Feeling angry? Don’t worry — you’re not alone. The truth is, most of us don’t live our lives in perfect harmony. In acupuncture we use the term “liver qi stagnation” to describe that feeling of being stuck, of suppressing our emotions, and ultimately of seeing red.
Qi is pronounced “chee”. We aren’t talking about the liver as the metabolic organ that decontaminates the body and builds proteins. In acupuncture, liver qi stagnation is the term for when we suppress our emotions and become tense; liver fire, or fire rising, is when those emotions boil over into rage.
What does liver qi stagnation look like?
When we feel stressed or upset, we naturally reach for anything that soothes the symptoms. In a “primitive brain” sort of way we may turn to things that aren’t good for us — smoking, drinking, drugs — to get going, let go, or relax. We might start shopping or gambling obsessively. Liver qi stagnation can also show up as working all hours, becoming more and more stressed, and experiencing pain and gut complaints.
All of these are signs that we’re suppressing an emotion we feel we need to hide — anger, depression, shame or grief. As it stagnates it can heat up and then explode, turning into liver fire and showing up as anger or a migraine that overwhelms the system. If it isn’t released it can block us in other ways too, changing how we move and think, and contributing to depression, tension and pain. I always recommend working with a therapist, and there are also things we can do in acupuncture to help restore balance and make space for free flow.
What is free flow?
We all recognise free flow when it’s working. We can see it in others, and sometimes feel it in ourselves. Free flow is sleeping soundly and waking full of joy; feeling fit and healthy; laughing and crying appropriately, never shouting or resenting. It’s putting your plans into action and effortlessly managing your life, family, friends, home and work. Without free flow we get tense, we procrastinate, our necks and shoulders hurt, we sigh and yawn, and we snap at the people we love.
Five things you can do to restore balance
So much of our health is about allowing space for liver qi stagnation and fire to move on, while creating room for free flow. If we can give ourselves the space to move liver qi, we can prevent stagnation and quench the fire. These five things are simple to practise at home:
- Creativity
- Play
- Physical exercise, including dancing and sex
- Laughter
- Deep breathing
And if you feel yourself getting angry or stressed, try asking whether this will still matter in five minutes — or simply count down from five. That little pause creates some calm space to think more clearly.