Nourishing kidney chi kung. “The Kidney consolidates and stores the Qi that initiates and keeps life growing. Like a minister of interior who conserves natural resources, stockpiling essential raw materials for use in times of growth, crisis, or transition, the Kidney preserves what is essential, the Essence, of human life.

The Kidney supports the reproductive organs (ovaries, uterus, testicles, prostate), the reproductive material (sperm and ovum), and the reproductive activity. When the Kidney Qi is abundant, sexual and reproductive life is vigorous and lasting,” From the book Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine

Kidneys also govern the bones, bone marrow, brain, inner ear, teeth spinal cord, hair, anus, urethra, and pupil of the eyes.

If you have read my previous Chi Nei Tsang (CNT) posts on the lungs or the liver, you should know that each organ holds particular energy. Each organ also has a season in which it is in its most active state. The season of the kidneys is winter. Winter is a time to go inward and conserve energy for the impending spring when the earth sprouts new life and growth.  A plant doesn’t flower all year-round; it needs a period to send energy deep into its roots to build vitality and strength. The same is true for us humans, we need time to replenish and restore. We have a lot to learn from nature.

Mother Maya Tawari From Wise Earth Ayurveda

Each major organ holds energy which manifests differently according to whether it’s in balance or not. For instance, the kidneys hold fear when out of balance and hold feelings of stillness and gentleness when in balance- much like the stillness of winter and the gentleness of a doe. If you have a difficult time slowing down in winter, or embracing winter, I recommend the practice of Hygge. Hygge is a word in Danish and Norwegian that describes a cozy, contented mood evoked by comfort and conviviality. Here’s a Hygge book with tips on incorporating this lovely practice into your life. I also found this Hygge game to build meaningful connections.

Left kidney issues can also be related to our genetic roots or the root of our being.  Right kidney issues can be related to intense anger from events that are too emotional for the liver to handle.  This makes sense to me since fear often underlies anger.

Listen to your internal cravings. Part of being in tune with nature is changing our eating habits. When it’s frigid and frosty outside we crave internal warmth, so soups and stews are natural food choices during the colder months.

Healing Sounds:  Each organ responds to a particular sound—a unique vibrational quality—that when made, helps release stored stress. CNT uses such healing sounds to assist both emotional and physical stress release from the internal organs.  When I do the healing organ sounds before I go to bed I like to end with the kidney sounds. Smiling down feelings of stillness and gentleness is a wonderful way to fall asleep while sinking into the depths and comfort of my body.  The healing sound for the kidneys is wooooo. These sounds can be done sub-vocally so only you can hear them. The kidney sound transforms the emotional energy inside the kidneys into gentleness.

Kidney meditation:

Lie on your back. You may also do this while sitting in a chair, or standing. Breathe in while expanding your ribcage in a circumference.  Feel the intercostal spaces open up on the backside of your ribcage around your kidneys.  Every time you breathe this way, you bring chi to the kidneys.

Form an “O” with your lips as if preparing to blow out a candle. With a long, slow exhalation produce the sound “wooooooo.” Imagine the sound coming from the kidneys, releasing any stress held there.  Repeat three to six times.

Now direct your smile down to your kidneys. That’s right, smile down to your kidneys :-), they are working hard for you, it’s time to give them some loving attention.  Imagine a soothing blue light shining in and around your kidneys. Smile down feelings of stillness and gentleness, like the stillness of winter and the gentleness of a doe.  While you’re smiling down to your kidneys, using your mind’s eye and loving attention, notice how they feel, or look. Don’t try to change anything, just be present, listening with an open heart as you would listen to a good friend in need.  Keep the thinking mind out of the meditation. Instead focus on shapes, colors, emotions, and sensations.  Most likely what you feel or see will move and transform, which is a good thing.  It means chi (energy) is moving. Where our attention goes, our energy flows. Energy needs to flow through our organs for optimal function.

Aren’t your kidney’s cute!  Don’t you just want to cuddle them?  I know I do.

Want to learn more about the healing sounds? Check out Master Mantak Chia’s book, Taoist Ways to Transform Stress into Vitality: The Inner Smile * Six Healing Sounds.

Or, how to free up trapped emotions in the body through Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha

In my training with Master Mantak Chia I learned a lovely kidney/adrenal Chi Kung technique. The receiver lies on his/her belly as the practitioner does chi kung and massage over the area of the back that corresponds to the kidneys/adrenals. The back is massaged constantly while rocking the receiver back and forth on their belly for several minutes until their ears turn red (the ears correspond to the kidneys; notice the similar shape). This massage brings blood to the area warming the kidneys and sending the signal to the adrenals to take a much-needed break.
Obviously, you can’t perform this specific technique on yourself, but you can do a variation of the massage for yourself. Using your loose fists, reach around to your back and gently massage and tap your kidneys. Do this daily to bring Qi and warmth to this neglected area.

Nourishing Kidney Chi Kung

Check out this quick video to see how the kidneys work.