The Power of Gratitude

by | Mar 5, 2012 | Addiction, Balance, Breath, Emotions, Empathy, Exercise, Finding yourself, Gratitude, Love, Meditation, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Psychology

I don’t know about you but the word “gratitude” carries a fair amount of guilt and resentment for me. Being citizens of privileged countries like Canada, we’re constantly told that we should be grateful, as in, “finish your food, there are starving children in Africa!”

This realization that we have certain things that others do not often results in guilty feelings about the facts of life that we’re not responsible for (directly) and cannot change.  Gratitude, at least for me, has associated feelings of injustice and helplessness.  It is almost as if that by admitting I am grateful for my food, my home, my family, my friends, etc., I am acknowledging the fact that I, more than anyone else, did not earn or deserve them and brings to light the possibility that these things can be taken from me.

When we talk about meditating on or cultivating a feeling of gratitude, the opposite is usually understood.  We seek to cultivate gratitude precisely for the reason that we are, in fact, not grateful and are focusing on the negative aspects of our lives, the things we are not grateful for.

However, gratitude is not about guilt-trips or comparisons.  It’s simply recognizing that we are all fortunate in our own way, helping us to see the full half of our glasses.

A classmate once showed a group of students and I a powerful and engaging visualization exercise based on recognizing the things to be grateful for in our lifes.  I often struggle in meditation, especially the stricter Vipassana or Zen meditations, in which we are told to calm and focus the mind.  It seems that more I try to focus the more I realize I am trying, pushing to make something happen and then the more I try not to try.  And try not to try not to try.  Until I get lost in a vast tangle of effort.  (How can we exert the effort to find effortlessness?) I found with the gratitude meditation, however, my mind calmed, focused and participated in the meditation.  My mind was free to conjure up images in a Freudian pattern of free association, and I simply had to acknowledge that I was, indeed, grateful for those things.

I started by sitting quietly and focusing on my breath, calming it, deepening it and quietening it.  The first thought I began with was “I am grateful for my breath.”  I began to feel a sensation of blissful relaxation as I reveled in the beauty, simplicity and luxury of my breath. Without trying to sound flakey, I found myself bask in the gratefulness for it.  I moved on to other body sensations, gifts and functions – “I am grateful for my lungs, for my brown hair, for a body that can meditate and relax, for this cushion, for the way I can stretch, enjoy yoga, exercise and move outside.” I let my mind wander on to the next object, maintaining mindfulness by reminding myself to acknowledge the gratitude I felt towards these things: my home, my dog, my school, country, books, nature, loving family, the sun.  Whatever came up, I recognized my gratitude for having it in my life.

The most therapeutic and eye-opening part of the meditation, however, was when my mind, as most minds do, began to wander to more negative aspects of my life, things that I wasn’t necessarily grateful for – my exams, work, stress, anxiety, family problems, school problems, uncertainty, long distance relationship, lack of money, etc.  I then realized how, despite what I originally thought, I was actually grateful for these things.  Negative experiences supplied the yin to my yang, they helped to balance and shape who I am and without these perceptibly negative times, I wouldn’t have faced the challenges and character-building situations that have made me who I am and led me to where I am.

Once I got the grateful ball rolling, the possibilities were endless.  After a few minutes, I ended the meditation and left with a clear sense of relaxation and satisfaction for all that I have, both positive and negative.

I’ve noticed that cultivating gratitude is an important ingredient in overcoming addictions and dealing with mental illness. In the AA meeting I recently attended, I noticed a running them of gratitude and the need to thank the Higher Power on a daily basis.  I once read a saying, “Image if you woke up tomorrow with just the things you thanked God for today.”  Whether you are comfortable with the G word or not, I think this idea opens our minds to the many riches we may not realize we have (not just the food on our table that we should eat because of the Africans who may not have it) but the totality of our life experience.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Spleen

by | Feb 29, 2012 | Acupuncture, Asian Medicine, Digestion, Food, Nutrition, Recipes, Traditional Chinese Medicine

According to the Five Elements Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as taught to us in ASM 202 by Dr. Kassam, the Spleen and Stomach belong to the Earth element and are both responsible for digestion (the transportation and transformation of food into energy, or Qi).

According to our professor, The Spleen transports Gu Qi (the Qi, or energy, derived from food intake) to the rest of the body.  It nourishes muscles, limbs and the intellect by allowing us to think, study, focus, memorize and concentrate (hello, exam time!).

When the Spleen is out of balance, Spleen Qi or Yang Deficiency or even Dampness can manifest.  In the Western medical model, dampness is best explained as weight gain, or obesity: fluid retention, fat gain, abdominal distension, lethargy and difficulty concentrating.

