If you routinely experience sudden anger or upset, you most probably suffer of Liver Yang energy ascending. Usually the ascending intense emotions are short lived and your agitation subsides quickly.
Liver Yang Rising is a mixed Deficiency and Excess pattern. Liver Yang only rises if Liver Yin (and/or liver blood) is insufficient and unable to control Yang. (Yang heats and activates; Yin cools and calms). In 5-Element terms, Water is deficient and fails to nourish and ‘submerge’ Wood, which becomes too dry and hot and causes the rising upwards of Liver Yang.
This pattern is therefore characterized by an imbalance between Liver Yin (which is deficient) and Liver Yang (which is in relative excess). The manifestations experienced include both signs of rising Liver Yang together with some symptoms and signs of Liver and/or Kidney Yin deficiency. The symptoms of Liver Yin deficiency are basically the same as Liver Blood deficiency, with the addition of dry eyes. In addition to the signs of Liver Yin (and Liver Blood) deficiency, there may also be signs of KidneyYin deficiency. Any deficiency of Yin can contribute to Yang flaring up…this includes Liver Yin deficiency, Kidneys (the mother of Liver), Heart, Stomach and Lung Yin deficiency.
What does Yang ascending feel like? Here’s a quick sampling of the
symptoms:
Acid reflux
Aggression
Agitation
Anger
Digestive difficulties: especially those that ascend, GERD, belching, acid reflux, bloating, verps.
Elevated blood pressure
Headaches
Irritability
Mood swings
Nervous energy
Nose bleeds
Outburst of emotions
PMS symptoms increase
Sensation of heat and/or throbbing in the head
Seizures and strokes
Tension: especially of the neck, shoulders, head, eyes and jaw
Tinnitus: high pitched, ringing in the ears. Low pitch is an indicator of a different pathology.
Vision issues: floaters, blurry, red, itchy eyes.
Solution: nourish the Yin
The most common and immediate signs of Liver Yang Rising are emotional. The snappish uprising of anger and frustration is the result of long lasting drainage and overtaxing ones energies. Yin signifies the ability to receive, nurture and indulge oneself. Many circumstances in modern life bring us to the point we are overwhelmed by giving to the world (to the spouse, children, family, work, society, environment etc.) and neglecting our own egocentric needs and desires. When the ego is deprived of nourishment and self-satisfaction, the abilities to give and give and give deteriorate to the point that many demands from the outside world that need our attention and energy become irritating and annoying, not to say, infuriating. We lose our patience towards the world, even if its needs are desperate and rightful.
So to build Yin deficiency, the first step is to nurture your-self in the most authentic and personal way possible. What do you really want and need for yourself??!! Simultaneously, giving to the world should be narrowed down and limited to the most important realms of your life, so energy can be conserved and retained for self-use.
Once your egoistic needs, whatever they are, fill up, the result is you will find it easier to give and contribute, to handle situations and cope with people you couldn’t stand as long as your Yin was depleted.
Making more time for yourself is easier said than done, and for the naturally inclined-to-give person it may seemvery wrong… but none the less, you will discover the world will benefit much more when you are well nourished, satisfied and happy.
So, what do you want for yourself that is totally egocentric and has no direct benefit to anyone but yourself??!!
It could be anything; it could change from time to time. Don’t be embarrassed about it.The range of ideas about what this egocentric need could be is endless.
Other more basic and physical aspects of nourishing the Yin are eating Yin nourishing foods and Sleeping. Try to get to sleep earlier. Remember the old advice that one hour before midnight is worth two hours’ sleep after it; even if that means you wake up earlier than normal.
On a mental level, you need to sort out whatever is causing you stress. As this may take time for you to figure out,if nothing else,make sure you can see your way out of it eventually, or know that the cause of your stress will end at some time not too far. Set a personal future gift to yourself, so the idea itself will nourish you; give you hope and will to cope with a current stressful reality. Schedule a much desirable holiday, or any other personal dream of yours. It’s time that dream comes true.