-IBIS-1.5.0-
tx
urinary system
glomerulonephritis
psychospiritual approaches

metaphors and correlations

• Kidney problems are associated with indecision. (Epstein, p. 140)
• Kidney problems represent criticism, disappointment, failure; shame; reacting like a child. Nephritis is overreaction to disappointment and failure. (Hay, 1984, p. 172, p. 177)
• Inflammation: fear; inflamed thinking; seeing red; anger and frustration about conditions in one's life. (Hay, 1984, p. 170-1)
• Kidneys represent the realm of partnership, and symptoms appear when we are engaged in conflicts with our partners (not just sexually but in the fundamental way we approach other people). The encounter with a partner is an encounter with the unknown aspect of our psyche, and we are attracted to that which we feel we lack in ourselves. The kidneys' job is to act as the central filtration plant and to control balance (acid/alkaline, blood pressure, water balance through diuresis).
(Dethlefsen, p. 171-179)

Chinese psychophysiology:
Kidney ~ Shen stores Jing (Essence) and governs birth, growth, reproduction, development, and aging; houses the Zhi (Will); expresses ambition and focus; governs Water to regulate body fluids; and displays the effects of aging, chronic degenerative processes, and extreme stress.
»
Healthy expressions are gentleness, groundedness, and endurance.
» Kidney Xu (Deficiency) signs include indecisiveness; confused speech; dreams of trees submerged under water; cold feet and legs; abundant sweating (Seem, p. 28); hearing loss; fearfulness; apathy; chronic fatigue; discouragement; scatteredness; lack of will; negativity; impatience; difficult inhalation; low sex drive; lumbago; sciatica; and musculoskeletal irritation and inflammation, especially when worse from touch. As always, chronic deficiency predisposes to acute inflammation.
» Intense or prolonged fear depletes the Kidney. Often chronic anxiety may induce Xu (Deficiency) and then Fire within the Kidney. (Maciocia, p. 250) Overwork, parenting, simple aging, and a sedentary or excessively indulgent lifestyle all contribute significantly to Kidney Xu (Deficiency).


therapies

imagery:
• self-cleaning drain (Chavez)

affirmation:
• Only right action is taking place in my life. I release the old and welcome the new. All is well. (Hay, 1984, p. 177)
• (Inflammation) My thinking is peaceful, calm, and centered. I am willing to change all patterns of criticism. I love and approve of myself. (Hay, 1984, p. 170-1)

psychotherapy:
• Kidneys represent the realm of partnership (see metaphors) and asking the following questions may prove useful:
» Are there problems in my current relationship?
» Do I regard my partner's problems as his or hers alone?
» Am I refusing to recognize myself in my partner's quirks of behavior?
» Am I clinging to old problems and so stopping the flow of my further development?
(Dethlefsen, p. 171-179)
• Those who are prone to inflammations and infections are attempting to avoid conflicts. The following questions may be useful:
» What conflict am I dodging? What conflict am I failing to admit to?
» What conflict am I failing to see, hear, feel, take in? (Dethlefsen, p. 108)

process paradigm: (experientially oriented)
• What is the symptom preventing me from doing? What is the symptom making me do? (see process interview: urinary system)

related materia medica listings:
the shadow and physical symptoms
converting a signal to a symptom
imagery: precautions
imagery: techniques
affirmations: guidelines and precautions
process paradigm


footnotes

Reprinted from The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, Maciocia, Giovanni, 1989, by permission of the publisher Churchill Livingstone, a division of Elsevier Limited.