The kidney is a very important organ system for those who are seeking to slow down aging. A person who is never tired has strong kidneys. Ruled by the water element, the kidney represents a highly sophisticated filtration system. On the energetical realm it is even more fascinating, because it literally functions as a battery for life sustenance. To know how the kidney sustains our life, we first need to understand how life energy functions in relation to the rest of the body.
Understanding Subtle Energies
If one really wants to be able to understand how kidneys impact the aging process, a clear comprehension of subtle energies is needed to start with. According to ancient knowledge from the Immortal Daoists, the kidneys store a very special subtle energy (known as Jing). For this, kidneys are considered the secret battery of life. Without this subtle energy, we simply cease to exist.
Our physical body needs energy to stay alive. The energy we get from food and air, we transform and combine with the subtle energy from the kidneys, and then use it for everything, including self-healing. When the regular energy produced through digestion/breathing is deficient against our needs, we overuse the subtle energy from the kidneys, causing them to be depleted. This not only causes tiredness, but also faster aging and deterioration of the body.
Analogy with a Car’s Electrical System
An automobile uses electricity from the main battery just until the engine starts. When the engine is running, the alternator creates electricity which is then used for different parts of the car. All electrical devices installed in your car use electricity created by the alternator. When we use air conditioning, lights, radio or when the car is overweight (the same goes for some people), the electricity created by the alternator is not enough anymore, therefore, the battery starts being used more and more, which results in its death.
The kidneys function in the same way as the car battery. A hectic lifestyle creates energy deficiency which depletes the subtle kidney energy, which can result in sickness, and eventually death.
Becoming energy efficient means enjoying abundant health and a long life.
Self-Healing Strategies for the Kidneys
Give yourself enough resting time!
When we allow fatigue to instill in the body and we don’t prioritize good resting time, we use up our kidney energy resources. This is more dangerous than you would think, especially when we are not in tune with our body. If you ask any professional coach of winning Olympic sports teams, they will tell you right away that: “resting is a big part of the training”. Shouldn’t we also treat life as our main priority? Shouldn’t we treat our body with the utmost respect by allowing enough resting time?
Take a break from stress.
The kidney organ system regulates the adrenal glands, which are responsible for the fight/flight reactions. Every fear and stress puts us in survival mode, which consumes vital kidney energy. We cannot control every single moment of our day, we cannot control the negative news provided by a so-called friend, neighbor or TV. We can only control our reactions. Our adrenal glands are designed to work for limited periods of time, to help us survive dangerous situations. When we remain in survival mode for long periods (stress because of money, job, family or other dramatic life situations), we overload the adrenal glands and kidneys, depleting the vital energy stored there. We effectively reduce our lifespan!
Less Food, More Water.
The best practice of the Ki Train Method is regular fasting, while drinking more water or tea. We eat less and allow our digestive system to take a break. We also save a good amount of energy otherwise used for digesting more food than we need. Water fasting is a blessing for the kidneys. Add a few drops of fresh lemon juice in the water, in order to neutralize digestive acidity, if any.
Cleaner Food
Choosing clean food means keeping the body filters cleaner (the kidneys and liver). The choice of food is not always an easy matter. Our cultural eating habits are not always aligned with the cleanest foods possible. I would mainly avoid canned foods, soft drinks and any processed food items and instead choose fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs and dairy, as fresh and natural (close to source) as possible.
All food preservatives, colorants, sugars and vegetable oils will eventually end up somewhere in the body. Although some get eliminated through stool, urine or transpiration, much of it gets stuck in the filtration systems, forming stones that can damage the kidneys or become an obstacle against proper functioning.
Cleanse Regularly!
- Fresh parsley tea – boil 2 liters of water and add a bunch of fresh parsley. Stop the stove and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the parsley and pour the tea into a bottle. Drink one glass every 20 minutes until you finish it. Best is to do this detox early morning (on an empty stomach).
- Parsnip root – boil for 1 hour one kg of parsnip in 2 liters of water. Let it cool down and remove the parsnip. Pour into a bottle and drink at room temperature one glass every 20 minutes, until you finish it. Best is to do this detox early morning (on an empty stomach).
- Fresh lemon – squeeze 2 lemons into 2 liters of cold water. Drink one glass every 20 minutes on an empty stomach until you finish the 2 liters. Do not eat anything while doing the detox.
- Eucommia Tea – this is an ancient Chinese remedy. You can order the tea online on amazon or maybe find it at your local pharmacy.
The Kidney In Your Foot
Although it would be nice to have a professional foot massage, it is not the only way. Instead, you can teach yourself where the main organ points are located in your feet and apply a self-massage. Massaging the exact spot of the kidney point in your foot will energize your kidneys.
Kidney’s Biorhythm
The ancient Daoist masters, after observing the circulation of energy throughout the body, formulated cycles that precisely account for the energy flow in each meridian. It was discovered that each of the main meridians has a two-hour period during which energy has a maximum intensity of circulation. It is believed that the kidneys peak of energy is between 5 and 7 pm, preceded by the urinary bladder (3-5pm)
Qi Gong Monkey Stance
The monkey is curious, active and, most of the time, naughty. Uninhibited by any conventions, the monkey is always playing, jumping, hanging, or swinging in the trees. The monkey is associated with the water element, maybe because water seems to also be freely flowing, playing around in nature.
The kidneys are responsible for willpower. The monkey exercise should enhance the energy in the kidneys and bladder. It can be done on both sides, stimulating both kidneys. When the posture is held for a long time, it can produce pain. Nonetheless, I can assure you that it does stimulate the kidneys very well.
Ba Gua Qi Gong
By far the most powerful self-healing method, Ba Gua Qi Gong works well when practiced daily and in accordance with each organ’s biorhythm. Ba Gua Qi Gong combines breathing techniques, a special walking system which provides grounding, as well as holding arm postures specific for stimulating each meridian energy flow. A full course is now available on our website, if you choose to learn Ba Gua Qi Gong and practice it for better health and complete self-healing. Visit here for the course.
The Ba Gua Qi Gong practices are also available with full explanation in the Ki Train Method book available to order here.