The heart and the uterus communicate with each other via the Bao Mai which literally translates to “Uterus Vessel”. Every month blood comes down from the heart through the Bao Mai and settles in the uterus, allowing the uterus potential to nourish an embryo.

The Bao Mai must be open and unimpeded for menstruation and conception to occur. If this link is disrupted, often due to stress, women can experience PMS symptoms, irregular menstrual cycles and subfertility.

The wisdom of Chinese medicine tells us that both the heart and the uterus are intimately connected and that the healthy functioning of one depends on the other.  A similar parallel from western medicine is the hypothalamus – pituitary – ovarian axis or the HPO axis which we know can be affected by stress.

While we in the West are just starting to understand the relationship between moods and hormonal shifts, these concepts were outlined in Chinese medical texts thousands of years ago. These books describe the connection between emotional states and hormonal balance as the relationship between the heart and the uterus. Rather than the brain being the organ that determines behaviour, in Chinese medical theory, this is the heart’s domain.

BAO MAI BREATHING TECHNIQUE

• Sit on a chair, towards the front of it, so your spine can be nice and straight and you can feel alert yet soft

• Feet flat on the floor

• Bring your right hand over your lower dantien (just below your belly button)

• Bring your left hand over your heart area

• Close your eyes, start to focus in on the breath - spend 2 minutes just noticing the breath without change

• When you are ready, bring your awareness to the two hands and where they are placed

• With the in breath feel the rise of the lower belly and the slight expansion of the chest area

• When you breath out IMAGINE (don't do it) your left palm coming down and your right palm coming up so they meet in the middle (somewhere around your upper abdomen),

• IMAGINE that both palms are still facing your body, one over the other

• As you breathe in go back to the hands over the heart and uterus, breath out IMAGINE the palms meeting (one over the other).

• Do this for 5-15 minutes.

• When you realise your mind wanders, without judgement come back to the breathing and visualisation.

• At the end of the session, gently and slowly open your eyes and sit for a few moments before going on with the day