Tag: mental-health

Affirmations and TCM

Affirmations are intentional statements we speak to influence our mindset and actions. When said with sincerity and conviction, they clarify what we want, reinforce our values, and help us move toward our goals.

Spoken affirmations are clear, specific statements—not wishful thinking. Repeating them daily helps embed them in the subconscious; over time, we start living as if they are true, and our actions follow.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) also supports the use of affirmations. Practices like meditation and qigong combine breath and intention through affirmation to help move qi through the meridians, the body’s energy pathways.

Another approach, sometimes called “acu-affirmations,” pairs acupressure with affirmations: you apply gentle pressure to specific meridian points while speaking an affirmation. For example, massaging ST36 (Stomach 36)—a point below the kneecap on the outer lower leg—is commonly used in TCM to support energy, immune function, and digestion. While pressing the point, you might say, “I am energized,” or “I am healthy,” as part of a wellness routine.

How do we create affirmations? Choose statements that are specific and say them as if they are already true. For example, instead of “I exercise so I can be stronger,” say, “I am strong.” Instead of “I am getting healthier,” say with conviction, “I am healthy.”

Knowledge of the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) along with affirmations can greatly benefit our health. Each element is linked to particular organs and emotions. Our organs’ health depends on what we eat and how we feel.

For example, our kidneys hold the emotion of fear. We can rub our kidneys, or move our hands over the kidney meridian, or even sit in meditation and visualize the energy flowing through the kidney meridian and saying, “I am secure and safe.”  Or, or a healthy kidney, we say, “My kidneys are healthy,” and visualize and “see” strong healthy kidneys.

Our liver holds the anger emotion, so we can place our hand on our liver to rub it gently, or move our hands following the liver meridian, or meditate and see the flow of energy moving over the meridian and heal the liver saying, “I am calm.  I am patient.”

Pairing affirmations with our TCM practice make sense. They are a powerful partnership because they reinforce positive possibilities in our conscious and subconscious minds. When we say affirmations aloud two to three times a day and trust the process—we become what we repeatedly believe and declare.

               I am strong. I am well. I am beautiful. I am healthy. I am kind and loving.

Finding Mental Clarity and Peace Through Meditation

Our mind is often cluttered by distractions coming from every direction—phones buzzing with constant updates, 24-hour TV news, and around-the-clock sports coverage.

Racing thoughts can overwhelm us, fueling stress and anxiety. We may feel drained, weak, distracted, and unmotivated. Without a daily pause to reset, the pattern can persist and erode our well-being and peace of mind.

We often refer to the “monkey mind” because we know how hard it can be to calm and clear our thoughts. Meditation is one of the most effective ways to create mental space and think more clearly. Each morning, sit quietly for 10–15 minutes. If possible, choose a consistent, quiet spot. If not, sit comfortably with your eyes slightly open, letting in a thin sliver of light.

Sit comfortably and bring your attention to your breath. As you inhale, let your abdomen expand; as you exhale, gently draw your navel toward your spine. Continue slowly, feeling your belly rise on the inhale and fall on the exhale. Yes—this is intentional: breathe in by expanding your abdomen like a balloon, and breathe out by drawing it in.

Take slow, steady breaths and focus on your abdomen as it rises and falls. This deep breathing can reduce stress and quiet the mind, creating a sense of “space.” Chogyal Rinpoche—a spiritual leader, meditation master, and humanitarian—says, “During meditation a space is created within the subconscious mind: say 20%.” He adds that space is “…mindfulness, that space itself is compassion for others, that space itself is wisdom.”

Meditation deepens our understanding, clarifies our beliefs, and strengthens critical thinking. When we don’t make time and space to think, we lose opportunities for self-reflection and hinder intellectual growth. Quiet moments also improve focus and concentration—skills essential for making sound decisions.

Mr. Rinpoche also says that “Meditation gives the mind the space it needs to (re)discover the natural balance, goodness, and discernment that have always been there for the asking.” In today’s world, we pay close attention to what we eat and drink and how food affects our bodies. With the constant stream of technology and information, we should be just as mindful of what we feed our minds—because our thoughts alone can increase stress in the body. Now more than ever, it’s important to practice meditation to clear the mind.

Tai chi and yoga are forms of moving meditation that help you create the mental space needed to stay centered, supporting clarity and peace of mind.

Whether you’re seated or moving, breathe slowly and deeply. Notice the “space” between your thoughts—and let it bring you peace.        

Stability First–Then Flexibility

Tai chi and Chair Yoga teach us about ourselves through three aspects—Jing, Chi (qi), and Shen, known as the three treasures. The physical form involves how we move. Our bodies may not be ready for challenging yoga poses, but with intention, we progress slowly, building strength over time. Eventually, we can lift our arms longer and stand up from a chair 15 times with ease and greater flexibility.

Life is a daily practice of relating to the three treasures. When I sit upright and steady (jing), I can focus on deep breathing and visualize energy (qi) moving through my body—rising from the earth into my feet, up to my knees, lower back and spine, over my head, through my shoulders and elbows, and out through my fingertips. Learning to guide energy with intention takes time, even though energy is always in motion.

To move energy through my body, I visualize my breath and direct it with intention—sending vital energy where it’s needed most. I guide it along my meridians to support specific organs or to areas that feel injured or painful. Like any new practice, it takes time to learn. If I want to live as fully as possible, learning to energize and heal my body makes perfect sense.

As I guide energy through my body, the emotions I allow also move with it. I choose the emotions I carry—positive or negative—and I can trade what harms me for what supports my well-being. It’s my responsibility to care for my body and to shape my life to live my purpose—the why behind what I do.

I often use a lemon as an analogy. Imagine holding a big yellow lemon—feel the smooth peel, smell it, peel it, and take a bite. Just thinking about it can make your mouth water. That’s the point: thoughts and imagination can create real physical reactions. This skill isn’t reserved for a few people; anyone can learn to move energy through the body, and with practice some become adept at using it to support healing for themselves and others. It’s like a “thought muscle”: everyone has it, but training strengthens it—just as runners build their leg muscles.

In the same way, meditation—whether seated, standing, or in motion—strengthens the mind like a muscle, building calm, clarity, and focus that translate into healthier mind and body.

We’ve explored jing (physical form) and chi (qi) (energy). Now I turn to the third treasure, shen—the life force and, in a way, the most humble of the three. Through stability, I bring together what I do and who I am with why I do it. In its humility, shen guides me toward service—to do, give, and share—so I can show up as my best self, with flexibility in how I act.

Stability in my body, mind, and spirit helps me build strength and wisdom to stay balanced and, over time, become more flexible and focused in my choices and actions.