To ensure good health, the vital energy known as “Qi” must circulate harmoniously throughout the human body. Its blockage or absence is a real source of dysfunction. Yang energy is one of the manifestations of this Qi. It plays a truly primordial role, such that its insufficiency leads to chilliness and weakened immune defenses, among many other things. It personifies masculine nature, but must always remain in balance with its opposite force. Indeed, if yin and yang are out of balance, illness can result.

In this article, we’ll take you through the essentials of the subject. You’ll understand the nature, role, pathways and malfunctions of this energy, as well as an effective solution to encourage its circulation.

Yang energy: nature and roles

The opposite of feminine energy, yin energy is associated with the positive, active, sunny, bright, warm, luminous and relieving aspects of things. It is energetic, powerful, creative, motivating and inspiring to understand and achieve enlightenment. This is why this energy is considered representative of the sun in Chinese Taoist philosophy. In addition, it conditions masculine behavior, functioning and values.

In traditional Chinese medicine, yang is the energy that warms the human body. It promotes the circulation of blood and lymph. In fact, yang energy enables the various human organs to perform their functions of digestion, elimination and defense.

Inadequate yang energy can lead to mental and physical fatigue. Generally speaking, this can be accompanied by sudden weight gain and cellulite, depending on the case. But it can also be accompanied by muscle contractures, spasms, sharp pains, intense headaches, high blood pressure and active congestion. As a result, the yang must continually remain in balance to ensure its functions.

The path and dysfunctions of yang energy

Like all types of energy, yang circulates in the body along energy pathways. These are also called vessels or meridians. The meridians or yang vessels circulate from top to bottom, on the back of the body. Their role is to govern the major functions of the human body. Thus, there are several yang meridians.

GALL BLADDER
The gall-bladder meridian is a yang meridian of the foot. It runs from the head to the foot. It is an integral part of the wood element, the source of yang energy, and is coupled with the liver meridian, of which it is the external.

While the liver has a creative role, the gall bladder is responsible for choice or realization. That said, it is in charge of the just and the exact, and is associated with the spirit of determination and decision.

Its yang is charged between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Its main function is to store and secrete the bile created by the liver. It also uses yang energy to help the liver cope with increased food intake. Ultimately, the gallbladder is the liver’s assistant. If the gall bladder is not functioning properly, digestive symptoms such as diarrhoea or heartburn may appear. Psychological problems such as reticence or shyness are also likely to occur.

In any case, apart from all its other functions, it protects against bad influences, fears, excitements of the mind, control of blood and breath circulation.

SMALL INTESTINE
The small intestine meridian is a yang energy meridian of the arm. It starts at the hand and ends at the head. It governs the transformation and sorting of the food it receives from the stomach, and has the function of sorting the pure from the impure. It also enables learning, talent and the abstraction of useless thoughts.

In our daily lives, we face many challenges. Sometimes, however, aggressive factors are more powerful, stronger than our defenses. The small intestine meridian therefore prevents these factors from reaching our vital organs, thanks to yang energy, by trapping them in certain parts of the body, such as joints or teeth. In addition, it handles the absorption of liquids and all the body’s secretions (saliva, tears, perspiration, mother’s milk, hormones, etc.).

The energy it generates occurs between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Its dysfunction leads to pain in the lower abdomen, deafness, swollen cheeks, sore throat and much more.

THE TRIPLE WARMER
In Chinese medicine, the triple warmer is the 6th internode linked to the master heart. Part of yang energy, it is an arm meridian. It starts at the hand and ends at the head. Its essential function is to distribute fluids and heat to the body’s focal points. These are :

Upper: the heart and lung, whose role is to distribute energy;
Middle: the spleen and liver, whose role is to create and distribute blood;
Lower: the kidney, large intestine, small intestine and bladder, whose role is to eliminate excess liquid and solid yang energy.

The energy flow is carried by the triple warmer through 23 points. As this is associated with the master-heart meridian, certain symptoms appear when an energy disorder occurs at this level. These include sore throat, shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, lack of libido…
In addition, dysfunction of the triple-heater meridian leads to disorders such as deafness, ringing in the ears, dysuria, swollen cheeks and many others.

STOMACH MERIDIAN
This is a yang foot meridian whose yang energy flows from the head to the foot. This energy is charged between 7 and 9 a.m. It is an integral part of the earth element and is linked to the spleen-pancreas meridian, which supplies heat. Its essential function is the reception, simplification and decomposition of food. When it is not fully fulfilling its role, the individual will notice the following signs:

Loss or increase of appetite;
Digestive disorders;
Diarrhea;
Constipation;
Thyroid problems;
Stress;
Exaggerated taste for sugar and many others.

The yang energy of the stomach meridian flows through 45 points. This meridian links up with the spleen meridian, as we’ve already mentioned, and associates with the large intestine meridian. In addition to its main functions, the Stomach meridian can treat all problems of the head (eyes, face, forehead, nose, etc.), throat disorders, disturbances of the mind such as bipolarity, and disorders of the upper, middle and lower focus. It also tones Qi and thins the blood.

LARGE INTESTINE
The large intestine meridian is a yang arm meridian. Its yang energy is charged between 5 and 7 am. It starts at the hand and ends at the head. Coupled with the lung meridian, it serves to eliminate solid waste from the body. Apart from this role, it defends the body against the outside world. Energy is responsible for lack of positive thoughts, dissatisfaction and obsession with detail.

On a physical level, its benefits are manifold. Among other things, it helps prevent colds, sinusitis and bronchitis, promotes a positive state of mind, and treats constipation and bloating. Yang energy also helps limit the formation of wrinkles on the skin and strengthens hair.

On the other hand, its dysfunction is the cause of constipation, diarrhea, skin problems, neck swelling, fever and thirst. At organ level, the individual may experience pain in the periumbilical region, abdominal pain, borborygma, stools with yellowish mucus and dyspnea. It also encourages resentment and the expression of dark thoughts in the event of disorder.

BLADDER
This is a yang meridian of the foot. It receives its yang energy between 3pm and 5pm. Its essential function is to control fluid levels in the body. It is the longest meridian in the human body, but also the outermost. As such, it is considered the first meridian exposed to external attack.

In principle, disorders of this meridian are directly related to the environment. More specifically, symptoms are caused by cold, wind, heat, dryness and humidity. As a result, yang energy disorder at this level manifests itself in dehydration, thigh pain, incontinence, eye pain, runny or bleeding nose, nasal congestion, neck, back, groin and buttock pain.

The bladder meridian fills with energy in winter. It is associated with the Kidney and Small Intestine meridians. It is also part of the water element. The bladder-kidney meridian couple manages courage and improves resistance to stress.

How to ensure the proper circulation of yang energy?

The proper circulation of yang energy is achieved through the practice of qi gong. This practice lasts between 45 and 90 minutes and is based on a combination of static and dynamic exercises. The aim is to gently stimulate different parts of the body to produce a particular physical or mental effect. If there are several participants, it’s important to place them a few meters apart so they can look at each other. The session begins with preparatory breathing and stretching exercises. This calms the body and mind, and thus encourages the proper circulation of yang energy.

This practice offers multiple possibilities for working on oneself on a daily basis. It enables a certain evolution on a physical, energetic and mental level. Here are just a few of the benefits of qi gong for yang fluidity:

Maintaining and developing vitality;
Improving dynamism;
Developing, maintaining and regenerating the body’s energies;
Strengthening memory;
Development of concentration;
Good digestion and assimilation of food;
Better emotional management.

Yang energy can easily circulate through this practice. Beyond its many benefits, qi gong is the very essence of traditional Chinese medicine.