Spiritual capacity of water: will

The Water Phase, being the source of life, also confers the will to survive. It is said in the texts that ‘the Kidneys are like the officials who do energetic work, and they excel through their ability and cleverness’ (Veith, 1972).

This cleverness is activated in life-threatening situations, and gives the cool strategic ability to take appropriate steps for survival. The Kidneys also provide a storehouse for vital reserves of Ki and Essence, on which we draw in situations where endurance is required; they give us the strength to go on … and on … and on, like water.

If our Water Phase is out of balance, we may feel that our survival is threatened at every turn, and endow quite ordinary projects with a compelling significance. The will takes over, and does not know when to stop; this is the condition of the person who continues to work even when exhausted, and whose response to stress is to drive himself even harder, often drawing further upon his vital reserves with the use of stimulants such as coffee. Another manifestation of a Water imbalance can be lack of will, with low motivation and inaction accompanying the feeling of exhaustion which makes the simplest tasks appear too much to tackle. Guilt, timidity and self-abasement, which result from giving another person’s will priority above our own, may also accompany lack of will.

The will to survive, to act and to accomplish is the Yang manifestation of the will of the Water Phase. According to Ted Kaptchuk, the Yin aspect of Water also has a will, a will ‘that moves to an end that cannot be known until it is already reached’ (Kaptchuk 2000). Since Yang is active, Yin receptive, the ‘Yin will’ is the ability to flow with the natural course of events, to follow our destiny. Here, too, the ‘ability and cleverness’ of the Kidneys are required, but in a different way, as we must take a detached view and consider where our life path is taking us. With the Yin will and courage of the Water Phase, we can then go forward in harmony with events, without pushing the river. The balance between the Yang will which acts and the Yin will which allows is the gift of a healthy Water element, and ensures the highest use of our ancestral inheritance of Ki and Essence.

Movement of water energy: downwards

Water continually seeks the lowest level, and the natural flow of all water is downwards, first into the earth, to enable it to give life, and finally into the sea, the great reservoir, whence it can be recycled to fall again as rain and continue its downward flow. This process is mirrored in the human body, as the fluids we take in find their way downward, moistening and cooling in the process, until we expel the waste fluids. In Kidney patterns of disharmony, body fluids collect in the lowest part of the body, causing edema.

The downward movement of the Water Phase is intimately connected with its capacity to store. In winter, the season of Water, the Ki of nature withdraws to deep within the earth, to rest and regenerate before the outward thrust of spring. The place of Water and its meridians is in the lower body, the Hara, and this is where our Essence and Source Ki is stored. This is also where we receive and anchor the Ki of Heaven, which the Lungs take in as breath, and which is received and held in the Hara by the Kidneys. The downward pull of Water roots and steadies us, enabling us to breathe deeply and replenish ourselves from our Source.

Water emotion: fear

Fear is part of our survival instinct. Intense fear causes a release of Source Ki from the Kidneys, which we would call an adrenalin rush, the ‘fight or flight’ response. Body wastes are jettisoned, digestive processes are suspended, and we are ready for action. It is a normal reaction in a life-threatening situation. With an imbalance in Water, however, this kind of fear may be felt at the sight of a spider, a dentist’s chair or a letter from the taxman. Phobias, or other neurotic or obsessive fears and anxieties, often accompany an imbalance in Water.

Many of the Phases can manifest fear. Earth has the fear of insecurity, Fire the fear of loss of control, Wood the timidity of indecision. All of these are more likely to manifest openly than the fear belonging to Water, which comes from the roots of our being, and is often too powerful to be acknowledged, manifesting instead as a desire to control events before they control us. This may masquerade as the aggression of Wood, or as the nurturing of Earth; and it may indeed be mingled with these, since Water creates Wood, and is controlled by Earth, according to the Five Phase cycles. Fear combined with the will to survive, however, imparts an intense quality to such situations which is recognizable as a steely undertone of determination. It is not a refusal to let go, as in a Metal imbalance; it is a refusal to give up.

