Here’s how to Build Security and Resilience

Covid-19! Who would have thought? It’s risen up unexpectedly and is challenging every single person on the planet to find new ways to live, think and act. It’s exhausting work. The mental and emotional anguish, the overthinking, frustration, worry, sadness and fear that we are experiencing together can overwhelm our sensitive systems at times. It’s certainly not easy to maintain balance when life appears to have been tipped upside down! As I’m sure you’re aware, stress can have a significant impact on our immune system, so it’s very important to be doing lots of self care to build resilience and strengthen your immune response.

Did you know that one of the biggest indicators in immune health is the state of your mind? Chronic life stress can lead to depression and other diseases. It’s hard to imagine the impact this coronavirus pandemic will have on mental and physical health over the long term and never so important to do everything we possibly can to maintain health and resilience at all levels. I use the word resilience because this is what we need to help us through the long term chronic nature of these unprecedented times.

One acupressure point that’s indicated for immune system health is Stomach 36. To access it, place your hand on the “eye” of the knee and have your 4 fingers facing down, come off the tibia bone slightly and fall into the gap. This is ST36. To assist with increasing your energy rub this point clockwise on both legs, 3 times a day for 1 minute each time. Its known in China as the longevity point!

St 36 strengthens, and enriches the Earth element, providing endurance and a sense of security. As a preventive measure it nourishes our defensive Qi and in this way can help ward off disease. It’s known in TCM fields to be useful for mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

This point provides stability, receptivity and the stamina to walk the fullness of our path. Stamina is what we need right now. Moving through these next weeks and months is a marathon not a sprint.

“When Chinese medicine discusses the historical links of St 36 Leg Three Miles, the story that unfolds is this: in ancient times to deliver messages between villages required a strong runner of great stamina. The essence of St 36 Leg Three Miles (Zu San Li) is to walk in the stillness of the way between heaven and earth with strength. St 36 is the storehouse for putting things into action, to give us extra strength when things get difficult, to utilise the harvest of golden nourishing grains which have been stored to ensure survival in harder times”.
(Michael Baker from 5elementacupuncture.co.uk)

This is such a poetic way to describe the benefits of this point! Extra strength yes please! I hope you can take a few minutes everyday to give this point some extra attention. While you’re doing it you might also like to affirm to yourself:

” This too shall pass
I love and nourish myself along the way
taking one moment at a time”

Strength, love and health to you dear ones,

Michelle
Wu Tao Dance