The functioning of the Digestive System and the state of the Emotional Body are intrinsically linked. Sitting across both the second and third Chakras, the digestive system impacts us in many ways. Those outer manifestations can be grouped into the two themes of those Chakras – the ability to own and express our feelings, and the authenticity of our actions.
The Three Bodies
Fundamentally our day-to-day experiences are driven by the Mental Body (thoughts, conditioning and beliefs) feeding the Emotional Body (feelings), which shows up in the state of our Physical Body (pain, impaired function and disease).
To decode our patterns we can come from the opposite direction – Physical to Emotional to Mental. Author Louise L. Hay led the way with her seminal 1984 book “You Can Heal Your Life” in this regard. i.e. Looking first to the symptoms of the Physical Body to heal the later two.
If we want to tap into what our body is trying to tell us – that innate knowledge within – then we have to use the positive vibrations. Focusing on the negative will only allow us to access the mind, hence the suggested use of affirmations to support change. We need the answers to come directly into our awareness from the Emotional Body, as healing comes from the higher vibration.
The Digestive System
At it’s most simplistic the digestive system is the process whereby food travels into the mouth, is processed to extract nutrients, and the waste is expelled at the anus. In the mouth food is broken down by the teeth via the act of chewing, it then travels through the oesophagus into the stomach. A process of further breaking down is achieved by mixing the food with acids and enzymes, it then moves through the duodenum into the small intestines. The duodenum is the junction point where enzymes and bile from the liver, gallbladder and pancreas are added to the mix. In the small intestine the body absorbs nutrients (carbs, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals). At the end of the small intestine is another junction point – the ileum – which extracts excess acid and feeds it back to the liver. The next stage is the large intestine where the body absorbs water and electrolytes, and produces and absorbs vitamins (primarily B and K from the good bacteria present). The remains waste then moves to the rectum ready to be expelled as a bowel motion.
Looking to the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) system for further guidance the five organs of the digestive system are:
Heart & Small Intestines
Positive Feelings
- Love
- Compassion
- Joy
- Happiness
Negative Feelings
- Hate
- Cruelty
- Impatience
Physical Symptoms
- Skin irritations
- Difficulty swallowing foods, feeling of a block in the chest
- An unexplainable cough
- Elevated (or erratic) heart rate
Stomach (Spleen & Pancreas)
Positive Feelings
- Fairness
- Openness
- Trust
Negative Feelings
- Worry
- Anxiety
- Mistrust
Physical Symptoms
- Impaired digestion (undigested food)
- Dry lips
Large Intestine (Lungs & Skin)
Positive Feelings
- Courage
- Righteousness
Negative Feelings
- Sadness
- Depression
Physical Symptoms
- Constipation
- Breathing issues
- Excess mucus and phlegm
Kidneys (Bladder & Ears)
Positive Feelings
- Gentleness
- Calmness
- Silence
Negative Feelings
- Fear
Physical Symptoms
- Loss of life force
- Knot in Stomach
- Nervous System disorder
Liver (Gallbladder & Eyes)
Positive Feelings
- Empathy
- Kindness
- Generosity
Negative Feelings
- Anger
- Frustration
- Jealousy
- Envy
Physical Symptoms
- Impaired digestion
- Loss of natural detox ability
Stress in all its forms will impact the function of the digestive system. The invitation of this article is to explore all the attributes of each group of organs, with special emphasis on “feeling” into the positive!
