Meridian Archetypes Part 10: The Athlete
In the Meridian Archetypes, the Skin meridian is represented by the Athlete. This archetype explores our relationship with physical challenge, risk, resilience, and our ability to respond to pressure.
The athlete’s talent is not only physical. An athlete wouldn’t get far without mental drive, passion, and determination. Energetically, the skin corresponds to the TCM meridian, the triple burner, and therefore supports a healthy immune system. It is the gatekeeper between the outside world and our inner self, balancing how much energy comes in and how much goes out.
To locate athlete energy within yourself, you need to look at your willingness to push physical boundaries and take risks.
Are you naturally athletic?
How much do you rely on luck?
Do you do well under pressure?
Is being a part of a community something that is important to you?
Athlete energy comes alive in situations that require us to respond quickly to our environment, whether we’re navigating physical challenges or high-pressure situations. The skin’s balancing meridian, the pericardium is represented by the archetype of the judge, and so the skin’s risk-taking is balanced by the subconscious impartialness of the judge.
By strengthening and stretching the skin meridian, you gain access to your inner risk-taker and athlete. You will also learn some exercises to fix shoulder injuries and release tension in the upper back. To understand the skin meridian’s place in our series, we will examine its Western medicine functions, archetypes, common imbalances, and exercises to help restore the healthy flow of our meridian.
Myofascial System in Western Medicine
The term “myofascial release” was coined less than 100 years ago. In 2018, a “new organ” was discovered called the interstitium which put a name to part of the myofascial system that therapists have been treating for years.
The truth is Western science is only now discovering what Traditional Chinese medicine has known for centuries. Namely, the layers of skin and fascia that protect our physical bodies also play a crucial role in our subtle bodies.
Our skin is an organ with which we are all familiar. It protects our internal organs and is the first defense against bacteria, viruses, and physical attacks. Beneath the skin lies our myofascial system. It has several parts including the lymphatic system, nervous and vascular tissue, and other connective tissues.
Our fascia is split into three parts.
The first superficial layer of the fascia stores fat and water. It transports water, macrophages, and nutrients throughout the body.
The second layer lies deeper and can be accessed with deep tissue massage. It surrounds muscles, bones, nerves, and blood vessels and has nervous system receptors to alert us to the presence of pain.
The third surrounds the organs of the body and holds them safely in place.
The macrophages in the first layer are a type of white blood cell that plays a key role in the immune system. The first line of defense macrophages act as the emergency responders, arriving on the scene to assess the damage and provide critical emergency measures. The second lineup of macrophages comes in to clean and clear the mess and set the stage for our body’s healing process.
Healing Fascia with Myofascial Release
When your body is healthy and you are exercising regularly, your myofascial system is flexible and pliable. Without movement, fascia can get stuck leading to pain, stiffness, and inflexibility. Both the skin and the fascia help maintain structural integrity in the body. Without them, we would lose our first defense against illness and injury.
When a person receives “myofascial release,” the practitioner uses specified trigger points to release tension in the tissues of the body. Sound familiar? Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine have been releasing tension via the meridians for thousands of years.
Skin Meridian Exercises
Beginner
Intermediate
Cobra Arch (Start in Child’s pose and flow through to Cobra pose with knees on the ground)
Advanced
Cobra Arch with a Push-up (Start in Child’s pose and push up to Cobra pose)
Assisted Child’s Pose with Someone Pressing or Standing on your Back
Get Your Qi Flowing with the Athlete
Other Archetypes: The Olympian, Avenger, Gambler
The Athlete is a natural archetype for this grounded, physical meridian. Skin energy helps us respond to the world around us while staying connected to what is happening within us. Like an athlete who must work as part of a team without losing sight of their own needs and limits, the Skin meridian explores the balance between the individual and the community.
In Traditional Chinese medicine, the Skin meridian is most closely related to the Triple Burner. The Triple Burner helps regulate the movement of Qi throughout the body, taking in energy from our environment, processing what we need, and releasing what we don’t.
In Traditional Chinese medicine, the Triple Burner is described as a psychic-level “hinge” of Yang energy in the body. It helps us navigate the exchange between our internal world and the environment around us. This makes Skin energy an exploration of boundaries and exchange: how we interact with the world around us without becoming overwhelmed by it, and how we stay connected to others without losing ourselves in the process.
Honoring yourself without dishonoring others and conversely honoring others without dishonoring yourself will create a ripple effect of light.
