Your liver is the feng shui master of your body. It has the same needs as its environment and will do great if they are met. He likes space very much, he prefers to be cool and to be in a state of flow while rocking. Your liver is the control tower that directs traffic in and out through two blood lines, the hepatic artery that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart, and the hepatic portal vein. Within the parameters of our circadian rhythm, the liver expands and contracts by 40% in each 24-hour cycle. It is one of the busiest organs performing functions second only to the brain. Ancient civilizations from the Mesopotamians to the Greeks have recognized the dominance of the liver, with the Elizabethans calling their monarch not the head but the liver of the state of him.
Feng shui receives vital information from Traditional Chinese Medicine and draws on the elements to create beneficial qi. With his skill and many talents, the liver is in the commanding position of the body. Does this remind us of our much sought after corner of wealth and the many aspects of empowerment? Yes, TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) correlates the liver with the wood element and adds the eyes as the visionary portals of the body. We know that the wood element is related to everything that grows in nature, and the liver is the only organ that regenerates and grows back if it is cut in half. The wood element has visionary qualities that watch over decision making and futuristic projects. Natalie Angier reports in the New York Times that “the liver serves the function of a military leader who excels at strategic planning,” and since vision and foresight are needed to plan and decide, it makes sense that the eyes, our organ of vision , are connected and correlated with the liver.
You want your liver to be a workaholic, as is typical of the wooden personality, but be careful not to overload your workload with too many toxic substances that could lead to sclerosis and ultimately liver failure. In fact, you might want to nourish your liver with supportive tips from our arsenal of feng shui wisdom:
• With the bagua in hand, review your design and find all the sectors attributed to the element of wood.
• Check the balance! Is there too little or too much of wood-related shapes, colors, sounds, or scents?
• If needed, add air-purifying plants, wind chimes, and refreshing scents like geranium or eucalyptus.
• Add a fountain where appropriate as water feeds wood.
• Check and see if qi is gently winding through your space and remember that the flow state of your body, mind and environment is responsible for healthy circulation and immune responses at the cellular level. Connect your body/mind with your environment.
• As the master strategist of the circulating blood, the liver keeps track of the body’s energy demands from moment to moment and releases any nutrients that might be needed.
• Signals from the liver can dictate our dietary choices if we allow ourselves to tune in and listen to its subtle whispers.
• Research suggests that the liver may play both a proactive and reactive role in controlling appetite and food choices. Therefore, it may be wise to look to the plant kingdom when selecting your next meal. Make a green smoothie or cook green soup against cancer.
• Boost your immunity by wearing turquoise, a lush combination of green for wood and blue for water.
• Engage gemology with a wonderful turquoise gemstone.
• Keep in mind that the liver is your pharmaceutical manufacturer of hormones, enzymes, clotting factors, immune molecules, and blood chemistry. Perhaps you should be a willing participant in providing a healthy, toxin-free environment.
• Ultimately, call your feng shui consultant if you need more help creating space for your liver.