Water color: blue/black

The classics variously describe the color associated with Water as blue or black, or a combination of the two. When the Water energy is out of balance, a blackish or bluish tone overlays the natural complexion. Like all the hues, this can be hard to see on a face in isolation, especially on an African or Caribbean complexion, and it is easier to compare several different faces at the same time in order to see the subtle hues. Easier to see on a white skin are the blue-black circles under the eyes which are a classic sign of fatigue (a Water symptom).

Water sound: groaning

The sound of a pronounced Water imbalance can be the most striking of all the voices. The ‘groaning’ voice often has a characteristic rasping catch to it which demands our attention. Occasionally, however, it manifests as a monotone which drones on like water itself. If a receiver is particularly tired, his voice may develop a temporary hoarseness characteristic of Water, which disappears after rest.

Water odor: putrid

The ‘putrid’ odor of a Water imbalance is the faint ammoniac smell of stale urine. When perceived around a receiver’s lower parts, it may simply be that, but it can sometimes be smelt around the chest, head or shoulders.

Water sense organ: the ear

The sense of hearing is closely linked with fear. Loud and sudden noises make us start with fright, and can cause babies to cry with terror; when we are alone at night, what we can hear is much more frightening than what we can see; if we turn the sound off when a horror film is showing on television, it loses its effect. The sense of hearing affects us in a particularly powerful way, as if it reaches in to our Essence. It also declines as we get older, in the same way as our Kidney Essence, and the deafness of old age is linked to the Kidneys.

Whereas disorders deriving from infection or inflammation of the ear may be related to the local meridians, the Triple Heater, Gall-Bladder or Small Intestine, problems such as deafness and tinnitus which are not traceable to these exterior causes are treated as a dysfunction of the Kidneys.

Water taste: salty

Western physiology tells that salt causes the body to hold on to its water content and augments the volume of fluid in the blood and tissues, so that in Western terms the salty taste gives the kidneys more work to do. In the Chinese model, the salty taste has a downward-moving action, so that it can supplement the downward movement of a weak Water energy. When there is an imbalance in Water, therefore, the receiver often craves the salty taste. We may need to suggest a lowered salt intake to the receiver (a good start is to avoid salting food until it reaches the table, which drastically lowers the salt content) but should add that as the Water energy rebalances, the craving for the salty taste will naturally subside. Foods with the healing quality of the salty taste but without the extreme nature of table salt include alfalfa sprouts, artichokes, barley, millet, miso, mussels, parsley, pork and sardines.

Water season: winter

Winter is the season when energy in nature moves inwards and lies dormant in preparation for rebirth. Plants and trees take a rest period; all their Ki has gone into producing the seeds which lie deep within the earth, waiting to be activated by spring. Many animals hibernate; the rest engage in minimal activity in order to stay alive. In rural societies, the year’s work is mostly done, and only maintenance need be done until the new season. According to Chinese thought, human beings should mirror the Ki of nature in their conduct, consciously avoiding activity.

Water climate: cold

Cold has an observable effect upon the kidneys and bladder, since as we sweat less we urinate more. The connection is significant according to the Chinese medical model, since Water is the coldest, most Yin of the Phases. The vital Fire within the Kidneys, the pilot light for the warming system of the whole body, must be maintained by warmth, and it is considered essential to keep the kidney area and lower body covered and warm. It would be unthinkable for a Chinese to expose bare flesh between T-shirt and jeans, especially when lifting, as Western workers do; it would be to invite back strain and deplete Kidney Yang.

It is the warming nature of Yang, powered by Kidney Yang, which derives from the Source Ki, that keeps our bodies warm. If Kidney Yang is deficient, then we will feel cold, and be unable to get warm. As our Source Ki and Kidney Yang decrease as we get older, so we feel the cold more and more. Many old people in the Far East have special kidney-warmer belts to wear under clothing.

