Acupressure morning routine

TCM associates the early morning with the Wood energy, i.e. the organs liver and gall bladder. According to the organ clock, these two organs are most active between 11 pm and 3 am.

In case the organ clock doesn't tell you anything, very briefly: from the point of view of TCM, each organ has two hours in which it is supplied with a lot of energy. In TCM there are 12 important organs, the day has 24 hours. This results in the 2 hours per organ. After 2 hours another organ has the most energy. If you live in the organ rhythm, you strengthen your health. If you live against this rhythm, you weaken your health in the long run.

What can you do to start the day better and more energized?

Abdominal and liver massage

While still lying in bed, straighten your legs and place your hands on your abdomen. First warm your abdomen by massaging it with both palms in a circular motion. First counterclockwise and then clockwise, i.e. in the direction of the large intestine. This massage has a positive effect on the organs located in the abdomen. 

Circle 36 times in one direction and 36 times in the other. Counting helps you stay focused during the massage. This will prevent you from getting caught up in the mental carousel of thoughts early in the morning.

Then find the ribcage and place your fingers under it, at the level of the stomach, so that the fingers meet in the pit of the stomach. Now slide your finger down along the ribcage until you reach the waist. Repeat this about 12-15 times. This massage loosens your diaphragm and stimulates the liver and gallbladder, improving blood supply and qi flow. The effect is equivalent to cleansing the liver.

Ignite the digestive fire

Stomach, spleen and pancreas form the upper part of the digestive system. These organs have the most energy between 7 and 11 o'clock. That is why it is recommended to have a hearty breakfast. At this time there is still a lot of digestive energy. Digestion is practically at rest from 7 p.m., which is 12 hours later.

If you eat too late, you won't be able to digest properly. And the liver has to pay for this. It cannot detoxify optimally at night, because digestion is still busy and requires valuable energy that should actually be used for cell regeneration at night.  

I will now show you 2 of the most important acupuncture points to strengthen your digestive organs (in acupuncture there are about 365 points).

You can massage these points with your fingers. A second option is to stimulate these points with your heels. I do this method for "lazy people", as I like to call them, in the morning while lying down, right after waking up.
To do this, place the right heel on the Acupuncture Point St 36 and make a rubbing movement up and down. You then do the same with the Acupuncture Point Sp 06. Then switch to the other leg and do the same there until you feel a sensation of warmth. 

Now you should slowly be ready to get out of your bed and sit on the edge of it.

Now, while sitting, massage the following two points to "wake up" your energy system even more. Your circulation will now activate itself through the sitting position. In addition, you activate your large intestine energy, which has a strong influence on your immune system, with the Acupuncture point DI 04.

The Acupuncture point LE 03 finally, is another important acupuncture point to support the body's main detoxification organ, the liver. 

Kidney massage

Finally, rub your fists or hands vigorously over your lower back to stimulate the kidneys.
 
To bring some heat and power inside your organs, drink a cup of boiled water, in the cold season with a piece of ginger. This is from the point of view of TCM and also from the point of view of Ayurveda the best detoxifier. Hot water can be drunk as often as you like. It is thermally neutral and has only positive effects on the body.

Wishing you a day full of energy and the ability to marvel at the little things in life. 

Sincerely,
Wolfgang