The Spleen hates cold and damp foods and environments.  Eating fat, cold, damp and sweet foods can aggravate the Spleen and lead to dampness or other spleen pathologies. Think dairy, refined sugars, fried foods, starchy foods and raw foods.  (Eating to the bottom of a tub of Ben and Jerry’s while watching your favourite romantic comedy may be good for the soul, but it’s horrible for the Spleen!)

So, how can we tonify the Spleen and prevent or reverse dampness (read: lose weight)?

First, we need to help the Spleen digest food by making it easier to extract the necessary nutrients from the food we eat and letting what we don’t need go to waste rather than storing it as fat.

We need to focus on the foods that aid digestion and minimize the foods that the Spleen doesn’t like; foods that make it harder for the Spleen to digest and, thereby, contribute to dampness.

While working to tonify the Spleen it is important to avoid raw foods.  Digesting raw foods takes a lot of work and can be damaging to an already compromised Spleen.  It is important to cook foods, use warming spices, which help to prevent dampness by warming the body, and to avoid cold, sweet foods.

Eating in silence is important as it helps us focus our energies on digestion, allowing the Spleen to function optimally. Dr. Kassam, tells us that in Chinese cafeterias, rather than hearing the chatter you would expect to hear in a “Western” cafeteria all you hear is dense silence, interrupted by the occasional slurping noise or clattering of spoons against soup bowls.  As far as the Spleen is concerned, it is important to eat for the sole purpose of eating.  This means avoiding conversation, reading, checking email or studying while eating.

Avoid irregular eating habits and ensure that you eat a proper, protein-rich breakfast.  Being hungry in the morning and at regular meal times is a good sign that the Spleen is working properly.  According to TCM, hunger is the sensation of the Spleen “asking” for food.

Consider supplementing with a probiotic.  Creating a healthy balance of gut flora aids the Spleen with digestion by improving the terrain in which digestion occurs.

OK, so what should I eat?

It is important to focus on foods that are slowly cooked and served warm, such as soups and stews.  When preparing meals, use seasonal vegetables, moderate portions of meat and warming spices (ginger, garlic, turmeric, cardamom, etc.).

Congee is an excellent dish for tonifying the Spleen, aiding in digestion and reversing dampness or Spleen dysfunction. It is easy to digest, very warming and nutritive. To make Congee:

1 cup of rice (brown, long-grain or bismati, according to your preference)

9 cups of water

As many large chunks of fresh ginger (1/4 inch thick) as you desire

Any vegetables you have (preferably seasonal): mushrooms, kale, spinach, carrots, celery, etc.

Chopped green onions

Optional: chicken or turkey breast pieces

Bring pot to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cook on low for 2-3 hours, or until the soup has a creamy consistency.  Remove from heat and keep warm.  Makes 6 servings.

*This post is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition and does not replace the advice of a licensed naturopathic doctor or doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Going Rogue

by | Feb 27, 2012 | Art, Asian Medicine, Balance, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Clinic, Naturopathic Philosophy, Research, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic, Stress, Student

Another naturopathic exam session has come and gone. The end of our last midterm week tucked an uncomfortable 49 exams (in less than two years) under our already stuffed belts. Despite the over-stuffing of knowledge (taxing our Spleens, according to TCM, which is the equivalent of overeating at a buffet), I can’t help but feel empty at the end of these week-long ordeals.

(more…)

The Evergreen Brick Works

The Evergreen Brick Works

by | Feb 22, 2012 | Animals, Balance, Beauty, Cafe, Colour, Exercise, Family, Finding yourself, Love, Nature, Nature Cure, Naturopathic Philosophy, Outdoors, Parks, Pets, Photography, Restaurants, Sunshine, Tea, Travel, Urban Living

After being enchanted by Montreal, I was determined to show Joe that Toronto isn’t all concrete and business suits.  I may not be an expert on all that Toronto has to offer as a city; I don’t frequent clubs, I’m not that into high fashion and I don’t eat out often.  However, I am very familiar with one thing about Toronto: its parks. (more…)

Naturopathic Doctors as Health Advocates?

by | Feb 21, 2012 | Balance, Beauty, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Clinic, Elimination Diet, Emotions, Empathy, Exercise, Finding yourself, Ideal You, Love, Mental Health, Naturopathic Philosophy, Preventive Medicine, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic, Self-care, Student

Walking down University Avenue in Toronto past all the major hospitals, including the Princess Margaret, a hospital that specializes in oncology, one can’t help but notice the lines of smokers puffing away outside, in front of the hospital doors, in the frigid February air.

(more…)

Pin It on Pinterest