your purpose and vitality.
The Central meridian is often linked to the function of the nervous system, including the brain. The brain receives an extraordinary amount of information through complex neural pathways that arrive at specialised regions in the brain. The information processing is incredible, not only for your 5 senses (smell, sound, taste, touch and vision) but also senses like vibration, pain, proprioception and pressure.
Are you easily overwhelmed by stimuli?
Does your nervous system feel frazzled with too much sensory input?
Do you have a rich, complex inner life?
The Governing meridian is related to the functions of storing energy, receiving sunlight and 'white light', and maintaining structure as circumstances change, for example climate, season, your environment or the stages of your life.
The Governing meridian can be associated with the largest organ in your body: the skin.
The importance of your skin is often overlooked, yet it provides an amazing array of functions. These include protection from the outside environment and microorganisms, temperature regulation and sensations through a variety of nerve endings. It provides storage for fat in adipose tissue, production and storage of Vitamin D3, and the excretion of waste materials through sweat.
Your skin, or integumentary system, is also connected to the lymphatic system, the blood network, and has a large number of sensory nerves.
Are you highly sensitive to touch, temperature or pain?
Are you able to stay balanced when there are changes in climate, season, temperature?
Are you able to stay balanced during transitional times in your life?
In today's busy, and often chaotic, world, many people may find that their nervous systems are feeling more frazzled. If you are a HSP, it is likely that you will identify with all of the questions above. So while it is likely these issues will affect many people in the population, HSPs will be affected even more so.
Perhaps Highly Sensitive People need to pay more attention to their Central and Governing meridians for overall well-being. In today's world of vast stimuli, both of these meridians require gentle care and support.
Based on the functions of each meridian, there are ways to maintain their health and functionality:
- Becoming aware of your needs, specifically around your senses, and modifying your environment appropriately
- Receiving a healthful amount of sunlight or natural light, even in winter time
- Consulting with a Doctor or qualified Nutritionist to ensure your diet provides you with a balance of healthy fats (omega 3 and omega 6), sufficient Vitamin D and calcium
- Balancing your time in the world 'doing' or 'in action' with quiet time for 'being' and 'reflection'
- Supporting your nervous system with calm practices, such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga
- Activating your parasympathetic nervous system with deep breathing, humming or singing
- Connecting to the natural world with time in nature and flowing with the seasons
- Exploring your inner life through creativity, including writing, art, music
- Letting go of any burdens you have been carrying - emotionally, mentally or spiritually
- Receiving the 'white light' of many healing modalities, including Reiki
- Exploring your special spiritual senses as a Highly Sensitive Person
- Engaging in a therapy which works directly to balance the meridians, such as acupuncture or Creative Kinesiology
Through Creative Kinesiology, we can assess energy flow in the meridians, check that they are in balance, and help to strengthen them if required.
Through this conversation with your body and energy system, we can assist you on your life path and personal evolution. Letting go what is no longer needed, identifying mental, emotional and spiritual aspects that strengthen your soul, and receiving energy to help you reach your goals.
Creative Kinesiology is a sensitive practice, so perfect for Highly Sensitive People. It assists the body to relax, calming the nervous system and providing a holistic balancing for your whole system.
Find your balance with Creative Kinesiology - email bryony@creativesoultherapies.com
For more on Highly Sensitive People visit www.hsperson.com