The goal of Chinese Medicine is to achieve Balance and Harmony, and Western Medicine focus’s on Homeostasis. At Water Temple Floatation and Holistic health, we use the combination of Chinese medicine and floatation therapy to create this balance and overall sense of well-being.
In Chinese Medicine theory there are 5 elements; our heart is associated to the Fire element along with its yang partner the small intestines.
There are 5 phases (Fire, Wood, Earth, Water and Metal) used in the Chinese Medicine system to describe the flow of Qi throughout the body and its relationship with mother nature, giving one the sense of ease and comfort.
The heart is known as the Emperor in Chinese Medicine theory, the supreme ruler, who governs the organs within the body. The heart is said to house the Shen or mind and so if our heart is healthy, then it can do its job, and the mind is peaceful. Western medicine has a different framework for the heart and the mind, the heart is viewed as a muscle and without it beating, we die.
On a physical level, the Fire Element it’s expressed with people’s sensitivity to temperature, for one to feel comfortable in their body their internal thermometer needs to be within a normal range and if it goes beyond this range then their mental and physical abilities are affected. At Water temple we work on bringing your body back into balance, so if you suffer from hot flushes, sweats, cold hands and feet, and night sweats these are indications that the body is out of balance.
In Chinese medicine the heart can affect our ability to fall asleep, the Shen needs to be settled and calm, enabling us to drift into a deep state of sleep, which allows us to dream and awaken refreshed. Our ability to focus and concentrate without the mind wondering when awake are attributes of good health.
Research on R.E.S.T. (Restricted Environmental Stimulation technique) floating has shown it effects heart rate and blood pressure. This lowers the sense of stress and anxiety in the body giving way to an increase of one’s sense of peace and tranquillity.
Floating in the dense concentration of Magnesium sulphate, improves blood flow and circulation due to the fact that there is no pressure or physical restriction, therefore oxygenated blood flows freely to the extremities. This unique environment transforms the body’s ability to self-heal.
Chinese medicine energy time for the heart is between 11am-1pm and the small Intestine is 1-3pm meaning the energy of the organ is at its peak between these times and is at its lowest from 11pm-1am. 1-3 am respectfully. These times are often when heart attacks occur during the day and heart failure at night.
On an emotional level, the Fire element is expressed with joy, laughter, sharing, and connecting with others, this helps generate happiness. The Summer in Australia is December through February representing the Fire element season.
At times, when someone is emotionally drained, we know they are not in a happy space. We use Chinese medicine and floating at Water Temple to help address this. The National Heart Foundation of Australia’s give information about emotional wellbeing.
Dr John Lilly (the creator of Floatation Therapy) spent years working at the National Institute of Mental Health in America, researching the brain, and studying how the mind works.
Taking care of our heart health is a high priority…making sure we exercise regularly, thus helping with oxygenating our blood to improve blood flow and managing our stress levels.
Eating the correct foods that keep our arteries clean, the Heart Foundation recommends wholegrains over refined grains.
In Chinese medicine the taste associated with the Fire Element is bitterness, too much or too little can create an imbalance. Just think what happens after your 3rd or 4th coffee, coffee has a bitter flavour also and excessive amounts of caffeine can cause heart palpitations amongst other things. Epsom salts is not only bitter, but also salty (which is the flavour of the Water Element and the Water Element according to Chinese Medicine theory is the controller of Fire,) so we use floating on a weekly basis to ensure a calming effect on the Fire Element and a nourishing effect on the Water Element.
With so many benefits, Floating and Chinese Medicine are good for all ages.
