Lesson 3: Balance DIRECTION OF ENERGY in a herbal combination

For safe prescribing, it is useful to be aware of the Direction of Energy of both the patient, and of those herbs with a strong effect on direction of energy movement.

Four main directions

We can say there are 4 main directions of energy movement in the body:

  • up
  • down
  • out
  • in

Health
In health, movement occurs in all four directions in a balanced rhythm.
The four directions are shown with their associated symbols in the Table below.

Safe and successful therapy Understanding the balance of the four main directions of energy movement is essential to safe and successful therapy, whether herbal medicine, acupuncture, Qi Gong, or meditation.

Pathology

In pathology, there is an imbalance of one or more of the 4 directions of energy movement, resulting in Chinese syndromes and symptoms.

Excessive upward movement

Examples of symptoms

  • sensations of energy moving up the body
  • sensations of too much energy in the head
  • sensations of disturbed movement of energy in the head
  • headache, vertigo
  • emotional or mental disturbance

Example of a mistake: Qi Gong
If there is excessive upward movement, the practitioner should not give the patient exercises such as: “Visualize energy rising up the body to the head”, or, “Imagine the fiery energy of Kundalini rising up the spine to the head.”
The practitioner should give exercises such as: “Breath in, directing the energy to the energy center in the lower abdomen (Dan Tian), and on the next breath, visualize the energy moving from that energy center to the feet, and feel the connection of the feet with the earth.”

Excessive downward movement

Examples of symptoms
Deficiency: not enough energy

  • empty sensations in the head
  • exhaustion, or collapse of energy
  • depression from exhaustion

Excess: too much energy  click to 4 Imbalances description

  • sensation of energy sinking down + heavy sensation

Example of a mistake: Qi Gong
If there is excessive downward movement, the practitioner should not give exercises that direct the energy down the body to the feet and into the earth. They should give exercises that direct the energy up the body from the Dan Tian to energize the body as a whole. This is often better than directing the energy specifically to the head, since to much of this may aggravate headache or dizziness.

Excessive outward movement

This may be due to:

  • dispersing herbs  in excessive or inappropriate use, eg. Ephedra
  • Deficiency (lack of energy)  with lack of firmness of the at the surface of the body

Examples of symptoms

  • excessive sweating  involving excessive loss of energy or fluid from the body through the body surface
  • emotions not firm and stable  lack of firmness of energy inside the body
  • scattered thinking  lack of firmness of energy inside the body

Excessive inward movement

This may be less a problem of excessive inward movement, and more a problem of inadequate outward movement.

Examples of symptoms

  • cold sensations at the surface of the body or extremities
  • exhaustion
  • recurring infections associated with lack of Defensive Qi at the surface
  • restricted breathing

Matching herbs to patients

If we classify both patients and herbs in terms of Direction of Energy (DoE), then we can:

  • diagnose patient  to find out the DoE imbalances in the patient’s body
  • match herbs to patient  by selecting herbs with compensating DoE that will correct the patient’s energy pathologies

Beneficial effects

Here are some examples of herbs that can be used to correct imbalances in DoE, because they have the opposite DoE to the imbalance.

Rosmarinus as an example

Each herb action may have its own potential adverse effect when given to a patient for whom that herb is contraindicated, or when given in excessive dose or for too long.

Beneficial effect 
Rosmarinus has the potential to increase both outward and upward movement of Qi.
It can, for example, be used to treat depression associated with stagnation of energy inside the body (eg. Heart Stagnant Qi or Liver Stagnant Qi).

Potential adverse effect
Because Rosmarinus can stimulate upward movement of energy, it carries the risk of overstimulation and disturbance of mind and emotions, with restless, over-excitement, and insomnia (Heart Spirit Disturbance).
It should therefore be used with caution if the patient tends to these symptoms.

Precautions
In some cases, it may be possible to use Rosmarinus, even if there are the risk symptoms, if suitable precautions are taken.

For example, the patient has both:

  • depression associated with stagnation of energy (Heart Stagnant Qi), for which Rosmarinus is specific
  • mild anxiety and insomnia (Heart Spirit Disturbance), for which Rosmarinus is a risk

In this case, Rosmarinus can be given:

  • in the morning and at midday, for the depression, but not later than about 3-4 pm, due to increased risk of insomnia
  • in a separate dropper bottle, and the patient instructed to add 5-10 drops of Rosmarinus to the main prescription, so that the patient finds the optimal dose of Rosmarinus that helps the depression without aggravating the daytime restlessness
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