Water time of day: 3–7pm

The time of Water is in the afternoon, when workers have used up the morning energy which the Spleen and Stomach provide. The time of the Bladder is 3–5pm, and that of the Kidney, 5–7pm. Now is the time when adequate Kidney Yang and the Bladder’s function of transforming Ki are essential, if energy levels are not to reach rock-bottom for the last working hours of the day. The endurance and will epitomized by Water must also come into play.

In clinical practice, many receivers with a Water imbalance will report a sudden drop of energy levels in the later part of the afternoon, and it may be worthwhile to consider treating these people with Shiatsu earlier in the day, when there is more Ki available to work with. If you resonate with the Water imbalance yourself you may also consider ending your Shiatsu working day in mid-afternoon.

Storing Essence: the Foundations of Health

According to East Asian thought we are all born with an inherited ‘survival kit’ stored between our Kidneys, which gives us sufficient Essence and Source Ki to last our lifetime – the sand in our hour-glass, so to speak. How long that lifetime can be, and how good our health may be during it, depends both on the quality of the package and how carefully we conserve its contents.

The first variable depends on factors which we would call genetic; the Chinese call them ‘ancestral’. Our parents’ age and state of health at our conception, our mother’s health during pregnancy, the circumstances of our birth and the 6 months or so after it, while we are still effectively fused with our mother’s Ki, determine the quality of our Essence and Source Ki thenceforth. If the pre-determining circumstances are good, we will have a strong, healthy constitution with plenty of robust energy. If they are not so good, we will have a more delicate constitution and less stamina. If Essence and Source Ki are seriously damaged or depleted, due to any of the above factors, there may be birth defects or hereditary disease.

The second variable depends entirely on ourselves. Essence and Source Ki can never be augmented, only conserved, and supplemented by Ki from correct breathing and eating. Those most likely to waste their Essence are those with a strong constitution, since the more delicate individuals know from childhood that they must take care of themselves. Moderation is the key to conserving Essence; avoiding overwork, stress and stimulants, eating and exercising regularly but in moderation, paying attention to breathing and maintaining a quiet mind.

There are certain times in life when it is easier both to strengthen and weaken the constitution (see p. 128) known as the ‘Gateways of Change’.

Storing Essence: Growth

A child born with a good supply of Essence and Source Ki will grow normally into a healthy adult. If Essence is insufficient, growth may be retarded both physically and mentally, or there may be congenital or genetic conditions.

Since it is the gradual using up of our Essence which constitutes the aging process, signs of aging may begin earlier; if there is less sand in the hour-glass, it will run through sooner. Prematurely greying hair may be one manifestation; premature senility is another, fortunately rarer, possibility.

Storing Essence: Reproduction

Our inheritance of Essence from our parents determines our ability to reproduce, since it is that Essence which we pass on to our descendants. Insufficient Essence can affect reproduction in several ways: sexual development and maturation may be incomplete, as in congenital hormonal imbalance; infertility can also be an effect; or there may be a sexual dysfunction, such as impotence or low sexual energy. (There can be other causes for these apart from insufficient Essence, however, and we should check for other signs of Kidney weakness before jumping to conclusions.) Since Essence is used up in procreation, excessive sexual activity can deplete it, and for women, childbearing diminishes the supply.

Hormones

Hormones are one of our principal sources of impetus; not only can hormones, such as adrenalin, provide us with sudden bursts of energy when we need it, but they supply the stimulus for growth, sexual maturity and reproduction, which take us through our life span and, in average circumstances, ensure our posterity. This is very much the role of the Source Ki in TCM. Hormones also act as liquid messengers which facilitate bodily processes such as digestion, and regulate the fluid content of the blood and tissues, so that their sphere of activity closely approximates that of Kidney Yang and Yin in the Oriental medical model. ‘The kidneys … control the whole body through hormonal regulation’ (Masunaga 1987, p. 68). There are three areas where the hormones are most significant in Zen Shiatsu theory and their correspondence to the TCM understanding of the Kidneys; namely water metabolism, sexual activity and response to stress.

