The Large Intestine: Transformation, Change, and Letting Go
Transformation. Change. Letting Go. Moving On. These might not be words that come
to mind when you think of the Large Intestine. But they are just as connected to
that system as are our bowels and our digestive health.
Basics information
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Large Intestine energy system, like all of
our systems, is defined functionally as opposed to anatomically. It is defined by
the role the energy plays in the body, not by a physical organ or tissue
The Large Intestine energy system (“Da Chang” or “Great Intestine”), is in charge
of functions in the body such as receiving waste material from the Small Intestine
system, absorbing fluid content, and excreting the waste. Understandably, we often
treat the Large Intestine system when patients present with symptoms like constipation,
diarrhea, or lower abdominal cramping.
Internal Relationships
The Large Intestine energy is paired with the Lung energy. We can therefore support
the Large Intestine energy when treating a Lung pathology, such as an acute or chronic
cough. Many times people get sick with a cold and then it transfers to their digestive
system. The Qi of both the Large Intestine and the Lung needs to descend to be healthy
– when Lung Qi doesn’t descend, we cough. When Large Intestine Qi doesn’t descend,
we get constipated.
Psycho-Emotional Aspects
An emotional imbalance in the Large Intestine energy could manifest as chronic constipation,
but it could also manifest as an emotional tendency to not let things go. Or chronic
constipation could lead to certain destructive patterns of negative emotions.
The Large Intestine energy’s number one function in the body is to let go of those
things that don’t serve us. Physically, it lets go of waste after our upper digestive
system has taken all the necessary nutrients out of the food we eat. On an emotional
level, the Large Intestine does the exact same thing. Healthy Large Intestine energy
allows us to let go of patterns of negative thinking, destructive emotions, and
spiritual blockages that we create that prevent us from being our best. When the
function of the Large Intestine energy is compromised, people have a hard time moving
on from difficult situations, or hold very tightly to emotions they know are harming
them. This holding on can also manifest as an unwillingness to share emotions or
be open with others – the phenomenon of “bottling up” emotions for years very often
leads to chronic constipation.
As mentioned, the Large Intestine is a Metal element. Metal is associated with the
emotion of grief. This attachment indicates Large Intestine energy involvement,
for other negative emotions, too. A pathology in the Large Intestine energy may
make one too attached to anger, or fear, or possessiveness – and manifest as an
inability to make a change.
The Huang Di Neijing, one of the oldest texts in Chinese Medicine, speaks to the
spiritual and emotional importance of the Large Intestine: “The Large Intestine
is the official of the transmission of the Way, change and transformation emerge
from it.”
Change and transformation come from being open to the new, and ready and willing
to let go of the old. There is only room for new and positive transformation when
we are able to move on from the patterns that hold us to where we are now. And it
is the health of the Large Intestine energy that allows us to do that.
The Large Intestine Channel Acu-Points