The Bao Mai is the Feminine Connection to Source Energy
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the energetic current that connects the Heart to the Womb is called the Bao Mai. While the Chinese word for uterus is Bao Gong, the term actually encompasses all female reproductive organs, including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and cervix. This makes “Womb” a more accurate translation. This Heart-Womb Axis forms the foundation of our powerful feminine energy, serving as our greatest asset for fulfilling our purpose on Earth.
The Heart organ is known as the Emperor. In addition to pumping blood through the body, the Emperor controls emotions, consciousness, and the spirit, known as Shen. The Shen is who we really are when stripped of doubt and resistance. It is reflected in the sparkle in our eyes. When our Shen is strong, our thinking is clear, we are at peace, and we are connected to others and ourselves.
As women, when we have dreams, fulfillment is promised, as long as our Bao Mai remains resonant and strong. Our desires are our gifts and the reason we are here, and they hold an energetic reality before they happen in the physical world. The Bao Gong (Womb) is one of the eight extraordinary vessels and is a space of pure potential, where our dreams incubate before coming to fruition. This concept is reflected in the physical processes of conception, pregnancy, and birth.
Keeping Our Connection Strong
In our society today, the Bao Mai can be severed in innumerable ways. One of the most definitive is through the widespread use of hormonal birth control. Birth control quite literally cuts off communication from a woman’s brain to her ovaries. In Western biology, this is known as the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Ovarian (HPO) axis. The HPO axis is the Western, way of looking at the ancient Chinese Bao Mai. Birth control erases a woman's connection to her higher power. It is proven that birth control causes a host of health problems, including an increased risk of anxiety and depression, nutrient deficiencies, endocrine disruption, ovarian and clitoral shrinkage, and sexual dysfunction. Furthermore, it acts as a temporary chemical castration that can cause both short and long-term infertility. It can also cause women to choose the "wrong" partner. Women on birth control are more likely to choose a mate with similar genetic patterns rather than one with more genetic diversity. This makes sense, since the Heart and Shen have lost connection with the Uterus and miss the signals the reproductive organs send to the brain.
Birth control isn’t the only thing disrupting the current of the Bao Mai. Many women are bombarded daily with endocrine disruptors from makeup, cleaning products, and chemicals in our food and water. Many take mind-altering pharmaceutical drugs that interfere with their womb alignment. So many women are also deeply undernourished, either eating far too few calories to sustain their daily activities, or caught in an endless stream of yo-yo diets that cause physiological and emotional stress. Others follow extremely low-carb diets that prevent their bodies from manufacturing hormones properly. On top of this, women are under an immense amount of pressure. Many work full-time jobs while simultaneously raising children and maintaining a household. All of these factors create dissonance and cut women off from their Bao Mai and therefore their true power.
As women, and especially as cycling women, maintaining a strong connection to our Bao Mai should be of the utmost importance. We can start to heal this connection through the body first, through our spiritual connection, or ideally both simultaneously. While it may seem overwhelming, we can start with the lowest-hanging fruit. Reconsidering the use of pharmaceutical drugs is a great place to begin. It is important to find a skilled practitioner to help you do this safely, especially if you have spent many years on these medications. The right support is crucial. Pharmaceuticals were made to disconnect you and keep you dependent. It is important to contemplate why you are consuming each drug and try to find alternative ways to create a lifestyle that allows you to leave them behind if you can do so safely.
Another low-hanging fruit is nourishment. As cycling women, our bodies are metabolically expensive. Our hormonal processes require an enormous amount of energy. Each cycle is an opportunity to create a brand-new human body, mind, and spirit. The Womb must be vascularized, and deeply nourished to create a calm, safe, nourishing and healthy environment for a growing child. Please also remember that ovulation and fertility is a sign of health, and when you are not ovulating, you body is not producing adequate amounts of hormone to keep your body functioning optimally. If you are unsure if you are ovulating, try charting your cycle.
The herbal medicine Vitex (Chastetree Berry) is a signaling herb that gently encourages the HPO axis connection, and in turn, the Bao Mai. Vitex can be an incredibly supportive addition to your journey back to spiritual and menstrual cycle alignment. It is helpful to track your cycle while taking Vitex to see how your cycle improves from working with this plant.
Finding peace and calm in everyday life is another wonderful way to align. Activities like daily meditation, gentle exercise outdoors and a gratitude practice are great to incorporate. Going to a sound bath, getting acupuncture or using tuning forks can also help tune the Bao Mai back into resonance. Managing your feelings and choosing your thoughts with intention are key, and choosing supportive daily activities are an easy way to keep you feeling good.
Focusing your energy on your health and your Heart-Womb Axis will be life-changing. If this post resonates and you are looking for additional support in strengthening the resonance with your Bao Mai, please visit my "Work With Me" page or click the "Book Now" button to schedule an appointment with me. I offer support with cyclical living and in-person care with Acupuncture and other Chinese Medicine modalities.
Note: This post is not medical advice and is for education only. Please speak to your health care practitioner before making any modifications to your medications, lifestyle or diet.
References:
Foundations of Chinese Medicine 3rd Edition by Giovanni Maciocia
The Treatment of Infertility with Chinese Medicine by J. Lyttleton
The Fifth Vital Sign by Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
Image: painting by Jean-Frédéric Schnyder born 1945 in Basel, Switzerland