Riley’s Mandala of the Stomach Spleen and Pancreas This mandala demonstrates the earthly transforming and digesting energy of these organs, which are visualized in red at the center of the mandala. The yin-yang template ley-lines the map of the body from head to base. Each element is depicted with emphasis on the rising phoenix-bird coming out of the Shen of the spleen, and a dragon of the east for the cauldron of the stomach.
Dr. Charles LeV is a man who shared with the Evergreen community a small portion of his deep knowledge. He is a a professor of medicine at OHSU in Portland Oregon. DR. Lev is an Acupuncture and practices Traditional Chinese Medicine. At OHSU he specializes in behavioral and mental health. integrative medicine, and pain management. Dr. Charles Lev’s presentation was packed full of great information. Two concepts that really stuck with me were based in shaking qigong and also Trauma release exercise.
It is interesting to think that this shaking response to trauma is common amongst mini mammalian families. The shaking is a way for the body to release hormones that are sent to your muscles to allow them to escape threat. Many humans store their traumas in their body instead of finishing the cycle and allowing the body to move through and release the built up residues. This fight or flight response was developed in humans as we evolved.
Much of chapter 10 in Bill Bryson’s The Body is dedicated to exploring how the human body has changed through our evolution. Much of our evolution has in fact made it possible for us to survive threats from predators. our skeleton have changed to allow us to be agile and capable of escaping on foot.
This concept is also discussed in Anchored. Our attempts to sooth our vagus nerve during moments of anxiety or stress can also be attributed to how our bodies evolved to keep us safe from perspective traumas. “Running in the background, neuroception being about automatic state change that either invites us into connection with people, places, and experiences or move us away from connection and into the protection of fight, flight, or shutdown” (Dana,2020 p9)
“Th marvelous pharmacy that was designed by nature and placed into our being by the universal architect produces most of the medicine that we need.”(Jahnke, 1999 p3) The Healer within has provided so much information about how our bodies have their own innate wisdom to heal and protect itself. This wisdom, again has been gained through our ages of evolution. The intricacies we hold within are astounding. Human civilizations have risen and fallen and with untold amounts of wisdom being gained and lost. Delving into these ancient wisdoms that we do still have access to could be the tools we need as humans to shift our trajectory back towards some semblance of global hemostasis.
Citation:
Bryson, B. (2019) The Body: A Guide for Occupants. . (Bryson, B.)[Audiobook] Soundcloud.com/penguinaudiobook/the-body-by-bill-bryson-read. URL (October 1, 2019).
Jahnke, R. (1997), The Healer Within, HarperCollins.
Charles Rothschild Lev L.Ac. | Health care provider.
https://www.ohsu.edu/providers/charles-rothschild-lEV-lac
Dana, D. (2021). Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory. Sounds True.
When starting my body mandala I wanted to make sure to put little dots to represent our cells and how we are made up of energy. I think this quote from Bryson.B (The body: A Guide for the occupants, 2019, p.190-191) “ The stuff responsible for the energy in our cells is a chemical called Adenosine Triphosphate, or ATP, which may be the most I important thing in your body you have ever heard of. Every molecule of ATP is like a tiny battery and that it stores energy and then releases it to power all the activities required by yourselves – and indeed by all cells in plants as well as animals ” described exactly what I wanted to convey. In my opinion, it meant every living thing having ATP is connecting us all on a molecular level. That quote also fits with the layer of flowers, leaves, plants, and stars I have on the top layer of my mandala. The squiggly lines in the fourth and seventh rings in my mandala represent the mind and spirit. “ The simple practice of focusing on the breath, applying self-massage, gently moving the body, and deeply relaxing bring the natural relationship among the body, mind, and spirit back into balance.” (Jahnke. R, The Healer Within, 1997, p.5). This quote is similar to what I wanted to convey in this mandala – reaching for growth and finding balance within. In the center of my mandala I wanted to represent the heart and mind because I feel like if they don’t match then when can the healing begin for traumas emotional or physical? Even though we are focusing on ourselves the safe and caring relationships we gain in life help with the process of connecting the two. These two quotes from Dana. D ( Anchored, 2021, p.9-10) are great examples. The first “Polyvagal Theory is the need for finding safe connection with others in the experience of co-regulation.” (P.9) and the second “ While the world seems to be increasingly focused on self-regulation and independence, co-regulation is the foundation for safely navigating daily living”(p.10). I think that it is always important to remember, especially with recent covid times limiting our connections with people.
Book references:
Bryson, B. 2019, Equilibrium. The body: A guide for occupants (p.190-191). Anchor Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York
Jahnke, R. 1997, The Medicine. The Healer within (p.5). HarperCollins publisher, New York
Dana D. 2021, A Quick look at the principles and elements of Polyvagal Theory. Anchored (p.9-10). Sounds True inc. Colorado