Jazz Rasool
The triple burner keeps emotional problems from becoming long-term conditions which can happen when the Qi stagnates. Like the liver meridian, the skin promotes free-flowing emotions in the body. Expressed, not repressed.
The Three Burners
The three “burners” each deal with a different influx of energy. The upper burner takes in energy from the world, the middle processes the energy in the body, and the lower drains energy we no longer need.
The upper burner disperses Wei Qi, or Defensive Qi, which is created by the lungs. The middle burner processes energy build-up by the spleen and stomach during digestion. The lower burner works with the kidneys and bladders to remove waste.
A healthy flow of Qi is essential for flowing physical movement, expressed emotions, a clear mind, and a peaceful spirit.
If the heart is the Empress of the body and the pericardium is the royal palace that protects it, the skin is the capital city. It provides a place for all of the people of the kingdom and simultaneously protects them against foreign invaders.
Using the Skin Meridian to Access the Flow State
When an emotional problem rouses the minister’s fire (controlled by the heart meridian), skin and pericardium meridian exercises can be used to calm the mind and clear built-up energy. The athlete represents the means to relieve our mental, emotional, and spiritual bodies through physical activity and movement.
You can use your skin meridian to tap into the source of your energy. The “flow state” is a modern term for tapping into your source with the skin. It describes an athlete’s ability to go into the “zone” while performing. Exercise becomes simpler and less energy is expended. You feel as though you are at the top of your game.
If you can fall into the flow state, you probably have a healthy skin meridian.
Movement for Addiction: Skin Meridian Therapy
The skin meridian is responsible for putting our body in a state of rest and relaxation. Often, if this meridian is out of balance a person will experience issues with their adrenals, including stress and insomnia. Movement is a great way to clear built-up nervous tension or energy in the body.
One of our clients is a former Olympic hopeful. This client struggled with physical, emotional, and mental blocks leading up to the Olympic trials and eventually decided to quit. After a few years, she began to develop issues with substances and eventually entered recovery for alcoholism. A key component in living a life of recovery according to Gabor Mate, author of The Hungry Ghost, is connection. The structure and community connection of exercising at a gym or local fitness area provide important recovery support.
These days, this client exercises regularly to stay balanced both physically and emotionally. Movement has been a key part of her recovery. Exercise supplies your brain with endorphins which improve your mood. She also relies on her workout community to support and encourage her journey.
When Skin Energy Stagnates
The energy in our body is always in a constant state of movement. Stagnation in one of the three burners above means that our energy is trapped in that burner until we unblock it.
If the upper burner is out of balance, our immune system will be compromised. Defensive Qi from the lungs would not flow and we would be more susceptible to outside invaders.
If the middle burner is blocked, our digestion will be thrown off. Issues with indigestion, acid reflux, or gas would be common.
If the lower burner is thrown off, we will experience issues with the removal of waste and absorption of nutrients. Diarrhea or constipation could be expected.
If you are looking to use movement as part of your addiction therapy, check out Yoga of 12 Step Recovery. This program has weekly meetings and intensive training that combines the physical practice of yoga with the community support of 12-step meetings, and the healing power of yoga.
In addition to skin exercises, Infinity also recommends stomach meridian exercises because of the stomach’s role in addiction. You should also work on their balancing meridians, the pericardium, and the spleen.
Looking Ahead…
Our next articles will look at the Gallbladder and Liver meridians. These meridians epitomize spring energy. The gallbladder is symbolized by the archetype of the pioneer. These decision-makers drive us ahead and are both ambitious and thoughtful.
The liver is best represented by the liberator archetype. These free spirits make the best caretakers. They give unconditionally and are hypersensitive to the needs of others. Keep following our Meridian Archetype series to learn more!
[…] balance to the most spiritual of the types is the most physical. The skin’s archetype, the athlete, is the most physical of the personality types. This meridian is another great protector of the […]
[…] Read more here. […]
[…] The pericardium is represented by the archetype of the judge; they are the most straightforward and spiritual of the meridian personality types. Their balancing type, the skin, is the exact opposite. Skin meridians are the most physical of the personality types and are represented by the archetype of the athlete. […]
[…] balance to the most spiritual of the types is the most physical. The skin’s archetype, the athlete, is the most physical of the personality types. This meridian is another great protector of the […]
[…] The pericardium is represented by the archetype of the judge; they are the most straightforward and spiritual of the meridian personality types. Their balancing type, the skin, is the exact opposite. Skin meridians are the most physical of the personality types and are represented by the archetype of the athlete. […]