Water

The kidneys in health, under the direction of hormones from the pituitary gland, control the balance between water excreted from the body as urine and the water remaining in the tissues. Masunaga maintains the ancient Chinese view that the left kidney controls water metabolism, while the right is connected with the endocrine system.* However, this aspect of the theory is not stressed, and in practice both kidneys are treated alike. Problems which can occur when the Kidneys are not controlling water are edema, over-hydrated or swollen skin, frequent or sparse urination, densely colored urine, bladder infections, etc. Prostate problems may also occur.

Sex

The sexual hormones are under the control of the Kidneys, particularly the right kidney, which, according to Masunaga, governs the endocrine system. The Kidneys thus influence the condition of the reproductive organs to some extent, although the female reproductive system is also influenced by the Stomach, Spleen and Bladder. In health, a feedback system ensures that a state of hormonal balance is maintained. This balance extends into the psychological state, and sexual desire is commensurate with sexual capacity. When the hormones are disrupted, which may be the case with a Kidney diagnosis, the result may be loss of sexual balance. Desiring sex but being unable to obtain fulfilment, as in impotence, is a sign of disruption of hormonal messages; excessive sexual activity, abstention from sex or ‘thinking but not doing’, can be ways of disrupting the hormonal messages. Any imbalance between desire and fulfilment is what Masunaga means by the phrase ‘abnormal sex life’ (Masunaga 1987, p. 45). Naturally the primary expression of the Kidneys and Bladder, impetus, is involved in the reproductive act.

Stress

In Zen Shiatsu, as in TCM, as indeed in Western physiology, if we include the adrenal glands, the Kidneys help us adapt to stress. It is the Yang aspect of the Kidneys which reacts to stress via the ‘fight or flight’ response of the sympathetic nervous system. Masunaga calls this ‘controlling spirit and energy to the body’. The ability to recover from stress and relax is the Yin capacity of the Kidneys. A deficiency of the adrenal functions means that our reaction to stress is characterized by lack of determination and extreme fatigue. There is continual anxiety, and the receiver is jumpy and easily startled. This manifestation of lack of impetus is similar to Kidney Yang deficiency in TCM. When there is an inability to recover from stress and relax, then the symptoms are ‘work-aholism’, impatience, restlessness and nervous sensitivity, all of which are similar to Kidney Yin Deficiency. In either case, the family or occupational stress which causes such symptoms is usually relentless and severe, and the receiver is likely to suffer from lack of sleep.

Fear

Our impetus is usually produced by either willpower, the spiritual capacity of Water, or fear, its emotion, and they often go together. A Kidney imbalance is often linked with the deep fear associated with the Water element. Phobias, or irrational fears, may manifest, and there is often a continual fear of what the future may bring, which leads to further stress and over-reaction. Since the Kidneys also confer will, however, a Kidney diagnosis may ensure that the receiver also demonstrates extreme courage, overcoming fear to accomplish goals against the odds.

Bones and back

Since the Kidneys rule the bones, and especially the lower back, lower back pain is a symptom of Kidney (or Bladder) imbalance in Zen Shiatsu as well as TCM. When the Kidneys are Kyo, the backache is accompanied by feelings of cold, and by poor circulation in the hips and Hara. As in TCM, weak or brittle bones may accompany a Kidney imbalance.

Miscellaneous Kidney symptoms

Many of the symptoms which Masunaga listed in his books as indicative of Kidney imbalance are related to TCM. A blackish color in the face is a Five Element association. Inflamed throat, poor hearing, ringing in the ears and proneness to inflammation are all classically caused by Kidney Yin Deficiency. Thirst, bitterness in the mouth, bad breath, vomiting and blood in the saliva are signs of heat in the Stomach when the Kidneys do not provide enough fluid for digestion. Many of these symptoms can be associated with lack of purification, deriving from lack of impetus in the body processes.